The LF-107 Luňák ( en, Kite) is a Czech aerobatic glider designed by

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

-based company Rudý Letov in the late 1940s. The design was developed within a prolific group of aeronautical engineers and sailplane pilots, including K. Dlouhý (later author of LET L-13 Blaník), J. Matejček, and B. Boček, led by chief designer Vladimír Štros.

Design and development

The first flight of the prototype took place on June 25, 1948, and a second prototype flew in July. The prototype participated later in the same year in aerobatic competition in Grenchen,

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, and in Ziar,

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in 1949, where its good aerobatic and gliding characteristics drew considerable attention. Unfortunately, serial production was disrupted by geopolitical developments, as the factory was charged with production of MiG-15, MiG-19, MiG-21F aircraft, and access to Western civil export markets were progressively hampered by the emergence of the Iron Curtain. Therefore, only 75 examples of the Luňák were produced. In 1950, a variant with simpler construction and a revised cockpit, among other changes, was developed. This LF-107 Luňák of wooden construction designated Letov VT-7 under the military training system was instrumental in the development of gliding and aerobatics in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. Th ...

. The LF-107 was also used for aerobatic training in the

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and Poland.

XLF-207 Laminar

The Letov XLF-207 Laminar, a derivative of the Luňák, was the first glider in the world with a laminar flow wing. Its maiden flight took place in Praha Letnany in August 1951. Research into laminar flow wings was carried out by the XLF-207 Laminar, an LF-107 fitted with laminar flow wings. Presently there are only nine airworthy Luňáks, two of which are in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. A Luňák is displayed in the American Museum of Flight.

Variants

;LF-107 Luňák :The initial production version of this aerobatic glider, 75 built. ;VT-7 :Simpler construction with a revised cockpit for use by the Czech military. ;XLF-207 Laminar :The Letov XLF-207 Laminar was the first glider in the world with a laminar flow wing. Its maiden flight took place in

Praha Letnany Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

in August 1951.

Specifications (LF-107 Luňák)

References

External links

German site dedicated to the Luňák

Museum of Flight

Flying revue – LF 107 Luňák History (Czech)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letov LF-107 Lunak 1940s Czechoslovakian sailplanes LF-107 Mid-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1948