The ANBO IV was a

reconnaissance aircraft A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using Aerial photography, photography), signals ...

used by the

Lithuanian Air Force The Lithuanian Air Force or LAF (, abbreviated as ''LK KOP'') is the military aviation branch of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. It is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. Units are located at Zokniai Air Base ne ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, designed by

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

n aircraft designer Antanas Gustaitis. The Lithuanian ANBO 41 was far ahead of the most modern foreign reconnaissance aircraft of that time in structural features, and most importantly in speed and in climb rate. All ANBO 41 aircraft were likely destroyed during World War II.

Development

The ANBO IV was developed from the ANBO III trainer. The design was supervised by Colonel Antanas Gustaitis. The first flight took place on 14 July 1932, the prototype being powered by a Wasp engine. After successful trials, series production began. Thirteen series-built aircraft were powered by British

Bristol Pegasus The Bristol Pegasus is a British nine-cylinder, single-row, air-cooled radial engine, radial aircraft engine, aero engine. Designed by Roy Fedden of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, it was used to power both civil and military aircraft of the 1 ...

engines and were manufactured by Lithuanian Aircraft State Factory. It could be armed with two pairs of light machine guns and could carry 200 kg of bombs.

Operational history

ANBO IVs were introduced into

in 1934 and shortly before that a few aircraft made demonstration flights in a few European countries:

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and most

Scandinavian countries Scandinavia is a subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also refer to the Scan ...

. Between 25 June and 29 July 1934, three aircraft commanded by colonel Gustaitis flew route. ANBO IV and ANBO 41 aircraft equipped one and two reconnaissance squadrons respectively in

, at the time of the

Soviet occupation of the Baltic states The occupation of the Baltic states was a period of annexation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by the Soviet Union from 1940 until its dissolution in 1991. For a period of several years during World War II, Nazi Germany occupied the Baltic st ...

in the summer of 1940. A photo exists showing that at least one Anbo IV or Anbo 41 survived this period and was operated by the

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

during the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

occupation.

Variants

;ANBO IV :Designation of prototype and 13 serial-built aircraft used for night and day reconnaissance. ;ANBO 41 :Second production version with more powerful engine and three-blade wooden propeller. It was then the only aircraft in Europe to employ a wooden three-blade propeller. Anbo41.jpg, ANBO-41 No.671 of the first serial production in Kaunas (1937) Anbo4.jpg, ANBO-IVM of the second series (1935) Anbo4-2.jpg, ANVO IV in an aerodrome Romuladas Marcinkus reporting.jpg, Three ANBO-41s Anbo_41-I.jpg, ANBO 41 replica as found at Kaunas Aerodrome

Operators

; *

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...

incorporated Lithuanian units with equipment and personnel. ; *

used at least one Anbo 41 captured from the

for training and liaison purposes in 1941–1942.

Specifications (ANBO 41)

References

* * * * *
Lithuanian Aviation Museum

External links

{{ANBO aircraft 1930s Lithuanian military reconnaissance aircraft 4 Parasol-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1932