Avia B-534

The Avia B-534 is a Czechoslovak biplane fighter. 

During 1932, work had commenced on the development of a new single engined biplane fighter aircraft, the Avia B-34, which had been designed by aeronautical engineer František Novotný.

During its development, various alternative engines were considered and trialled before eventually settling upon the license built Hispano-Suiza 12Y engine.

Other improvements during the prototype stage included the adoption of an enclosed cockpit along with a revised tail and undercarriage arrangement.

On 14 April 1934, the second prototype, while flown by test pilot Václav Kočí, successfully attained a Czechoslovak national speed record of 365.7 kilometres per hour (227.2 mph).

Deliveries of production aircraft to the Czechoslovak Air Force commenced in October 1935.

Partially as a result of its impressive manoeuvrability, as well as some operators continuing to maintain a preference for the established biplane configuration over the incoming generation of monoplane fighters that would soon prove to outperform them, the B-534 stayed in production for considerable time (1933-1939).

During the late 1930s, Czechoslovakia sought to expand production of the type in response to German claims over the Sudetenland (the western border area of Czechoslovakia).

Large numbers of the type saw combat with multiple nations during the course of the Second World War.

Variants

B-534/1

First prototype.

B-534/2

Second prototype.

B-534-I

First production version.

B-534-II,

B-534-III,

B-534-IV

Closed canopy

Bk-534

Cannon version.

Specifications

Crew

One

Length

8.1 m (26 ft 7 in)

Wingspan

9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)

Height

3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)

Wing area

23.56 m2 (253.6 sq ft)

Empty weight

1,460 kg (3,219 lb)

Gross weight

2,120 kg (4,674 lb)

Max take-off weight

1,980 kg (4,365 lb)

Powerplant

1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs, liquid-cooled V12 engine,

633 kW (849 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed

405 km/h (252 mph, 219 kn) at 4,400 m (14,436 ft) (Standard 380 km/h )

Cruise speed

345 km/h (214 mph, 186 kn)

Range

600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling

10,600 m (34,800 ft)

Rate of climb

15.15 m/s (2,982 ft/min)

Time to altitude

5,000 m (16,404 ft) in 5 minutes 30 seconds

Wing loading

84 kg/m2 (17 lb/sq ft)

Power/mass

0.319 kW/kg (0.197 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns

4× 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine guns with 250–300 rpg.

Bombs

6× 10 kg (22 lb) or 4x 20 kg (44 lb) bombs.

 

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