S-93 (Letov L-503) What If ......
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During 1944, the RLM received information about upcoming Allied jet aircraft. Negotiations on a new advanced fighter aircraft resulted in the sending of requirements to all aircraft manufacturers. After reviewing the proposals, Kurt Tank's design, designated Ta 183, was accepted. A 1:10 scale model was produced to investigate the flight characteristics. Before the end of the year, production of the first prototype began. This was moved to the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia to the Letov plant, where production preparations began due to increasing air raids on Germany. By the end of the war, several prototypes in progress were found in the factory.
On 3 December 1945, at a meeting at the VLU, the technical and tactical requirements for a jet-powered fighter were set. The design office of LA n. p. Letecká závodody, Letňany plant, also submitted the L-503 project, which was directly based on the Ta-183 type, and which was developed in several prototypes at Letov. It was decided to continue the development and construction on the L-503 and this type was to become, together with the Avii S-92, the basis of our post-war air force. The production and testing of the prototypes was carried out to the complete satisfaction of all and the machine exhibited excellent flight characteristics. The production of a copy of the Heinkel HeS 011 engine was also successful - in our country under the designation Walter M-011. During 1946, one machine was taken over by the military administration and given the registration designation S-93. The planned mass production was to take place at the Red Letov factory and was scheduled for the end of 1948. After February 1948, all domestic projects based on designs from Hitler's Germany were suspended or greatly slowed down and help was sought from the USSR. Even in 1948, only 8 pre-series machines were built and moved to the Žatec airport to the established Jet Training Squadron at the VLU. What a bad decision it was, the termination of S-93 production is evidenced by the fact that licensed production of the MiG-15 started in 1951. By that time, our air divisions were reporting and using significantly obsolete S-199s.
The S-93 was all in NMF. Czechoslovakian emblems with blue trim. The IF-11 marking was on the nose of the aircraft.
