VL Sääski

what is it?

VL Sääski II (English: mosquito) was the first series-produced aircraft designed in Finland. The aircraft was built by the State Aircraft Factory (Valtion lentokonetehdas) (abbreviated either V.L. or VL) and was a two-seat, biplane, single-engine trainer constructed out of wood.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 9.9 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 145 km/htop speed
• size 913 kgmax take-off weight
• built 38made 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 98 years ago, in 1928.
• 🚗Wingspan of 9.9 m: about 2 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

1928

introduced

1928

number built

38

role

trainer aircraft

makers

Valtion lentokonetehdas

engines

1× Siemens-Halske Sh 12

crew

2

length

7.4 m

wingspan

9.9 m

height

2.4 m

max take-off weight

913 kg

top speed

145 km/h

cruise speed

110 km/h

range

—

ceiling

4,500 m

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