Aero A.30
The Aero A.30 was a biplane light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft built in Czechoslovakia in the late 1920s. It originated as an attempt by Aero to improve the performance of the Aero A.11, but soon evolved into quite a different aircraft, larger and more powerful than its predecessor. The aircraft is readily distinguished from other related types by the difference in spans between its wings – the upper set being of much greater span than the lower.
| A.30 | |
|---|---|
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| Role | Light reconnaissance bomber |
| National origin | Czechoslovakia |
| Manufacturer | Aero |
| Number built | 79 (+116 A.32) |
| Developed from | Aero A.11 |
| Variants | *Aero A.100 |
| Developed into | Aero A.100 |
Prototypes of the A.30 were retrospectively designated A.130, with the A.230 the main production version. The A.330 and A.430 featured different, more powerful engines, but the latter of these did not enter production, serving instead as the prototype for the Aero A.100.
Variants
- A.30
- Prototype of a light bomber reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 372.8 kW (500 hp) Skoda L radial engine.
- A.32
- Also derived from the A.11, the A.32 was a light reconnaissance bomber powered by a 335.6 kW (450 hp) Walter Jupiter; 116 aircraft built in several versions. Finnish Air Force examples were powered by 372.8 kW (500 hp) Isotta-Fraschini Asso 500 V-12 engines
- A.130
- Re-engined with a 372.8 kW (500 hp) Bristol Jupiter VI.
- A.230
- The main production variant; a two-seat bomber powered by a Lorraine 12Eb Courlis W-12 engine.
- A.330
- Re-engined with a 484.7 kW (650 hp) Praga ESV
- A.430
- Powered by an Avia Vr-36, the A,430 served as the prototype of the Aero A.100
- A.100
Operators
- Imperial Iranian Air Force purchased one Aero A.30 from Czechoslovakia in 1923
Specifications (A.230)
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot & observer)
- Length: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 15.3 m (50 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 46.2 m2 (497 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 1,420 kg (3,131 lb)
- Gross weight: 2,375 kg (5,236 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lorraine 12E Courlis W-12 water-cooled piston engine, 340 kW (450 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 198 km/h (123 mph, 107 kn)
- Service ceiling: 5,800 m (19,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 3.083 m/s (606.9 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 50 kg/m2 (10.2 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.1468 kW/kg (0.0893 hp/lb)
Armament
- Guns:
- 1 × forward firing 7.7 mm (0.30 in) Vickers machine gun
- 2 × 7.7 mm (0.30 in) Lewis machine gun in flexible mount for observer
- Bombs: Up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs
See also
Related development
Related lists
References
- Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. p. 75c.
Further reading
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- Němeček, Vaclav (1968). Československá letadla (in Czech). Praha: Naše Vojsko.