ČKD-Praga
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ČKD-Praga (Českomoravská-Kolben-Daněk Prague) was a Czechoslovakian aircraft manufacturer. The company was founded in 1915 as an engine manufacturing company, under the designation Praga. The company started designing aircraft in 1930–31 when the designers Pavel Beneš and Miroslav Hajn came to ČKD-Praga from Avia. Their first aircraft was the Praga E-39 from 1931. It was a military trainer, with a production run of 139 aircraft. ČKD-Praga developed several aircraft over the following years, but none exceeded prototype stage.
Jaroslav Šlechta became chief designer in 1934 and designed the Praga E-114 Air Baby aircraft, which became a commercial success. The aircraft was sold to France, Iran, Romania and to Britain. Most of the British aircraft were manufactured locally on a licence, for instance the Hillson-Praga Baby. 126 aircraft were ordered until 1946. Šlechta remained with Praga post war, designing the E-55 general purpose aircraft.
ČKD-Praga developed 17 aircraft designs, of which 7 entered series production.
List of Praga aircraft
This list is probably incomplete: add to it, with sources if you can.
- E-36
- BH-39 later E-39
- E-40 trainer
- BH-41 later E-41
- E-44 biplane fighter?
- E-45 biplane fighter
- E-51 twin boom fighter
- E-55 post war general purpose
- E-114 two seat sports
- E-115 cabin version of 114
- E-141 development of 41
- E-210 twin pusher tourer
- E-211 post war development of 210
- E-212 post war eight seat development of 210/211; probably not completed
- E-214 four seat tourer
- E-241 advanced trainer biplane
References
- Grey, C.G. (1972). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1938. London: David & Charles. ISBN 0715 35734 4.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. p. 244.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. p. 165.