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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0036.PDF
FLIGHT, JANUARY 8, 1932 AIR TRANSPORT THE LETOV S.32: Three-quarter front view of a new Czechoslovak all-metal commercial monoplane. It has three 140 h.p. Walter " Mars" engines. LETOV S.32. IN common with air transport concerns of other coun tries, Czechoslovakia has found that multi-engined machines are essential for the economical and safe operation of air lines where the volume of traffic and the distances covered are normally important. A little while back the Military Aircraft Works (Letov) of Praha— a firm which has hitherto concentrated on the production of military aircraft—were asked to produce a 3-engined commercial machine carrying four to six passengers, primarily for use on the night service route Praha- Bratislava-Uzhorod-Bucharest. This route lies almost entirely over mountainous country, and there was there fore a demand for a machine that could fly at high alti tudes possessing at the same time a quick take off, good climb at normal speed, and a low landing speed. In response, the S.32, shown in the accompanying illus tration, was constructed, incorporating the latest modern improvements in aircraft design. It is a 3-engined canti lever monoplane of all-metal construction with the excep- A Czechoslovak 3-Engined Monoplane tion of the rear part of the fuselage and the tailplano, which are fabric-covered. The fuselage is constructed of steel tubes and duralumin, which are secured by bolts—no welding being employed. The cabin is particularly roomy and lofty, so that pas sengers can move about freely. The ventilation is good, but not draughty, and doors are fitted on both sides of the cabin, with a safety door in the roof. Room for luggage is provided both in front and at the rear of the cabin, and between the central engine and the pilot's cockpit is a fireproof wall. Comfortable seats with removable cushions for four or six passengers are fitted and large side Triplex windows provide an unobstructed view. The walls inside the cabin are in imitation leather, between which and the outer metal wall of the fuselage is inserted a soundproof material to reduce the noise of the engines. Racks for light luggage are provided above the seats, while fire extinguishers and various instruments are also fitted in THE LETOV S.32: General arrangement drawings. do
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