Aero A.18
AERO Vodochody Aerospace · Czechoslovakia · first flew 1923 · fighter
The Aero A.18 was a small, nimble single-seat fighter biplane developed by Aero of Czechoslovakia in the early 1920s. Its compact dimensions and reasonable performance for its era made it suitable for the fighter role in the nascent Czechoslovak Air Force.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Short fuselage with round nose cowling |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Compact single-seat fighter biplane from early Czechoslovak aviation
- Short fuselage with round nose cowling
- Fixed undercarriage with V-struts
Notably compact even by biplane fighter standards, with a very short fuselage and small wingspan; the inline engine gives it a pointed nose profile distinguishing it from radial-engine contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Aero A.18 has a length of 5.9 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.6 m (25 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 229 km/h (142 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1923, the A.18 was designed to meet requirements for an indigenous fighter aircraft. The type demonstrated respectable speed and agility for a biplane of its time. It competed with other designs for Czechoslovak Air Force contracts during the mid-1920s.
Variants
No major production variants are recorded; the A.18 remained a limited-production type superseded by more capable designs.
Where you'll see it
Evaluated by the Czechoslovak Air Force but did not achieve large-scale production, serving mainly in a trials and evaluation capacity.
Related aircraft
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