Aero A.304
AERO Vodochody Aerospace · Czechoslovakia · first flew 1937 · bomber
The Aero A.304 was a Czechoslovak twin-engine low-wing bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that first flew in 1937. It began life as the A.204 airliner and was militarised when no airline buyers were found.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.21 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engine low-wing monoplane with a trapezoidal wing and glazed nose
- Walter Super Castor radial engines in separate nacelles on the wing
- Retractable main undercarriage with a fixed tailwheel under a fairing
Twin-engine low-wing monoplane with a trapezoidal wing, a glazed nose and a mixed-construction fuselage with full-length cabin windows; the two Walter radials sit in nacelles on the wing and the main wheels retract.
Specifications
- The Aero A.304 has a length of 13.21 m (43 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 19.2 m (63 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 322 km/h (200 mph).
- Typical crew: 3-4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Aero's A.204 airliner failed to find customers, so it was reworked to the Ministry of National Defence's 1936 requirement for a short-range three-seat reconnaissance and observation aircraft. The A.304, designed by Antonín Husník, won the competition against the Letov Š-50 and Praga E-51, and 19 were built.
Variants
The A.304 was developed into the Aero A.300; the A.204 airliner was its predecessor.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Czechoslovak Air Force, and later by Germany and Bulgaria, as a reconnaissance and observation aircraft and light bomber carrying up to 300 kg of bombs.
Related aircraft
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