Avia 51

Avia · Czechoslovakia · first flew 1933 · airliner

The Avia 51 was a Czechoslovak high-wing trimotor airliner of 1933, carrying six passengers on domestic routes with three radial engines in the Fokker trimotor tradition. Three examples were built and operated by Czechoslovak Air Transport (ČSA).

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	3 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	10.75 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Czechoslovak high-wing trimotor airliner, 6 passengers
Two wing-mounted radials plus one nose engine in trimotor layout
Three built; operated on Czech domestic routes in the 1930s

A high-wing strut-braced monoplane with three radial engines (one in the nose, two on the wing), fixed undercarriage, and an enclosed passenger cabin. The trimotor high-wing layout distinguishes it from single-engine contemporaries and twin-engine types.

Specifications

The Avia 51 has a length of 10.75 m (35 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15.1 m (50 ft).
Its maximum speed is 264 km/h (164 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by Avia to provide reliable multiengine air transport on Czechoslovakia's internal routes, the Avia 51 followed the proven trimotor formula of one nose-mounted and two wing-mounted radial engines. The type entered service with ČSA in 1933 and provided useful capacity before being replaced by more modern all-metal monoplanes. It represented Czechoslovakia's participation in the interwar European airliner market.

Variants

Three aircraft built; no significant variants.

Where you'll see it

Operated by Československé státní aerolinie (ČSA) on domestic Czech routes in the 1930s.

Related aircraft

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