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The Beneš-Mráz Be-56 Beta-Major was a single-seat aerobatic advanced trainer manufactured in Czechoslovakia shortly before World War II.

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Be-56 Beta-Major
Be-56 Beta-major single-seater
Role	Sports plane Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Beneš-Mráz
Designer	Pavel Beneš and Jaroslav Mráz
First flight	20 July 1936
Number built	1 x Be-52; 1 x Be-56
Developed from	Beneš-Mráz Be-50 Beta-Minor

Design and development

First flown in 1936, the Be-56 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane of wooden construction, with a single open cockpit and fixed tailwheel undercarriage. A two-seat version was produced as the Beneš-Mráz Be-52 Beta-Major, with tandem open cockpits

Variants

Be-52 Beta-Major

Two-seat aerobatic trainer derived from the Be-51, but powered by a Walter Major engine; one built.

Be-56 Beta-Major

Single-seat version of the Be-52; one built (OK-BEG).

Operational history

The sole Be-56, registered OK-BEG, was used by the Slovak Air Force after the German takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1939.

Operators

 Slovakia

• Slovak Air Force (1939–45)

Specifications (Be-56)

Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1937 [1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7.55 m (24 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 10.66 m (35 ft 0 in)
• Height: 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 14.00 m² (150.7 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 530 kg (1,168 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 710 kg (1,565 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 100 l (26 US gal; 22 imp gal) in two wing root tanks
• Powerplant: 1 × Walter Major 4-cyl. inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine, 97 kW (130 hp) for take-off
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 240 km/h (150 mph, 130 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 205 km/h (127 mph, 111 kn)
  
• Landing speed Be-52: 62 km/h (39 mph; 33 kn)
• Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
  
• Absolute ceiling: 6,500 m (21,300 ft)
• Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 3 minutes, 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 11 minutes 30 seconds
• Wing loading: 50.7 kg/m² (10.4 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 7.23 kg/kW (11.88 lb/hp)

References

Further reading

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 152.
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 890 Sheet 25.
• Nemecek, Vaclav (1983). Československá letadla (in Czech). Prague: Nase vojsko.
• Green, William (2010). Aircraft of the Third Reich (1st ed.). London: Aerospace Publishing Limited. p. 105. ISBN 978 1 900732 06 2.

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