Letov Š-6

The Letov Š‑6 was a Czechoslovak single‑engine biplane developed in the early 1920s by the aircraft works Letov Kbely. Designed by engineer Alois Šimůnek, it entered service in 1923 as the first indigenous fighter‑reconnaissance aircraft produced after World War I. The Š‑6 featured a wooden frame covered with fabric, a sesquiplane layout with a larger upper wing and a smaller lower wing, and was powered by a 300 hp Walter Castor radial engine that gave it a top speed of about 210 km/h (130 mph). Its open cockpit, fixed two‑wheel landing gear and provision for a forward‑firing 7.7 mm Vz.30 machine gun made it suitable for both air‑to‑ground spotting and limited dog‑fighting. Only a small batch of twelve aircraft was built, primarily for the Czechoslovak Air Force's 2nd Squadron, where they served as a bridge between WWI trainers and more modern monoplanes such as the Avia B.534. Although quickly superseded, the Š‑6 demonstrated Letov’s capability to design and manufacture competitive military aircraft, laying groundwork for later successful types and helping to establish Czechoslovakia’s reputation as a capable aviation producer in interwar Europe. The Š‑6 also participated in training programs, contributing to the development of aerial tactics and providing data for aerodynamic improvements in designs.

Letov Kbely

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