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What landing gear and canopy did the AISA I-11B have?

Short answer

According to one account, AISA reduced the cockpit canopy and fitted tailwheel gear on the production I-11B. All-Aero claims the opposite: the I-11B was distinguished by fixed nosewheel gear and a larger canopy, although elsewhere on the same page it speaks of tailwheel gear and a reduced canopy (according to different sources).

What landing gear and canopy did the AISA I-11B have?
¿Cuántos I-11B se construyeron?Fly-by-Owen (CC BY SA), vía commons

A two-seater for flying clubs

The I-11 was conceived as an aircraft suited for touring, sport flying and elementary pilot training. It was originally designed by the Spanish company Iberavia, and the first of its two prototypes flew on 16 July 1951. The prototypes had tricycle landing gear and a large bubble canopy. Before series production could be planned, Iberavia was acquired by AISA.

Two versions of the change

According to one of the published accounts, the new management continued the development with some changes: it reduced the size of the cockpit canopy and replaced the landing gear with a tailwheel configuration, which was the configuration used to build the AISA I-11B, a name that same account reserves for the production examples. All-Aero describes the opposite: derived from the prototype, the I-11B differed from the production model by having fixed nosewheel landing gear and a larger cockpit canopy, although elsewhere on the same page it speaks of a reduced canopy and tailwheel (according to different sources). No third source has been found to break the tie.

The first 70 and the following orders

That configuration entered production in 1952 with an order from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation for 70 aircraft for the Spanish flying clubs. All-Aero also mentions a series of 70 built for the Spanish flying clubs, which it places in early 1954. Afterwards, the Spanish Air Force ordered 125 for training and liaison. Some aircraft were fitted with a 93 hp ENMA Flecha engine.

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