M.Hardy. Gliders & Sailplanes of the world

Oshkinis BRO-11 Zile USSR

  The BRO-11 Zile (or Acorn) single-seat basic training glider is a rather smaller Russian version of the EoN Primary/Dagling/SG 38 formula, and first flew in 1954; it has since been built in large numbers for use ДальшеMore>>> by the DOSAAF as an elementary training glider. It was designed by B. Oshkinis and among the factories building it was the Experimentalnii Zavod Sportivnoi Aviatsii (or Experimental Sports Aviation Factory) where B. Oshkinis was one of the designers and which started production of the type in 1969; this later became the LAK organisation, which created the LAK-9 Lietuva and continues to produce the BRO-11. A modified version known as the BRO-11M was later produced, and a biplane seaplane version, the BRO-16, made its first flight in August 1973. Another, shorter-span version, which may be experimental, is the BRO-17U Utochka. The BRO-11 is a strut-braced high wing monoplane of fabric and ply-covered wooden construction, with the pilot sitting on an elongated beam which forms the fuselage and which has a semi-recessed monowheel for landing; there is a towing hook under the nose and a bumper at the end of the boom to act as a tailskid. The tail unit is carried on a framework of metal tubing and wire bracing, and the flaps are similar in appearance to the Miles high-lift auxiliary flaps fitted to the Aerovan and Gemini.


Data: BRO-11
Span: 23 ft 10 1/2 in
Length: 16 ft 11 1/2 in
Wing area: 113.0 sqft
Aspect ratio: 5.05
Empty weight: 128 lb
Max weight: 260 lb
Stalling speed: 19 mph
Min sinking speed: 3.28 ft/sec