Letov Š-12

The Letov Š‑12 was a single‑engine, low‑wing monoplane designed and built in Czechoslovakia by the Letov Kbely works in the early 1930s. Intended as a light sport and training aircraft, the Š‑12 first flew in 1933 and was evaluated by the Czechoslovak Air Force, although it never entered mass production. Its structure combined a wooden wing with a steel tube fuselage covered in fabric, a configuration that gave the aircraft a low empty weight and modest handling characteristics. Power was supplied by a 120 hp Walter Vega radial engine, driving a two‑bladed wooden propeller and delivering a top speed of about 180 km/h (112 mph). The cockpit accommodated a pilot and an optional passenger in tandem, with basic instrumentation suitable for primary flight instruction. Despite its limited operational history, the Š‑12 demonstrated Letov’s ability to apply contemporary aeronautical concepts such as streamlined fairings and balanced control surfaces. The aircraft is significant as an example of interwar Czechoslovak design philosophy, bridging the gap between open‑circuit biplanes and the more modern monoplane trainers that later served in World War II. Today a few fragments survive in Czech aviation museums, reminding enthusiasts of Letov’s innovative but short‑lived contribution to early monoplane development.

Letov Kbely

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification