SV.4
Stampe et Vertongen · Belgium · first flew 1933 · light aircraft
The Stampe SV.4 is Belgium's classic aerobatic trainer biplane, so admired for its handling that many pilots rate it above the Tiger Moth it superficially resembles.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tiger Moth-like biplane but with rounded wingtips and ailerons on all four wings
- Both wings swept and sharply rounded, giving a more curvaceous look than the Moth
- Tandem open cockpits, favourite mount of classic barnstorming display teams
Tell it from a Tiger Moth by its rounded, almost scalloped wingtips and rudder, and ailerons fitted to both upper and lower wings. Both wings carry sweepback and the fuselage decking is neatly rounded. In the air it flies far crisper aerobatics than a Moth can manage.
Specifications
- The SV.4 has a length of 6.8 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.38 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 188 km/h (117 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Jean Stampe and first flown in 1933, the SV.4 saw only modest pre-war production before France adopted it wholesale after 1945. Nearly a thousand were built post-war by SNCAN in France and AIA in Algiers as the standard French military and club trainer. Its four-aileron layout gave it genuine aerobatic credentials.
Variants
The main production SV.4C used a Renault 4P engine, while the SV.4B favoured the de Havilland Gipsy Major; Belgian air force SV.4Bs served into the 1970s. Many surviving aircraft have been re-engined with Gipsy Majors or Lycomings for display flying.
Where you'll see it
The Stampe has a strong British following: ex-French machines were imported in numbers, flown by the Tiger Club and the famous Rothmans and barnstorming display teams. Airworthy SV.4s remain regulars at UK vintage fly-ins and aerobatic events. In Belgium and France it is honoured as the national trainer, with examples in the Brussels air museum.
Related aircraft
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