Astra-Șeșefschi
Astra Aircraft Factory · Romania · first flew 1923 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Astra-Șeșefschi was a two-seat Romanian reconnaissance biplane designed and built in 1923. It was named after its designer, Stanislav Șeșefschi.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.59 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- All-wood single-bay biplane with noticeable wing stagger
- Lower wing smaller in span and chord than the upper, with ailerons on the upper wing only
- Cylindrical Lamblin radiators attached to the undercarriage legs
Look for a staggered single-bay biplane with a deep engine cowling, a cut-out in the wing trailing edge above the pilot and a tailplane on top of the fuselage.
Specifications
- The Astra-Șeșefschi has a length of 8.59 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.6 m (41 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a wholly Romanian design apart from its 250 hp Marta-Benz six-cylinder engine, and was built by the Astra Aircraft Factory. Its exact first flight date is not known, but it was reported to have made satisfactory tests in September 1923.
Variants
There were no variants: only one was built.
Where you'll see it
It carried a fixed machine gun firing through the propeller for the pilot and two guns on a flexible mount, a radio and a camera for the observer. No service use is recorded.
Related aircraft
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