Beneš-Mráz Bibi

Be-550 Bibi
Beneš-Mráz Be.550 Bibi, 1939
Role Sporting aircraft
Manufacturer Beneš-Mráz
Designer Pavel Beneš and Jaroslav Mráz
First flight 1936
Introduction 1936
Number built ca. 18


The Beneš-Mráz Bibi was a 1930s Czechoslovakian two-seat touring aircraft.

Design and development

The Bibi was designed and manufactured by Beneš-Mráz, developed from the Beta-Minor design. The Bibi was a lighter, smaller aircraft in which the seats were side-by-side instead of in tandem, and the cockpits were fully enclosed, retaining the Beta-Minor's cantilever low-wing cantilever monoplane layout, with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Development of the Bibi began with the Be-501 two-seat cabin tourer, and culminated with the Be-555 Super Bibi.[1]

Operational history

One example of the Be-550 Bibi (OK-BET) was imported into the United Kingdom, stored during World War II, then registered as G-AGSR until a fatal crash in 1951.[1]

Variants

Be-501 Bibi
Single seat, initial development aircraft for the Bibi cabin tourer.
Be-502 Bibi
Single seat development prototype for the Bibi series.
Be-550 Bibi
Initial production version introduced in 1936, with at least six built, including single exports to Egypt and the UK.
Be-555 Super Bibi
The final iteration of the Bibi with many improvements. Production continued after the start of WWII, with at least ten built.

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

Notes

  1. 1 2 Jackson 1974, p. 358

References

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