The Avia B.122 was a

Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) **Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...

single-seat biplane

aerobatic aircraft An aerobatic aircraft is an aerodyne (a heavier-than-air aircraft) used in aerobatics, both for flight exhibitions and aerobatic competitions. Most fall into one of two categories, aircraft used for training and by flight demonstration teams, wh ...

, which was developed in the mid-1930s. It saw some service in the first years of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

History

In the spring of 1934, the Czechoslovak Army Command decided that some

Czechoslovak Air Force The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia ce ...

pilots would participate in the international aerobatic competition Coupe Mondiale held at Vincennes, Paris, on 9–10 June. For this purpose, the Czechoslovakian aircraft manufacturer Avia was given the task of designing and constructing an aircraft. The prototype, B.122, was presented after only six weeks. The Czechoslovak pilots had only a few weeks to learn and master the aircraft as the competition was to be held in July 1934. Luckily, the design was quite successful and the Czechoslovak pilots managed to win the 4th (František Novák) and the 8th ( Ján Ambruš) place in the competition. Afterwards, the aircraft was modified, based on the pilots' inputs, and this resulted in the improved version, Ba.122. The Ba.122 was equipped with larger

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally air or water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adve ...

and

ailerons An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

on both upper and lower wings. On the occasion of 1936 Summer Olympics in

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International Aerobatic Contest, "Internationaler Kunstflugwettbewerbs" was run by the German Aeroculub, "Aeroklub von Deutschland". Czechoslovak pilots won 2nd (Petr Široký), 3rd (František Novák) and 8th place ( Ján Ambruš) with their Avias. In this contest new engine Avia RK-17 was introduced, with aircraft Ba.122.7 (OK-AWE), Ba.122.8 (OK-AWA). 1937 was also a successful year, as the Avias managed to win 1st and 3rd place at the International Aviation Meeting in Zurich in July/August 1937. Some of these aircraft were equipped with nine-cylinder Walter Pollux engines to fit into category of aeroplanes with engines above 20L. These successes led to export orders from the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

and

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

. The aircraft was later further developed into prototypes Ba.222, Ba.322 and Ba.422. The Czechoslovak Ministry of Defence ordered 45 Bs.122 trainers. However, the outbreak of

put an end to further development. Some Avias ended up in the German ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

'' when parts of Czechoslovakia were absorbed into

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

in 1939. Other aircraft were sold to the Slovakian and Bulgarian air forces.

Variants

;B.122:3 prototype machines with Walter Castor II engine, B-122.2 and .3 later modified to Ba.122 standard ;Ba.122:improved variant with ailerons on both wings and enlarged rudder, mostly with Avia RK-17 engine ;Ba.222:Ba.122 with NACA cowling and wheel pants ;Ba.422:Ba.122 with upper gull wing to improve front visibility in inverted flight ;Bš.122:Military trainer variant of the Ba.122, staggered wings, Walter Castor II engine ;B.322:Bš-122 with enclosed cockpit and Townend cowling

Production

* B/Ba.122: 60 machines, serials B.122.1-Ba.122.45, Ba.122.101-115 (series for Soviet Union) * Bš.122: 45 machines * Ba.222: one prototype * Ba.322: one prototype * Ba.422: 2 machines

Operators

;: Bulgarian Air Force – 12 Bs 122 aircraft taken over from the Czechoslovak Air Force, named ″Vosa″ (″Wasp″) ;: Czechoslovakian Air Force – 45 Bš.122 and 45 B/Ba.122 aircraft ;:

– 12 aircraft taken over from the Czechoslovak Air Force ;:

Royal Romanian Air Force The Air Force branch of the Royal Romanian forces in World War II was officially named the (ARR), or the Romanian Royal Aeronautics, though it is more commonly referred to in English histories as the (Royal Romanian Air Force, FARR), or simply ...

– one machine, Ba-122.40, YR-DPO ;:

Slovak Air Force (1939–45) The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic ( sk, Vzdušné sily Ozbrojených síl Slovenskej republiky), is the aviation and air defense branch of the Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 23 aircr ...

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...

– 15 Ba.122 aircraft

Specifications (Ba.122)

''Data from'' Němeček, Václav – Československá letadla

References