Aero A.11
Czechoslovakia (1925)
Detailing the development and operational history of the Aero A.11 Day and Night Reconnaissance / Multi-purpose Aircraft.
Entry last updated on 4/11/2018; Authored by Staff Writer; Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com Aero A.11
The Aero A.11 was a multirole biplane airframe that saw several major variants produced for its time in the air.
The Aero A.11 was a successful multirole performer for the Czech Army Air Force during the interwar years separating the two World Wars. Equally respected for its adaptability and capability, the A.11 was designed from the outset as a multi-purpose airframe to replace the aging series of aircraft still in service at the time. In the end, the Aero A.11 would see no fewer than 20 different variant types, owing much to the inherently adaptable design envisioned when the aircraft first flew in 1925.
The A.11 was of traditional biplane arrangement featuring an over and under primary wing element. It maintained World War 1-era fighter traits such as open-air cockpits and fixed undercarriage. The crew numbered two with the pilot and his observer / gunner seated in tandem within the slab-sided fuselage. The upper wing element was fitted just ahead and around the pilot with the single liquid-cooled engine mounted forward of this (driving a two-bladed propeller unit).
The A.11 was of traditional biplane arrangement featuring an over and under primary wing element. It maintained World War 1-era fighter traits such as open-air cockpits and fixed undercarriage. The crew numbered two with the pilot and his observer / gunner seated in tandem within the slab-sided fuselage. The upper wing element was fitted just ahead and around the pilot with the single liquid-cooled engine mounted forward of this (driving a two-bladed propeller unit).
A single 7.7mm Vickers Machine Gun in a fixed, forward-firing mounting was fitted for attack and managed by the pilot. The rear gunner had access to a 2 x 7.7mm Lewis Machine Gun pairing atop a flexible mounting. A modest bomb load of 441lb could also be carried for attack sorties.
The engine of choice became the Walter W IV series engine of 240 horsepower. Performance included a maximum speed of 150 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and a range out to 470 miles. Rate-of-climb was 751 feet -per-minute.
The Aero A.11 was seen in its typical twin-seat reconnaissance platform but was equally adept in the role of day (as the Ab.11) or night (as the A.11N) bombing. Another notable variant was the A.11HS, an export version shipped off to Finland - the only other operator of the series. Eight were used by the Finns up until World War 2 in 1939. By the 1940s the line had all but been discarded.
The engine of choice became the Walter W IV series engine of 240 horsepower. Performance included a maximum speed of 150 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and a range out to 470 miles. Rate-of-climb was 751 feet -per-minute.
The Aero A.11 was seen in its typical twin-seat reconnaissance platform but was equally adept in the role of day (as the Ab.11) or night (as the A.11N) bombing. Another notable variant was the A.11HS, an export version shipped off to Finland - the only other operator of the series. Eight were used by the Finns up until World War 2 in 1939. By the 1940s the line had all but been discarded.
Aero A.11 Specifications
Czechoslovakia
Year: 1925
Status: Retired, Out-of-Service
Type: Day and Night Reconnaissance / Multi-purpose Aircraft
Manufacturer(s): Aero Vodochody - Czechoslovakia
Production: 250
Supported Mission Types
Air-to-Air
Interception
Unmanned
Ground Attack
Close-Air Support
Training
Anti-Submarine
Anti-Ship
Airborne Early Warning
MEDEVAC
Electronic Warfare
Maritime/Navy
Aerial Tanker
Utility/Transport
Passenger Industry
VIP Travel
Business Travel
Search/Rescue
Recon/Scouting
Special Forces
X-Plane/Development
Crew: 2
Length: 26.90 ft (8.2 m)
Width: 41.99 ft (12.80 m)
Height: 10.17 ft (3.10 m)
Empty Weight: 2,381 lb (1,080 kg)
MTOW: 3,395 lb (1,540 kg)
Installed Power
1 x Walter W.IV 8-cylinder liquid-cooled engine developing 240 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller at the nose.
Standard Day Performance
Maximum Speed: 149 mph (240 kph; 130 kts)
Maximum Range: 466 mi (750 km; 405 nm)
Service Ceiling: 24,934 ft (7,600 m; 4.72 mi)
Rate-of-Climb: 751 ft/min (229 m/min)
Armament
STANDARD:
1 x 7.7mm Vickers machine gun in fixed, forward-firing mounting.
2 x 7.7mm Lewis machine guns on trainable mounting in rear cockpit.
OPTIONAL:
Up tp 441lb of conventional drop stores.
Operators List
Czechoslovakia; Finland
Series Model Variants
• A.11 - Base Designation
• Ab.11 - Day Light Bomber
• A.11HS - Finnish Export Model Designation
• A.11N - Night Bomber
Supported Weapon Systems
