Letov Š-8
Letov · Czechoslovakia · first flew 1923 · light aircraft
The Letov Š-8 was a Czechoslovak single-seat racing aircraft designed by Alois Šmolík in 1923. It was built to compete for the President of the Republic prize.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat strut-braced high-wing racing monoplane
- Napier Lion W-12 water-cooled engine with a two-bladed wooden propeller
- Fixed undercarriage with a tailskid; wooden structure covered in fabric
A compact strut-braced high-wing racer with a large W-12 engine in the nose and a tailskid undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Letov Š-8 has a length of 8.3 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.4 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 360 km/h (224 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It had an all-wooden frame covered in fabric, apart from duralumin panels over the engine, and was powered by a 450 hp Napier Lion.
Variants
There were no variants: a single racing aircraft was built.
Where you'll see it
It flew in the President of the Republic races of 1923 to 1925 but never won. It crashed with engine failure in 1923 and finished second in both 1924 and 1925.
Related aircraft
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