It was the first design of Frantisek Novotny for the Avia Company who later would design the famous Avia B-534.
It was an all-metal single bay biplane of conventional configuration with tailwheel undercarriage and the main wheels were fitted with large spats.
The first prototype made it's maiden flight on 2nd February 1932 and that leaded to some modifications specially on the tail and engine cowling. The revised version was ordered by the Czechoslovak Air Force. An experimental version of this airplane, fitted with an Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs piston engine was the official prototype of the Avia B-534-I.
It was powered by an Avia Vr.36 which was a licensed version of the Hispano-Suiza HS-12Nbr engine, which could deliver 740hp of power. It was armed with two fixed forward-firing 7.92mm vz.28 machine guns fitted in nacelles in the front-lateral part of the airplane.
Twelve B-34 entered service in September 1934 with the Czechoslovak Air Force and they served in the 37. Stíhací Letká (37. Fighter Squadron) where they served until 1937 when they were relegated to training duties. Even if it had bad reputation it was a robust airplane with only one crash during it's active career.
Eight were seized by Germany when the Czechoslovak State ceased to exist in March 1939 and at least three were lost in crashes and most probably others were retired from use. The remaining ones were handed over to the new Slovak Air Force which used at least one of them for training purposes at the Tri Duby airfield until at least August 1944 when they became part of the combined squadron of the Slovak Insurgent Air Force in September 1944. However there are no evidences that they were used in combat and they were destroyed by the Slovaks when the uprising failed.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B-34
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
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