Avia B-534
Avia · Czechoslovakia · first flew 1933 · fighter
The Avia B-534 was a Czechoslovak single-engine biplane fighter that was among the most capable aircraft of its type in the world when it entered service in 1935. It was the primary fighter of the Czechoslovak Air Force at the time of the German occupation in 1938–1939.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-engine biplane fighter — considered one of the finest of its era
- Inline liquid-cooled Hispano-Suiza engine with distinctive long nose
- Wire-braced single-bay biplane with spatted fixed undercarriage
A clean single-bay biplane with an inline engine in a long close-fitting cowling, fixed spatted undercarriage, and a single open or enclosed cockpit; the long nose with the inline engine distinguishes it from radial-engined biplanes of similar size.
Specifications
- The Avia B-534 has a length of 8.1 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.4 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 394 km/h (245 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by František Novotný, the B-534 first flew in 1933 and set Czechoslovak and several international speed records. When Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939, the Luftwaffe inherited approximately 70 of the aircraft; Germany transferred examples to Slovakia and Bulgaria, and the Bulgarians used them against Allied aircraft until 1944.
Variants
The B-534.I through IV series differed in armament and cockpit enclosure; the Bk-534 was an export variant; the Cb-534 had a twin-float undercarriage.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Czechoslovak, Slovak, Bulgarian, and briefly the German air forces; Slovak B-534s flew against the Soviet Union in small numbers in 1941.
Related aircraft
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