Avia BH-7A & BH-7B

The Avia BH-7, constructed in Czechoslovakia in 1923, was an experimental fighter plane.

It featured a parasol wing monoplane configuration and was developed alongside the BH-6 as an alternative option.

Both aircraft shared the same fuselage and tail design.

Unfortunately, the BH-7 encountered several severe crashes during its testing phase, resulting in its abandonment as a fighter aircraft.

Nevertheless, Avia persevered and repurposed the design for a racing plane.

The revised model, known as the BH-7B, underwent modifications such as reducing the wingspan by 1.4 meters (4 feet 7 inches), integrating the wing directly onto the fuselage, and eliminating the cabane struts.

On the other hand, the original fighter version was designated as the BH-7A.

Specifications 

Crew

One pilot

Length

6.84 m (22 ft 5 in)

Wingspan

10.40 m (34 ft 1 in)

Height

2.83 m (9 ft 3 in)

Wing area

18.2 m2 (195 sq ft)

Empty weight

855 kg (1,885 lb)

Gross weight

1,150 kg (2,537 lb)

Powerplant

1 × Skoda licence-built Hispano-Suiza 8Fb, V-8,

310 kW (231 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed

240 km/h (149 mph, 129 kn)

Range

480 km (300 mi, 260 nmi)

Service ceiling

8,000 m (26,200 ft)

Rate of climb

6.7 m/s (1,312 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.