Aero A.18
The Aero A.18 was a biplane fighter aircraft built in Czechoslovakia in the 1920s. It was a development of the Ae.02 and Ae.04 fighters Aero had designed during World War I, but also borrowed from the more recent A.11 reconnaissance-bomber design.
The aircraft was designed by Antonin Vlasák and Antonin Husnik and first flew in March 1923. It was only one of three prototype fighters that Aero flew that year, but this one was selected for production over the A.19 and A.20 that competed with it. Twenty machines saw service with the Czechoslovakian Air Force in the period between the wars.
The A.18B and A.18C were specially modified racing variants that competed in the Czech Aero Club's first two annual air races, in 1923 and 1924 respectively. Both aircraft won their races, and the A.18C is preserved at the Letecke Muzeum in Kbely along with a replica of a standard A.18 fighter.
Specifications (A.18)
General Characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 7.60 m (25 ft 0 in)
- Height: 2.86 m (9 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 15.9 m² (171 ft²)
- Empty: 637 kg (1,401 lb)
- Loaded: kg ( lb)
- Maximum takeoff: 826 kg (1,817 lb)
- Powerplant: 1x BMW IIIa, 138 kW (185 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 229 km/h (143 mph)
- Range: 400 km (250 miles)
- Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,520 ft)
- Rate of climb: 588 m/min (1,929 ft/min)
- Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
- Power/Mass: kW/kg ( hp/lb)
Armament
- 2x .303 Vickers machine guns
Related content
Related development: Ae.02 - Ae.04
Comparable aircraft:
Designation sequence: A.14 - A.15 - A.17 - A.18 - A.19 - A.20 - A.21