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In 1947, a Letov design team, led by Ing. Pracharem and Ing. Záhorou, began work on a new, single-engined jet fighter. Their Letov L-52 design would be derived from the twin-jet Avia S-92 (Me-262A-1a), re-using some of that Messerschmitt design's components.
A single British jet engine would be housed in a near circular-section fuselage with an oval nose intake. This fuselage would break behind the low-set wings to facilitate engine changes and maintenance.
Initially, power was to be provided by a 3,664 lb st/16.3 kN Rolls-Royce Derwent (presumably referring to the 3,500 lb st/15.6 kN Derwent V). Later, it was decided that the engine model installed would depend upon role. Front-line fighters would be fitted with the 5,000 lb st (22.3 kN) Rolls-Royce Nene. The tandem-seat fighter-trainers would retain the less powerful Derwent V.
On both variants, the complete S-92 empennage would be retained (with the addition of a large dorsal fin). For the fighter-trainer, the S-92 wings would also be unchanged (other than the wing-mounted Malesice M-04B/Jumo 004 engines being deleted). For the fighter version, the wings were of slightly enlarged area and refined planform.
Based on a description in the Valka forum on Czech Air Force which, in turn, was based on Letectví a Kosmonautika, 6/1993 (article by Z. Pátek, R. Theiner).
http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/p/156190
A single British jet engine would be housed in a near circular-section fuselage with an oval nose intake. This fuselage would break behind the low-set wings to facilitate engine changes and maintenance.
Initially, power was to be provided by a 3,664 lb st/16.3 kN Rolls-Royce Derwent (presumably referring to the 3,500 lb st/15.6 kN Derwent V). Later, it was decided that the engine model installed would depend upon role. Front-line fighters would be fitted with the 5,000 lb st (22.3 kN) Rolls-Royce Nene. The tandem-seat fighter-trainers would retain the less powerful Derwent V.
On both variants, the complete S-92 empennage would be retained (with the addition of a large dorsal fin). For the fighter-trainer, the S-92 wings would also be unchanged (other than the wing-mounted Malesice M-04B/Jumo 004 engines being deleted). For the fighter version, the wings were of slightly enlarged area and refined planform.
Based on a description in the Valka forum on Czech Air Force which, in turn, was based on Letectví a Kosmonautika, 6/1993 (article by Z. Pátek, R. Theiner).
http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/p/156190
