Letov Š-16

what is it?

The Letov Š-16 was a single-engined twin-seat biplane aircraft used in the bomber and aerial observation roles. It was designed by Alois Šmolík and produced by the Czechoslovak aircraft manufacturer Letov Kbely. It was a broadly conventional aircraft, being largely composed of duralumin and steel while using straightforward and economic construction techniques.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · biplane · 15.3 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 230 km/htop speed
• size 2,450 kgmax take-off weight
• built 172made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 100 years ago, in 1926.
• 🏎️Top speed is 1.8× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 15.3 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1926-11

introduced

1928

number built

172

role

bomber

makers

Letov

engines

1× Lorraine-Dietrich 12Cc

crew

2

length

10.2 m

wingspan

15.3 m

height

3.2 m

max take-off weight

2,450 kg

top speed

230 km/h

cruise speed

190 km/h

range

—

ceiling

6,500 m

wings

biplane

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.