Letov Š-19

Letov · Czechoslovakia · first flew 1924 · airliner

The Letov Š-19 was a Czechoslovak single-engined biplane airliner for four passengers, produced in small numbers in the 1920s. It was a conversion of the Š-6 bomber.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.85 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Single-engined biplane airliner developed from the Š-6 bomber
Enclosed four-seat passenger cabin placed immediately behind the engine
Open pilot cockpit behind the passenger cabin, with passengers entering by a roof hatch and ladder

A biplane with a passenger cabin directly behind the engine and the pilot seated behind it in an open cockpit. Biplane wing position is the catalogue convention, as no source states it.

Specifications

The Letov Š-19 has a length of 8.85 m (29 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14.1 m (46 ft).
Its maximum speed is 178 km/h (111 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

After tests of an Š-6 on domestic passenger routes, ČSA asked for a passenger version, and the first prototype was converted from an Š-6. The first three used a Maybach engine, which gave poor flying characteristics, so the remaining four used a Walter W-IV.

Variants

The Š-19M had a Maybach Mb.IVa engine and the Š-19W a Walter W-IV. Seven production aircraft and two prototypes were built.

Where you'll see it

ČSA flew them from 1925 to 1927, mainly on the Prague-Bratislava-Košice route. The type was not a success: the cabin was noisy and boarding was awkward.

Related aircraft

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