To research
prone pilot cockpit arrangements and controls, the Yugoslav Government Aircraft Factories developed the
Ikarus 232 Pionir, a small twin-engined
low-wing monoplane, powered by 2x
Walter Mikron III piston engines.
Type 451 An enlarged version of the Pionir was developed as the
Type 451, powered by 2x Walter Minor 6-III six-cylinder piston engines of each. The Type 451 had a 6.7 m (22 ft)
wingspan, a maximum speed of 335 km/h (182
knots), and a
ceiling of 4750 m (15,570 ft). It first flew in 1952. It also accommodated the pilot in
prone position, but was an otherwise conventional low-wing monoplane with retractable
tailwheel undercarriage, the main units of which retracted backwards into the engine
nacelles mounted below the wings.
451M Mlazni By the end of 1952, the Type 451 was followed by the
451M Mlazni ("Jet") which had conventional seating for the pilot. In place of the two Walter Minor 6-III inline engines of the original Ikarus 451, the 451M was fitted with
Turbomeca Palas turbojets. In this version, the undercarriage retracted inwards. Provision was made to carry one 20 mm
Hispano Suiza 404A cannon under the fuselage, plus six
RS rockets under the wings. Further developments were aimed at developing a viable
military aircraft from this basic design.
S-451M Zolja The
S-451M Zolja ("Wasp") that flew in 1954 featured a stretched
fuselage,
folding wings, and redesigned engine nacelles, now in the same plane as the wing rather than being hung under them. In 1960 a S-451M Zolja set an
airspeed record with a
takeoff weight from to , flying at 500.2 km/hour.
J-451MM Stršljen The S-451 Zola was developed into an armed version, the
J-451MM Stršljen ("Hornet") intended for the
close air support (
Jurisnik) role, with
Turbomeca Marbore engines boasting over twice the
thrust of those used on earlier aircraft, and an armament increased to two HS.404 cannon carried under the fuselage. The J-451MM Stršljen also differed from preceding designs in having a
tricycle undercarriage.
S-451MM Matica The J-451MM Stršljen configuration then formed the basis for the
S-451MM Matica ("Queen bee") two-seat
trainer that set an airspeed record for aircraft weighing between and , achieving 750.34 km/hour (466.24 mph) in 1957. It was also developed into the
T-451MM Stršljen II single-seat
aerobatics trainer. No member of the family was produced in any number. The 451, 451M, and J-451MM are all preserved at the
Aeronautical Museum Belgrade. ==Variants summary==