SIM-VIII

The SIM-VIII (Serbian Cyrillic:СИМ-VIII) was a 1931 Yugoslav Sports and tourist plane and the plane for the basic training, one-engined, with two crew members. It was designed by Sima Milutinović and built at the Rogožarski factory in Belgrade 1931 and Ikarus in Zemun 1933.

Design and development
Aircraft SIM-VIII was designed by engineer Sima Milutinović at the end of the 1930 year, with a desire to contribute to the development of aviation in Yugoslavia. The prototype of this aircraft was built at the expense of a constructor and the first test flight was conducted in the Zemun in the fall of 1931 year. After receiving permission navigational for aircraft, Command YAF-Yugoslav Royal Air Force was purchased and donated by Aeroclub in Belgrade.

The plane had engine high monoplane (parasol wing) with a 110 hp Siemens engine, a wooden double-flight propeller, with two crew members who were seated one behind the other. The plane that is intended for civilian use. sport pilot training, demonstration and tourist flights. On the plane SIM-VIII is applied several new construction solutions designed to streamline production and cheaper without compromising aircraft flight characteristics. The plane was mostly wooden construction with steel nodes. The hull is entirely made of wood covered with plywood, and the wings are supporting structure made of wood covered with canvas. The wings are large windows with rounded ends. On each side, the wings are supported by a pair of inclined struts which relied on the fuselage. The fuel tank was located in the central part between the wings that is. at their junction. Rudders are made of welded steel pipes. Landing gear was fixed completely made of steel pipe characterized by great strength which enabled a plane landing at the very rugged terrain.

Operational history
Aircraft SIM-VIII is produced in three copies in the factory Rogožarski 1931st year that were owned by Aero Club, which used it for propaganda flights and train sport pilots. Airplanes are registered marks of a civilian-YU-PBC, YU-PBD and YU-PCI. The first of the listed aircraft flew until 1937. when it was withdrawn from use and the other two no data is likely to have been used before the war. In addition to these in the Ikarus factory in Zemun in the 1933rd The aircraft made two copies of the SIM-VIII they are not in the civil registry of the aircraft most likely to have been produced for the YAF-Yugoslav Royal Air Force. For this plane is associated a great success. Specifically, 19 July1932nd was held in Warsaw in the international air rally at which the crew of this plane won the first place.

Operators

 * Kingdom of Yugoslavia
 * Royal Yugoslav Air Force - 2 aircraft
 * Yugoslav Aerocub - 3 aircraft