Letov Kbely

Letov

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1918
Headquarters	Prague (Letňany district) , Czech Republic
Products	Aircraft and aircraft components
Parent	Groupe Latécoère (since 2000)

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Letov is an aviation firm based in the Letňany district of Prague, Czech Republic. It holds the distinction of being the region's longest-established aircraft manufacturer.

History

Established in 1918 by the Czechoslovak Ministry of Defense, Letov initially focused on repairing captured World War I aircraft. The company developed its first native design, the Letov Š-1, in 1920, and by 1939 had produced approximately 50 different aircraft models. During the Second World War, the factory functioned as a maintenance facility for the German Luftwaffe. Additionally, production lines were established during this period to manufacture combat variants of the Ju 290, beginning with the Ju 290 A-2 model equipped with search radar for patrol missions. From the 1950s onward, Letov contributed components for Soviet fighter jets including the MiG-15, MiG-19, and MiG-21.

Letov produced more than 4,000 sets of wings and empennages for the L-29 Delfín, a jet-powered trainer aircraft that became the standard jet trainer across Warsaw Pact air forces during the 1960s. Since the 1970s, the company has also manufactured wings and empennages for around 2,500 units of the L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft.

After the collapse of socialism in Czechoslovakia following the Velvet Revolution, Letov struggled to compete internationally. In 2000, it was acquired by the French firm Groupe Latécoère. Currently, Letov specializes in producing components for large commercial airliners.

Aircraft

File:Letov Šm-1 s motorem Breifeld & Daněk (1920).jpg

Letov Š-1

File:Letov Š-16 L'Aérophile-Salon1926.jpg

Letov Š-16

File:Letoun Š.20.jpg

Letov Š-20

File:Letov Š 328.jpg

Letov Š-328

File:Lunak 02.jpg

Letov LF-107 Luňák

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Model designation	Maiden flight	Quantity produced	Description
Letov Š-1	1920	28	Reconnaissance biplane with a single engine
Letov Š-2	1921	64	Single-engine biplane designed for reconnaissance missions
Letov Š-3	1922	2	Monoplane fighter powered by a single engine
Letov Š-4	1922	20	Single-engine biplane fighter aircraft
Letov Š-5	1923	1	Reconnaissance biplane with one engine
Letov Š-6	1923	35	Bomber biplane equipped with a single engine
Letov Š-7	1923	1	Prototype single-engine biplane fighter
Letov Š-8	1923	1	Racing monoplane powered by a single engine
Letov Š-9
	51
	1
	1
	1
	89
	1
	46
	9
	~118
	1
	1
	1
	1
	33
	5
	1
	21
	1
	12
	2
	12
	3 - Racing adaptation of the Letов Ş–31 model -|- - || Letов Ş–132 || || || Bomber and transport airplane concept from the late 1920s -|- - || Letов Ş–137 || || || Transatlantic airliner proposal dating to the year 1920 -|- - || Letов Ş–39 #Variants #Ş139 variant || ||6 || Modified Ş–39 fitted with Pobjoy R engine and Townend ring, introduced in 1933 -|- - || Letов Ş–18 #Variants #Ş218 variant || ||63 || Development of the Ş–18 featuring steel-tube frame and Walter NZ120 powerplant, dating to 1926 -|- - || Letов Ş–28 #Variants #Ş228 variant || ||4 || Version of Ş–28 constructed for Estonia utilizing Walter-built Bristol Mercury VII engines -|- - || Letов Ş–31 #Variants #Ş231 variant || ||35 || Variant of Ş–31 equipped with Walter-built Bristol Mercury engines -|- - || Letов Ş–39 #Variants #Ş239 variant || ||15 || Modified Ş–39 powered by Walter Minor four-cylinder engine introduced around 1935 -|- - || Letов Ş–28 #Variants #Ş328 variant || ||~412 || Production model derived from the Ş–28 design -|- - || Letов Ş–31 #Variants #Ş331 variant || ||1 || Modified Ş–31 powered by Walter K.14 engine -|- - || Letов Ş–28 #Variants #Ş428 variant || ||1 || Ground support aircraft version based on the Ş–28 -|- - || Letов Ş–31 #Variants #Ş431 variant || ||1 || Variant of Ş–31 equipped with Armstrong Siddeley Tiger powerplant -|- - || Letов Ş–16 #Variants #Ş516 variant || || || Modified Ş–16 fitted with Isotta-Fraschini Asso750 engine -|- - || Letов Ş–28 #Variants #Ş528 variant ||1935||6|| Intended replacement for the Ş–328 model -|- - || Letов Ş–16 #Variants #Ş616 variant ||1930||12|| Modified Ş–16 powered by Hispano-Suiza12Nbr engine -|- - || Letов Ş–16 #Variants #Ş716 variant ||1930||1|| Variant of Ş–16 fitted with Skoda L powerplant -|- - || Letов Ş–16 #Variants #Ş816 variant ||1931||2|| Modified Ş–16 equipped with Praga ESV engines -|- - || Letов Ş–16 #Variants #Ş916 variant||||Modified Ş–16 featuring Lorraine-Dietrich powerplant -|- - || Letов L–42||||Twin-engine business jet and trainer project from circa1960 -|- - || Letов L–43||||Twin-engine STOL light transport and trainer concept developed around1960 -|- - || Letов L–48||||24-seat regional airliner twin-engine project dated1960 -|- - || Letов L–52||||Jet fighter proposal based on Me262 design dating to1947 -|- - || Letов L–53||||Observation and artillery spotting multipurpose airplane concept -|- - || Letов L–101||||Two-engine monoplane airliner; no units produced -|- - || Letов L–103||||30-seat pressurized twin-engine airliner project initiated1946 -|- - || Letов L–105||||Ultralight aircraft concept dating to1946 -|- - || Letов L–106||||Twin-boom transport airplane proposal developed1948 -|- - Template:Junkers Ju290 (as 'Junkers Ju290#Licensed production as '''''''L--290 Orel''''''''' '''|L--290 Orel''''}})|} Four-engine transport built under license; first flight occurred1946 -|- - Template:L--501 Single-engine monoplane fighter resembling P--51 Mustang; project initiated1946 -|- - Template:LF--107 Luňák Glider model produced starting1948; total output75 units -|- - Template:LK--2 Sluka Ultralight aircraft introduced1988 -|- - Template:LK--3 Nova Ultralight category airplane -|- - Template:MK--1 Kocour Motor glider design -|- - Template:ST--4 Aztek Ultralight aircraft model -|- - Template:XLA--54 Single-engine monoplane trainer; only one built1950 -|- - Template:XLF--207 Laminar Glider introduced1951

See also

• Aero Vodochody
• Avia
• Beneš-Mráz
• Let Kunovice
• Zlin Aircraft