Avia, a Czechoslovak firm, obtained a licence in 1951 to manufacture Il-10s, which were designated as B-33.
The inaugural flight of the first aircraft took place on 26 December 1951.
Initially, the engines used in these planes were of Soviet origin.
However, starting from 1952, Czechoslovakia also began producing engines for the B-33, known as the M-42.
Alongside the combat version, a trainer variant called CB-33 was also introduced into service in Czechoslovakia.
By 1956, a total of 1,200 B-33s had been constructed.
The Avia B-33 emerged as a fundamental ground attack aircraft for the countries within the Warsaw Pact.
The Polish Air Force, for instance, utilised 281 B-33s, modifying them to accommodate 400-litre fuel tanks beneath their wings.
Czechoslovakia, during the period from 1950 to 1960, employed 600 B-33s, while the Hungarian Air Force operated B-33s from 1949 to 1956.
Additionally, the Romanian Air Force utilised 156 B-33s between 1950 and 1960.
These aircraft were also employed by Bulgaria.
Variants
Avia B-33
Licensed built variant of the initial Il-10
Avia BS-33
Licensed built two-seat operational trainer.
Specifications
Crew
2
Length
11.06 m (36 ft 3 in)
Wingspan
11.06 m (36 ft 3 in)
Height
4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (tail up)
Wing area
30.00 m2 (322.9 sq ft)
Empty weight
4,680 kg (10,318 lb)
Gross weight
6,335 kg (13,966 lb)
Max take-off weight
6,535 kg (14,407 lb)
Fuel capacity
747 L (164 imp gal; 197 US gal)
Powerplant
1 × Mikulin AM-42 liquid-cooled V12 engine,
1,320 kW (1,770 hp)
(Maximum continuous power, 2,350 rpm)
Propellers
3 bladed AV-5L-24, 3.60 m (11 ft 10 in) diameter
Performance
Maximum speed
551 km/h (342 mph, 298 kn) at 2,800 m (9,200 ft);
507 km/h (274 kn; 315 mph) at sea level
Cruise speed
310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn) at 500 m (1,600 ft)
Range
800 km (500 mi, 430 nmi) at 500 m (1,600 ft)
Service ceiling
5,500 m (18,000 ft)
Time to altitude
5 minutes to 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Armament
Guns
4x 23 mm NS-23 (150 rpg) in wing.
1× 20 mm Berezin B-20 cannon (150 rpg)
Or
12,7 mm UBT machine gun (150 rpg) in rear turret.
Rockets
4× RS-82
Or
RS-132 rockets
Bombs
6× 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
Or
4× 100 kg (220 lb) bombs
Or
2× 250 kg (550 lb) bombs
Sources
Czechoslovakian Air Force, 1918-1970, Aircam Aviation Special 05-Richard Ward, Zdenek Titz & Gordon C. Davies.
The History of Soviet Aircraft from 1918-Vaclav Nemecek.
Soviet Combat Aircraft of the second World War, Vol 2, Twin Engined Fighters, Attack Aircraft & Bombers-Yefim Gordon, Dmitri Khazanov & Alexander Medved.
