Aero L-29 Delphin

The Aero L-29 Delfín is a military jet trainer.

It is the Czechoslovakians first locally designed and constructed jet aircraft, as well as likely being the biggest aircraft industrial program to take place in any of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance countries except the Soviet Union.

The Delfin served in basic, intermediate and weapons training roles.

For the latter mission, they were equipped with hardpoints to carry gun pods, bombs or rockets, the L-29 functioned as a relatively good ground-attack aircraft when deployed as such.

It saw several uses in this active combat role.

Specifications

Crew

2

Length

10.81 m (35 ft 6 in)

Wingspan

10.29 m (33 ft 9 in)

Height

3.13 m (10 ft 3 in)

Wing area

19.80 m2 (213.1 sq ft)

Aspect ratio

5.36:1

Airfoil

NACA 632A217 at root,

NACA 642A212 at tip

Empty weight

2,280 kg (5,027 lb)

Max take-off weight

3,280 kg (7,231 lb)

Fuel capacity

962 L (254 US gal; 212 imp gal),

Provision for

2× 150 L (40 US gal; 33 imp gal) external tanks

Powerplant

1 × Motorlet M-701c 500 turbojet,

8.7 kN (1,960 lbf) thrust

Performance

Maximum speed

655 km/h (407 mph, 354 kn) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft)

Stall speed

130 km/h (81 mph, 70 kn) (flaps down)

Never exceed speed

820 km/h (510 mph, 440 kn)

Range

894 km (556 mi, 483 nmi) (with external tanks)

Endurance

2 hr 30 min

Service ceiling

11,000 m (36,000 ft)

Rate of climb

14.00 m/s (2,755 ft/min)

Armament

Guns

2x 7.62mm machine gun pods on hardpoints

Hardpoints

2

Rockets

8× air-to-ground rockets

Bombs

2× 100 kg (220 lb) bombs.