Being an evolution of the Ae.04, the A.18 was a fighter designed also by Antonin Vlasák and Antonín Husník in order to fullfil an order coming from the Czechoslavk Army.
It was powered by the 185hp BMW IIIa engine that had already been employed in the previous Ae.04. and was armed by a pair of 7,92 (0,303) synchronized Vickers machine-guns.
It also retained the mixed construction of its predecessors but it featured a different upper wing and strut configuration.
The prototype flew for the first time in March 1923 and 20 airplanes were ordered in order to serve with the Czechoslovak Army Air Force over the other two candidates from Aero, the A.19 and the A.20 which, despite of what their names may suggest, they were developed in parallel to the A.18.
It was pretended for the A.18 stablish three national altitude records and two racing sub-variants were also made, the A.18B and the A.18C, in order to participate in the Czech Aero Club annual race which they won.
Sources:
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_A.18
2. The Complete book of Fighters
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