Aero A101, Czechoslovak Bomber Aircraft

Aero A-101 was a Czechoslovak bomber biplane, which was developed from the Aero A-100 aircraft. The type was in the armament of the Czechoslovak Air Force from January 1936, after a year of service, the aircraft were sold to Spain, where they were deployed by both warring parties in the Civil War.

The motive for the creation of the type was the effort of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Defense to find use for the supply of fifty Praga Asso engines (license of the Italian Isotta Fraschini Asso), which were originally to be used in Aero A-42 bombers. However, the planned serial production of the A-42 did not take place and the pre-purchased engines were stored in military warehouses from 1932. The Ministry of Defense therefore conditioned another order for the A-100 using Asso engines. The airframe was enlarged and amplified, because the Asso engine was heavier than the original Avia Vr.36. The prototype first flew on December 12, 1934. Although the new engine was more powerful, the performance of the A-101 was weaker than the A-100. Problems with the engine were also one of the causes of the delay in the delivery of the ordered 29 serial aircraft to the Czechoslovak Air Force, which took place in January 1936.