AVIA BA.33 THIRTY-THREE

The Avia BH-33 was a Czechoslovak fighter plane of a mixed structure, in a biplane configuration, with a fixed landing gear. The drive was provided by a single engine Skoda L with a power of 500 hp. The flight of the prototype took place in 1927, and in the years 1928-1930 serial production continued, ending with the production of about 235 aircraft. The armament was two 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns. The BH-33 aircraft was created as a partially private initiative of the Avia aviation plant, which was to replace the Avia B-21 machines in the Czechoslovak aviation. The new aircraft was characterized by better performance, was more maneuverable and generally technically successful. For these reasons, it quickly entered mass production. In its course, an all-metal version (BH-33E) was created, which was produced in Yugoslavia. In Czechoslovakia, the most numerous version was the BH-33L, powered by the Skoda L engine. Bristol Jupiter IV. Airplanes from these plants served in Polish aviation under the designation PWS-A. From 1933, they were moved to school and training units. During the September campaign, there were already few PWS-A in school squadrons.