Aero MB.200

The Aero MB‑200 was the first production aircraft built by Czechoslovak manufacturer Aero Vodochody after World II. Designed in the late 1940s as a light bomber and reconnaissance platform, the prototype flew for the first time on 22 May 1947 and entered service with the Czechoslovak Air Force in 1949. Powered by a single Bristol Mercury radial engine delivering 870 hp, the low‑wing monoplane featured an all‑metal stressed‑skin construction, retractable under‑carriage and a crew of three seated in tandem. Its armament consisted of a forward‑firing 20 mm cannon, a rear defensive machine gun, and an internal bomb bay capable of carrying up to 500 kg of ordnance. The MB‑200’s relatively simple design, robust airframe and reliable engine made it suitable for both tactical bombing and photographic reconnaissance, leading to export orders from several Warsaw Pact nations. Although quickly superseded by more advanced jet‑powered types, the MB‑200 served as a practical stepping‑stone that helped Aero Vodochody acquire the experience required to develop later jet fighters such as the C‑301 and the modern L‑339 Albatros. Its legacy endures as a symbol of post‑war Czechoslovak aerospace resilience. Preserved examples can be seen in aviation museums across Central Europe, where they continue to educate new generations about the country’s pioneering aeronautical engineering.

AERO Vodochody Aerospace

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