Avia BH-11

BH-11
General information
TypeSports plane
ManufacturerAvia
Designer
Number builtc.20
History
First flight1923
Developed fromAvia BH-9

The Avia BH-11 was a two-seat monoplane sport aircraft designed and produced by the Czechoslovak aircraft manufacturer Avia.

It was designed during the early 1920s as a further development of the Avia BH-9. The principal changes from its predecessor centred around the aircraft's redesigned forward fuselage. It performed its maiden flight in 1923. The project quickly garnered the attention of the Czechoslovak Army; the service ordered 15 aircraft, which were operated under the military designation B.11. They were used both as trainers and general liaison aircraft. The type proved itself to be quite competitive for the era, winning numerous air races during the mid 1920s.

Six years after the first flight of the BH-11, production commenced of a revised version, the BH-11B Antelope, that was marketed towards the civil sector instead. This replaced the original Walter NZ 60 45 kW (60 hp) engine with a Walter Vega of 63 kW (85 hp) and was built in small numbers. As a further development, the BH-11C retained the original engine but the wingspan was increased by 1.4 m (4 ft 6 in).

A BH-11A and a BH-11C are preserved at the Prague Aviation Museum, Kbely.