Aviotehas PN-3

Designed by V. Post & R. Neudorf of the Estonian Aero Club (Eesti Aeroklubi), the PN-3 was produced by Aviotehas in 1939, featuring a 425 kW (570 hp) Rolls-Royce Kestrel XI engine that allowed a top speed of 395 km/h (245 mph; 213 kn). The series was planned with retractable landing gear, but the prototype was built with fixed landing gear for economy and to speed up development. The start of World War II and Soviet occupation of Estonia interrupted the PN-3 program, and it never reached mass production. The armament of the PN-3 was to have consisted of two 7.62 mm (0.300 in) machine guns.[2]

Just one prototype was finished and delivered to the Estonian Air Force, later being used as a trainer.[1] After Estonia was occupied by the USSR in 1940, the single prototype was used for target practice.

Data from Post & Neudorf (Aviotehase) PN-3[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 10.65 m (34 ft 11 in)
• Height: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Kestrel XI V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 430 kW (570 hp)
• Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 395 km/h (245 mph, 213 kn)

Armament

• Guns: 2x 7.62 mm (0.300 in) fixed forward-firing synchronised machine-guns + 1x 7.62 mm (0.300 in) flexibly-mounted machine-gun in the rear cockpit (Note:armament was not installed in the prototype)