Avia B-71

The Tupolev SB-2 light bomber, known for its speed and sleek design, had already proven its effectiveness in the Spanish skies.

In 1937, Czechoslovakia reached an agreement with the Soviet Union to acquire 60 units of this aircraft directly from the manufacturer, along with a licence to produce more.

As part of the deal, the planes were equipped with Avia-built Hispano-Suiza 12-Ydrs liquid-cooled 12-cylinder engines, which powered Letov Hd-43 two-bladed metal propellers.

The original Soviet 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns were replaced with Czech 7.92mm vz.30 machine guns for defence.

The bomber, designated B-71 in Czechoslovak service, could carry six 220-pound bombs.

It boasted a maximum speed of 267 mph and a maximum range of 621 miles, thanks to its 850hp engine and a 423-gallon fuel tank capacity.

Specifications

Crew

3

Length

12.57 m (41 ft 3 in)

Wingspan

20.33 m (66 ft 8 in)

Height

3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)

Wing area

56.7 m2 (610 sq ft)

Airfoil

Root

TsAGI-6 mod (16%) 

Tip

TsAGI-6 mod (12.5%)

Empty weight

4,768 kg (10,512 lb)

Gross weight

6,308 kg (13,907 lb)

Max take-off weight

7,880 kg (17,372 lb)

Powerplant

2 × Klimov M-103, V-12 liquid cooled piston engines,

716 kW (960 hp) each

Propellers

3 bladed variable pitch propellers

Performance

Maximum speed

450 km/h (280 mph, 240 kn) at 4,100 m (13,451 ft)

Range

2,300 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi)

Service ceiling

9,300 m (30,500 ft)

Time to altitude

1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 1 minute 48 seconds

9,000 m (29,528 ft) in 32 minutes

Armament

Guns

4 × 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns

(Two in nose, one in dorsal and one in ventral position)

Bombs

6 × 100 kg (220 lb)

Or

Six 50 kg (110 lb) bombs in bomb-bay

2 × 250 kg (550 lb) bombs on wing racks.

Sources
Czechoslovakian Air Force, 1918-1970, Aircam Aviation Special 05-Richard Ward, Zdenek Titz & Gordon C. Davies.

Tupolev The Man and His Aircraft-Paul Duffy & Andrei Kandalov.

Tupolev Aircraft Since 1922-Bill Gunston.

Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War, Vol 2, Twin Engined Fighters, Attack Aircraft & Bombers-Yefim Gordon, Dmitri Khazanov & Alexander Medved.