The Zlín XIII was a very aerodynamically clean, low-powered, all wood monoplane with a one-piece, low set, tapered wing equipped with flaps.

It was powered by a 97 kW (130 hp) Walter Minor four cylinder inverted engine, driving a two blade propeller and with a fixed, faired tailwheel undercarriage.

This versatility was intended to allow the type XIII to operate as either a high speed executive transport or as a single seat competition aircraft.

[1][2][3] The Zlín XIII was displayed as a two seater at the 10th Prague Aero Show in July 1937, having made its first flight earlier in the year.

The German annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938, and the subsequent fragmentation of Czechoslovakia ended development and prevented production, so only the prototype was built.