Foreign planes built under license
SET designs
SET 3 / SET 31 trainers
SET 7 trainer
SET XV fighter
 
As was the case with all early Romanian-designed fighters, the plane was armed with two Vickers 7.7 mm machine guns firing through the propeller arc. By mid 1934, the prototype was sent to the Experimental squadron for test flights. Results were good, as the SET-XV proved capable of reaching an impressive top speed of 350 km/h at 4000 meters and a service ceiling of 9400 meters. The plane was reported to be easy to fly, with good handling characteristics and maneuverability. But in the end, although the SET-XV had proven to be equal to the PZL P-11f ( at least in terms of top speed and ceiling ), the Polish plane won the contract. As the ARR wasn't showing any interest in the SET-XV, the project had to be abandoned in 1935.

The SET-XV fighter

 

The SET XV was the most advanced design to emerge from SET factory. SET's design team had gained experience from its previous attempt, the Spad-SET fighter, which was practically an improved version of the French Spad S-61 fighters. The Spad-SET was supposed to enter the contest for the new fighter contract, but had been rejected after some suspicious meetings between senior Romanian officials and representatives of the Polish PZL company.
Nevertheless, SET's engineers were not going to give up so easily. They returned to the drawing board, and by early 1934, the SET-XV had made it to prototype stage. Although it was a biplane with fixed undercarriage, it was a highly advanced design in many other aspects : all-metal construction with fabric skinning, fully-enclosed cockpit with complete with radio set and an oxygen installation for high-altitude flights, and a beautiful, streamlined, fuselage. It was the very first Romanian-built plane with an oxygen installation. The wings were built in a sesquiplane configuration, with different spans : the upper wing was 9.4 meters wide, whilst the lower one was smaller, just 6.7 meters. A Gnome-Rhone 9Krsd, nine-cylinder, radial engine rated at 500 HP, covered by a NACA ring was chosen as powerplant.

Technical data for the SET XV fighter

Wingspan
9.4 meters ( upper wing ) - 6.7 meters ( lower wing )
Wing area
18.65 square meters
Length
7 meters
Height
3.05 meters
Weight ( empty )
1150 kg
Weight ( loaded )
1550 kg
Maximum speed at 4000 meters
340 km/h
Range
unknown
Maximum operational ceiling
9400 meters
Engine
Gnome-Rhone 9Krsd rated at 500 HP
Armament
Two 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns mounted in the nose
Crew
1

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