Letov Š-25

The Letov Š‑25 was a single‑engine, low‑wing monoplane designed and built in Czechoslovakia by the Letov Kbely factory during the early 1930s. Conceived as a light sport and training aircraft, the Š‑25 first flew on 12 March 1933 and entered limited production the following year. Its airframe employed a mixed construction of wooden wings and a welded steel tube fuselage, covered with fabric, which gave a good strength‑to‑weight ratio. Powered by a 105 kW (140 hp) Walter Minor radial engine, the aircraft reached a top speed of 210 km/h, a service ceiling of 5 500 m and offered stable handling characteristics ideal for novice pilots. Only a handful of units were built, as the Czechoslovak Air Force preferred more powerful trainers, but the Š‑25 found a niche in civil aero clubs, where it was used for aerobatic displays and early pilot instruction. Its modest design demonstrated Letov’s ability to produce reliable, low‑cost aircraft during a period of rapid technological change, and it contributed to the development of Czechoslovak general aviation in the interwar era. Although no export orders materialized, the Š‑25’s simplicity attracted interest from neighboring countries, underscoring its role as a bridge between training concepts and advanced monoplanes that would dominate the 1940s.

Letov Kbely

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification