Beneš-Mráz Be-56 Beta-Major
# Beneš-Mráz Be-56 Beta-Major

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

## 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

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 $m^2$ (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 $kg/m^2$ (10.4 lb/sq ft)
* Power/mass: 7.23 kg/kW (11.88 lb/hp)
