View source for Aero Ae-45

{{Short description|Utility aircraft}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
  |name = Ae 45 
  |image = CIAF 2015 Aero 145 3.jpg
  |caption = Let Aero Ae 145
  |type = Utility aircraft
  |manufacturer = [[Aero Vodochody]], [[Let Kunovice]]
  |designer =
  |first_flight = 21 July 1947
  |introduction =
  |retired =
  |status =
  |primary_user = [[Czechoslovakia]]
  |more_users = [[China]], [[East Germany]], [[France]], [[Hungary]], [[Italy]], [[Poland]], [[Romania]], [[USSR]] and [[Switzerland]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Aero Ae-45: První československé aerotaxi |url=http://www.flymag.cz/article.php?id=11064 |work=FlyMag.cz}}</ref>
  |produced = [[1947 in aviation|1947]]–[[1961 in aviation|1961]]
  |number_built = 590<ref name=nemecek>Vaclav Nemecek, ''Atlas letadel. Dvoumotorova obchodni letadla'', Praha 1987</ref>
  |unit cost =
  |developed_from = 
  |variants =
}}

The '''Aero 45''' was a twin piston-engined civil utility [[aircraft]] produced in [[Czechoslovakia]] after [[World War II]]. [[Aero Vodochody]] produced the aircraft in 1947–1951, after which the [[Let Kunovice]] rolled out these planes until 1961. In 1958 the Ae-45S became the first Czechoslovak plane to cross the [[Atlantic Ocean]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Legendární české aerotaxi vznikalo tajně. Místo letadel měli dělat hrnce |url=https://technet.idnes.cz/ceske-aerotaxi-0py-/tec_technika.aspx?c=A131015_114617_tec_technika_kuz |work=iDNES.cz |date=16 October 2013 |language=cs}}</ref> It was the first product of the nation's postwar aviation industry and proved a great success, with many of the 590 produced being exported.

The aircraft was developed into other variants, including the "Super Aero" and Ae 145. 

==Design and development==
[[File:Aero Ae-45. - Fortepan 104283.jpg|thumb|Cockpit of a Hungarian Ae-45]]

Following the end of the [[Second World War]], Aero continued production of the German [[Siebel Si 204]] transport and [[Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann]] to keep the factory occupied, while the factory's management showed little interest in developing new designs and planned to diversify into production of non-aviation products like toys and kitchen utensils. In 1945, a team of engineers led by Ondřej Němec and František Vik began work on a design of a four-seat twin-engined light aircraft suitable for use as an business aircraft, and as an [[air taxi]], which was hoped would be attractive to both domestic and export customers. Work was done without permission of the company management, with the team working in their own time.{{sfn|Bittner|Krumbach|1967|pp=220–221}} A reorganisation of the company brought a new technical director at the Aero factory, who authorised production of a prototype, although higher management were still not informed. The prototype construction was well under construction when management finally found out about the Aero 45 and launched an investigation of the authorisation of the prototype, and required that the design calculations were rechecked.{{sfn|Bittner|Krumbach|1967|p=221}} The prototype (registered OK-BCA) flew for the first time on 21 July 1947,{{sfn|Bittner|Krumbach|1967|p=221}}{{sfn|Simpson|1995|p=154}} with the second, registered OK-CCA, flying on 12 March 1948.{{sfn|Bittner|Krumbach|1967|p=222}} After a successful programme of flight testing and a series of foreign demonstration tours by the two prototypes, the Aero 45 entered production, with the first production aircraft flying on 16 April 1949.{{sfn|Bittner|Krumbach|1967|p=222}} The model number of "45" was not a continuation of [[Aero Vodochody|Aero]]'s pre-war numeration scheme, but a reference to the 4/5 seats in the aircraft.

===Description===
The design bears a superficial resemblance, when viewed nose-on, to the much larger German [[Siebel Si 204]] which, among other German aircraft were produced in Czechoslovakia while under German occupation. The Aero 45 had a sleek, teardrop-shaped [[fuselage]], with a rounded, extensively-glazed nose affording excellent visibility. It had a low wing on which the engine [[nacelle]]s were mounted, and a [[Empennage|conventional tail]]. The main [[Landing gear|undercarriage]] was retractable but the tailwheel was fixed.

==Operational history==
Ae-45 prototypes were widely advertised abroad. In August 1949 [[Jan Anderle]] won the Norton Griffiths Race in Great Britain (Ae-45 registration OK-DCL). They also set several international records. As a result, apart from Eastern Bloc countries, the plane was also bought by Italy and Switzerland. On 10–11 August 1958 Dr. Pier Paolo Brielli flew an Italian Ae-45 3000 kilometers from South America to [[Dakar]] across the southern Atlantic (as the first Czechoslovak-built aircraft). In 1981 Jon Svensen flew Ae-45S from Europe to the USA.<ref name=nemecek/>

This type was used in Czechoslovakia and was exported to the People's Republic of China, East Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Soviet Union and Switzerland. Hungary was a major customer, where the aircraft was known as the ''Kócsag'' ([[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]: "[[Egret]]").

==Variants==
[[File:Aero 45 Srs II 9M-AOF BAG 22.05.71 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|1957-built Aero 45S series II registered in Malaya]]
[[File:Let Aero Ae-145 Super Aero v.jpg|thumb|Let Aero Ae 145]]
;Aero 45
:First production version built in Aero factory. Powered by [[Walter Minor]] 4-III engines. 200 built between 1948 and 1951.{{sfn|Simpson|1995|p=154}}
;Aero 45S "Super Aero"
:Improved variant produced by [[Let Kunovice|Let]] in [[Kunovice (Uherské Hradiště District)|Kunovice]] factory, among others with better navigational equipment. 228 aircraft built between 1954 and 1959.{{sfn|Simpson|1995|p=154}}
;Aero 145 (I)
:Larger five-seat derivative of Ae-45 powered by Walter Minor 6-III engines and tricycle landing gear, not built.
;Aero 145 (II)
:Version with engines changed to supercharged Motorlet (Walter) M332, produced later as [[Avia M 332]]s. This version was developed and built by [[Let Kunovice|Let]], 142 aircraft built.{{sfn|Simpson|1995|pp=154, 156}}
;Aero 245
:Similar to 145, but with a tailwheel, not built.
;Aero 345
:Aero 45 airframe powered by Walter Minor 6-III engines, not built.
;Sungari-1
:Chinese unlicensed copy of the Aero Ae 45S, produced from 1958.<ref name=nemecek/>

==Operators==
[[File:Aero145 PICT0015.jpg|thumb|right|Aero Ae 145 used in Poland as an [[Air ambulances in Poland|air ambulance]], [[Polish Aviation Museum]]]]
[[File:1948 Lufthansa LET Aero 45 pic1.JPG|thumb|right|1948 Lufthansa LET Aero 45]]
[[File:Arrivals, Ruzyně (7871112218).jpg|thumb|Preserved Aero 45 in [[Václav Havel Airport Prague|Prague Airport]], Terminal 1]]

===Civil operators===
'''{{Flag|Australia}}'''

* [[Commodore Aviation]]

;{{CZS}}
;{{DDR}}
*[[Interflug]]<ref>Hardy, M. J. ''Air Taxi, Sir?'' article in ''Aircraft Annual 1964'' UK Ian Allan 1963 p.61 bw plate</ref>  
;{{HUN}}
*Hungarian Police
*Hungarian Air Ambulance Service
;{{ITA}}
;{{flag|Malaya}}
;{{POL}}
*[[LOT Polish Airlines]] operated three Ae-45 in 1952–1957<ref>Adam Jońca: ''Samoloty linii lotniczych 1945–1956'', WKiŁ, Warsaw 1985, {{ISBN|83-206-0529-6}}</ref>
*[[Polish Air Ambulance Service]] operated Ae-45 and Ae-145
;{{flag|Romania|1948}}
*[[Aviasan]]
;{{USSR}}
*[[Aeroflot]]
;{{SUI}}
;{{SLO}}
*[[Ajdovščina|Aeroclub Ajdovščina]]
;{{VIE}} 
* Vietnam Civil Aviation Department – later as Vietnam Civil Aviation (now [[Vietnam Airlines]]) <ref>[http://www.vietnamairlines.com/wps/portal/en/site/about_us/our_background/!ut/p/c5/hY5LDoJAEAXPwgnm0QwMLIffAAIaohHZGBbGYARcGM8vuNIxaPeyUnnFGjb90D66c3vvxqG9spo1zjFQMuEiB9aO7YDi0FspKzRR8Ykf3rhLXgQqc2zSTAKKf9igrT9RRabIMytwSbNVUcQgsXNFFZUmYP_Z3s-1i-sqsX_yV93MsXASmq8V-ELj3_1lMvYndut3Nbr0wqVhPAFC4vMb/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh Our Background vietnamairlines.com]</ref>

===Military operators===
;{{PRC}}
*[[People's Liberation Army Air Force]] operated license-built ''Suingari-1'' variant.
;{{CZS}}
*[[Czechoslovak Air Force]] operated aircraft under designation K-75, for liaison purpose.
*Czechoslovak National Security Guard
{{DDR}}
*[[Air Forces of the National People's Army|East German Air Force]]
;{{HUN}}
*[[Hungarian Air Force]]
;{{IND}}
*[[Indian Air Force]] operated a single aircraft gifted by the Czech government
;{{flag|Katanga}}
*[[Katangese Air Force]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldairforces.com/Countries/zaire/KATaircraft.html |title=World Air Forces — Aircraft — Katanga Aircraft |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=worldairforces.com |publisher= |access-date=17 May 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
;{{flag|Romania|1948}}
*[[Romanian Air Force]]
;{{VNM}}
* [[Vietnam People's Air Force]] – three Ae-45 from 1956 (acquired from China)

==Specifications (Aero 145)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62{{sfn|Taylor|1961|pp=37–38}}
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=1
|capacity=3-4 passengers
|length m=7.77
|span m=12.25
|height m=2.3
|wing area sqm=17.1
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=Aero No.58-64
|empty weight kg=960
|gross weight kg=1500
|max takeoff weight kg=1600
|max takeoff weight note=(full fuel)
|fuel capacity={{cvt|324|L|USgal impgal}}
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Avia M 332|Avia M 332-III]]
|eng1 type=4-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engines
|eng1 hp=140

|prop blade number=2
|prop name=Type V410
|prop dia m=1.9
|prop dia note=electrically-operated metal 4-position variable-pitch propellers
<!--
        Performance
-->
|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=282
|max speed note= at {{cvt|1600|kg}} AUW
|cruise speed kmh=250
|cruise speed note= at {{cvt|1600|kg}} AUW
|stall speed kmh=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|range km=1700
|combat range km=
|ferry range km=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=5900
|ceiling note=<br/>
*'''Service ceiling one engine out:''' {{cvt|2200|m}}
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|climb rate ms=5
|time to altitude=
|wing loading kg/m2=87.8
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass={{cvt|15.7|lb/hp|order=flip}}
|more performance=<br/>
*'''Take-off run to {{cvt|15|m}}:''' {{cvt|460|m}}
|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{Aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
*[[Akaflieg Berlin B9]]
*[[Beechcraft Twin Bonanza]]
*[[Ikarus 451]]
*[[Miles Gemini]]
*[[Reid and Sigrist R.S.3]]
|lists=
|see also=

}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

* {{cite magazine |last1=Bittner |first1=Karel |last2=Krumbach |first2=Jan |title=Slavná Československá Letadla: Aero Ae 45 |trans-title=Famous Czechoslovak Aeroplanes: Aero 45 |language=cs |magazine=Letectví + Kosmonautika |year=1967 |issue=6 |pages=220–223}}
* {{cite book |last=Němeček |first=Václav |title=Atlas letadel. Dvoumotorova obchodni letadla |date=1987 |location=Prague |language=cs}}
* {{cite book |last=Simpson |first=R. W. |title=Airlife's General Aviation |edition=Second |year=1995 |location=Shrewsbury, UK |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |isbn=1-85310-577-5}}
* {{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1961–62 |editor1-last=Taylor |editor1-first=John W. R. |editor-link=John W. R. Taylor|year=1961 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co |location=London }}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.airliners.net/search?aircraft=31125&display=detail Pictures of various Ae 45s at airliners.net]

{{Aero Vodochody aircraft}}
{{Czech liaison aircraft}}

[[Category:Aero Vodochody aircraft|Ae 45]]
[[Category:1940s Czechoslovak civil utility aircraft]]
[[Category:1940s Czechoslovak military utility aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1947]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear]]