Moravan Otrokovice

ZLIN AIRCRAFT a.s. Otrokovice (former well known name Moravan Otrokovice) is a Czech (and formerly Czechoslovak) aircraft company located at Otrokovice Airfield on the outskirts of Otrokovice, famous for the line of Z-26 TRENER and other small aircraft like crop-dusting Z-37 and aerobatics special Z-50.

Founded in 1934 as Zlínská letecká společnost, a. s. (Zlin Aviation company), by Zlín-based company Bata, it started to produce glider and single engine aircraft trainers. Later production expanded to segments of sport and agriculture aircraft. Trainer Z-XII became the most popular type of the era.

During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the factory was known as Zlínské letecké závody, a.s. (Zlin Aviation Works JSC). It produced German trainer types Klemm Kl 35, after the war known as C-1 in Czechoslovakia, and a low-wing Bücker Bü 181 which was later produced as Z-181 (military designation C-6).

After WW II, the company was nationalised and used its official name Zlínské letecké závody, a.s. v národní správě (Zlín Aviation Works JSC under National Administration) and later on, it was incorporated to the Automobilové závody, národní podnik (Automotive Works, National Enterprise) as its Otrokovice Plant using its new trade name Zlínavion. In mid-Sept 1948, the factory became a part of newly established Let, národní podnik (seated in Prague) as its Plant No.7 in Otrokovice (nominally merged with Zlin and renamed to Gottwaldov on 1 January 1949).

In 1953 a new name Moravan, was adopted and marked the beginning of the most famous period for the company. Series of Z-26 Trener were produced in the 1960s and 70s in large numbers for domestic civil and military use as well as export to both eastern and western customers. The type was one of the most popular for modern aerobatics competitions and it contributed to definition of high performance aerobatics specials. Other Zlin aircraft from the time are crop-dusting Z-37 Čmelák, Reliable all-metal trainers, two seat Z-42/142 and four seat Z-43 and a new aerobatics special Z-50 which was a next generation aerobatics type replacing the Z-26 series in competitions.

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