AVIA

Avia was biggest aircraft firm in country. Full title 'Avia' Akciova Spolecnost pro Prumysl Letecky, part of Skoda group, founded at Prague-Cakovice 1919. For next 7 years outstanding series of over 50 aircraft types designed by BH (Pavel Beneš and Miroslav Hajn). Initially mainly sporting aircraft, trainers and, especially, fighters, high proportion being monoplanes. BH-25 airliner used by CLS and Romanian SNNA. B and H went to Praga 1928, replacement designers being František Novotný and Robert Nebesář. B.534 biplane fighter, first flown August 1933, was outstanding type, 566 built, many for export. B.35 and 135 were advanced monoplane fighters, and B.158 fast bomber. Avia-Fokker F.IX was 3-engined bomber, and B.71 Soviet SB-2 high-speed bomber. Lost identity during Second World War, through LD-40 (1954) and L-60 Brigadyr (1955) were originally given Avia name (because built at Cakovice) and licensed Il-14 transport was called Avia 14, ending 1960.

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