Mráz Skaut

M-2 Skaut
Role	Sports plane
Manufacturer	Beneš-Mráz, Choceň
Designer	Zdeněk Rublič
First flight	mid-1948
Number built	1 prototype

The M-2 Skaut was a Czechoslovakian two-seater, single engine, low-wing sports aircraft of the late 1940s.

History

The Czechoslovak aircraft factory Mráz introduced several remarkable sport aircraft after World War II. One of them was the M-2 Skaut, designed by Zdeněk Rublič (who also designed the Aero L-29 Delfín trainer jet). His idea was to offer an easily flyable and reliable aircraft for basic pilot training with a moderate operating costs and requiring little maintenance. To simplify production the wing and tail from a previously designed M-1 Sokol was used. The prototype - first flown in mid-1948 - proved that the design goals were achieved. The Skaut was a stable, pleasant to fly, and safe aircraft. These characteristics together with a side-by-side cockpit and a tricycle landing gear made it an ideal trainer aircraft.

Despite promising expectations serial production was not initiated. After the communist revolution the Mráz factory was nationalized and turned over to military production. The Skaut was one of the first Czechoslovak aircraft not produced due to political reasons.

The only prototype was registered as OK-CEB, and renamed Svazák, served at several flying clubs, mostly in Vrchlabí and became very popular. There are rumors that it used to be flown solo by glider pilots without any previous experience of powered aircraft. In the beginning of 1960's the aircraft suffered minor damage during an emergency landing after an engine failure. However, someone decided to "eliminate" this aircraft, so it was cut into pieces and burned.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot, 1 passenger
• Length: 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 10.0 m (32 ft 9 in)
• Height: ()
• Wing area: 13.8 m² (148 ft²)
• Empty weight: 370 kg (815 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 660 kg (1,454 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Praga D 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 55 kW (75 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 185 km/h (100 knots, 115 mph)
• Range: 700 km (380 nm, 435 mi)
• Service ceiling: 4,200 m (13,800 ft)
• Rate of climb: 3.5 m/s (700 ft/min)

References

• Němeček, Václav: "M-2". Czechoslovak airplanes 2 (1945 - 1984), Prague, Neše vojsko, 1984

Related content

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Mráz M-1 Sokol
• Zlín Z-22 Junák
  

Related lists

• List of civil aircraft