Avia BH-19

The Avia BH-19, a fighter aircraft manufactured in Czechoslovakia in 1924, was a low-wing braced monoplane that evolved from the Avia BH-3.

The designers believed that the monoplane configuration was ideal for a fighter aircraft.

Despite initial trials showing promising performance, issues with control and aileron flutter arose.

Despite these challenges, the Czechoslovakian Army expressed interest in ordering the BH-19 if the problems could be resolved.

Unfortunately, the first prototype was lost in a crash during speed trials, and the second prototype did not show any improvement in handling.

Subsequently, the Czechoslovakian War Ministry intervened and requested Avia to discontinue its efforts to develop a monoplane fighter.

Specifications

Crew

One pilot

Length

7.37 m (24 ft 2 in)

Wingspan

10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)

Wing area

18.3 m2 (197 sq ft)

Empty weight

792 kg (1,746 lb)

Gross weight

1,155 kg (2,546 lb)

Powerplant

1 × Skoda built Hispano-Suiza 8Fb, V8,

230 kW (310 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed

245 km/h (152 mph, 132 kn)

Range

520 km (320 mi, 280 nmi)

Service ceiling

8,000 m (26,200 ft)

Rate of climb

5.6 m/s (1,090 ft/min)

Armament

2 × fixed, forward-firing .303 Vickers machine guns.

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

Ceskoslovenské Letectvo, 1918-1924-Jiří Rajlich & Jiří Sehnal.

Avia Motors s.r.o.