What did the Be.550 Bibi achieve with 37% less power?

Short answer

With a single 45 kW (60 hp) Walter Mikron II engine, this Czechoslovak two-seat touring aircraft reached 200 km/h (120 mph) at 100 m altitude and had a range of 780 km (480 mi). It was a light, small aircraft with side-by-side seating, derived from the Beta-Minor design.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What did the Be.550 Bibi achieve with 37% less power?

Mraz Bibi-1254Unknown authorUnknown author (CC BY SA), vía commons

A Czechoslovak two-seat touring aircraft

The Beneš-Mráz Bibi was a Czechoslovak two-seat touring aircraft from the 1930s. It was designed and built by Beneš-Mráz, who developed it from the Beta-Minor design. It was a lighter, smaller aircraft, with side-by-side seating instead of tandem. Development of the Bibi began with the Be-501, a two-seat touring aircraft with an enclosed cabin, and culminated in the Be-555 Super Bibi.

What 45 kW could do

The powerplant was a Walter Mikron II, an air-cooled inverted inline four-cylinder engine producing 45 kW (60 hp). With that power, the top speed was 200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn) at 100 m (330 ft) altitude. Range was 780 km (480 mi, 420 nmi).

Production and exported examples

The first production version was unveiled in 1936 and at least six units were built, including individual exports to Egypt and the United Kingdom. One Be-550 Bibi, registered OK-BET, was imported into the United Kingdom and remained in storage during the Second World War.