Avia BH-8

The BH-8 was a single-seat fighter aircraft developed by the Czechoslovak firm Avia. The idea for another single-seat fighter originated with Pavel Beneš and Miroslav Hajn during their work on the BH-7 and BH-6 projects. Utilizing preliminary designs from the BH-6 fighter, the first prototype of the BH-8 was manufactured in the autumn of 1923.

Technical Specifications and Design

Like the BH-6, this aircraft was designed to be powered by the Hispano-Suiza 8Fb engine, which delivered 310 hp. However, a key feature of the BH-8 was its larger wing dimensions, marking an evolution from its predecessors.

First Flight and Project Discontinuation

The maiden flight of the BH-8 took place in late 1923. During testing, the aircraft demonstrated good flight characteristics and promising performance. Nevertheless, further development work was eventually halted due to the commencement of construction for the more promising BH-17 model.

Technical Specifications

Modification	BH-8
Wingspan, m	9.48
Length, m	6.49
Height, m	2.77
Wing area, m2	22.11
Empty weight	843
Normal takeoff weight	1143
Engine type	1 Piston engine Hispano-Suiza 8Fb
Power, hp	1 x 310
Maximum speed, km/h	222
Cruising speed, km/h	199
Practical range, km	450
Rate of climb, m/min	340
Practical ceiling, m	8000
Crew	1
Armament	two forward 7.7-mm machine guns

Image and diagram gallery of the Avia BH-8

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