Latécoère 300

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Latécoère 300, 301, 302
Latécoere 300 Croix-du-Sud 2.jpg
Type: Flying boat
Design country:

FranceFrance France

Manufacturer:

Latécoère

First flight:

1931 (accident), 1932

Commissioning:

1934

Production time:

until 1936

Number of pieces:

1 + 6

The Latécoère 300 was a French flying boat that made its maiden flight in 1931. It was the prototype of a series of three civil Laté 301 mail planes and three military Laté 302 long-range reconnaissance aircraft, which were built in 1935 and 1936 as a further development of the prototype.

The prototype Latécoère 300 F-AKGF Croix du Sud has been used in the postal service over the South Atlantic since 1934. On December 7, 1936, the machine was lost with the entire crew under the famous French aviator Jean Mermoz on its 25th flight over the South Atlantic. Before that, the Latécoère 301.01 Ville de Buenos Aires was lost without a trace on January 10, 1936 on its second return flight to Dakar.

Development and construction history

The machine was developed by Latécoère for the airline "Compagnie générale aéropostale" (usually called l ' Aéropostale ), which belonged to the group until 1927 . As Lignes Latécoère, this company had operated an airline to Morocco since 1920, which from 1925 also ran as planned to Senegal and primarily served the transport of mail. From the end of 1927, an airmail network was also set up in South America, which initially led along the Brazilian coast to Argentina. The connection of the European-African network with the South American line was carried out since March 1928 with own ships between Dakar and Natal (Brazil). By the end of 1930, postal traffic increased considerably, especially since the Aéropostale with its American lines now also reached Chile, Bolivia and Peru as well as Venezuela.

To speed up mail traffic, Aéropostale also wanted to cross the Atlantic with airplanes and French manufacturers developed both flying boats and land planes for this task. However, the company's first transatlantic flight was made by a specially prepared float version of the company's most modern standard aircraft, the single-engine Latécoère 28 . Although the flight to Brazil under Jean Mermoz was successful on May 12, 1930, the return flight was not successful until July 9, with the 53rd attempt at take-off since June 8, as the machine did not lift off the water with the necessary fuel load. The machine did not reach the African continent and had to land 450 nautical miles from Dakar on the Atlantic, where a swimmer broke off. The Phocée , one of the boats used for security, was able to take over the crew and mail, but the machine was lost.

Of the mail planes developed in response to a tender by the French Ministry of Aviation for the route from Africa to Brazil, the Latécoère 300 was the first to make its maiden flight with the registration number F-AKCU on December 17, 1931 under the factory pilots Jean Gonord and Vergès, who were, however, in ended in an accident in which the machine overturned and Vergès was injured. The new type was a large flying boat almost 24 m long with a five-meter stubby wing on the fuselage and a large 44 m wing braced above it. In and on it, a little to the side of the fuselage, were the four 650 HP Hispano Suiza engines of the type 12Nbr in tandem.

The badly damaged machine was rebuilt and the basic design was not changed. The shape of the torso and rudder was improved and the center of gravity of the machine, which was the cause of the accident, was changed. On September 30, 1932, the Latécoère 300 , now named F-AKGE and Croix du Sud , took off under the same pilots and again from Biscarrosse on its second maiden flight. In the meantime, with the Blériot 5190 , a competitor development had also received a construction contract.

The Couzinet 70

From January 12, 1933, the three-engine Couzinet 70 Arc en Ciel (again under Mermoz) flew from Paris- Le Bourget to Buenos Aires on the 22nd. On the return flight from May 15, the left engine failed over the Atlantic. The flight was continued in smaller stages to Paris until May 21st.

The Latécoère 300 had only made a number of short flights until then. The Aeropostale had meanwhile collapsed economically and the French state reorganized French aviation interests, which finally led to the establishment of Air France in autumn 1933 . The testing of the Latécoère 300 had therefore taken over from June 1933 by a military crew under Bonnot from the factory crew.

Emergency flights

Under naval command

Under Commandant Roger Bonnot, the crew tested the Latécoère 300 for its suitability to cross the South Atlantic. After an initial endurance test of around 10 hours, it transferred the machine from Berre to Saint-Louis (Senegal) on New Year's Eve in 1933 in 23h 3 ′ and set a new world distance record for seaplanes of 3897 km (3679 km in a straight line).

The Croix-du-Sud under Major Bonnot in September 1934 in Natal

On January 3, 1934, the first Atlantic crossing to Natal in Brazil followed in 19h 12 'under Bonnot with two naval pilots and a naval radio operator and a mechanic from the engine manufacturer. On the 9th, Rio de Janeiro was flown to. The return flight there began on January 23 via Bahia and Natal with the crossing of the Atlantic on the 31st in 21h 24 ′ via Port-Étienne, Port Lyautey, the plane returned to Berre by February 8.

After inspections by government representatives in March on the Seine near Paris, the machine was tested by the Navy and used in fleet maneuvers. In July 1934 she moved back to Senegal and made two more round-trip flights to South America from Dakar on July 30 (back September 5) and September 10 (back September 20), before returning to the manufacturer in Biscarrosse, to undergo a general overhaul. On April 8, 1935, the machine returned to service and, after a first test flight under factory pilots, was taken over by a naval crew now commanded by Lieutenant de Vaisseau Hébrard, who had previously served as the first pilot on the machine. After just a few short test flights, the Latécoère 300 F-AKGE Croix du Sud set a second world distance record for seaplanes on June 22nd / 23rd with a flight of 4,338.1 km in 29h 33 ′ from Cherbourg to Ziguinchor . Under Hébrard there was also a flight from Dakar to Brazil on July 1st and the return flight on July 15th and 16th. Completed July with a crew of seven before the aircraft was handed over to Air France.

In the Air France postal service

the competitor model
Blériot 5190

After the Croix du Sud had already carried out four round-trip flights across the South Atlantic, it took off for the first time with an Air France crew under Rouchon in Dakar to Natal on July 20, 1935 and returned to Dakar three weeks later under Guillaumet . The next planned flight to Brazil was already taken over by the machine, but had to be canceled after a short time due to the weather conditions. It was then carried out the following day. The machine, which arrived in Natal on August 21, flew on 9/10. September back to Dakar. By the end of the year, there were three more return flights from October 7th to 29th, November 18th to 29th and December 16th to 24th.

In addition to the seven sightseeing flights through the Latécoère 300 Croix du Sud , eleven sightseeing flights of the competing model Blériot 5190 Santos Dumont and one flight to Brazil of the new Latécoère 301 Ville de Buenos Aires took place in 1935 . The new four-engine Farman 220 Le Centaure land plane was also used for the first time on seven sightseeing flights . In addition, there was the special flight of the 6-engine giant flying boat Latécoère 521 under Bonnot on December 14th on its way to the French Antilles.

The year 1936

At the beginning of 1936 Air France had three flying boats for the airmail service over the South Atlantic:
the Bleriot 5190 Santos Dumont , the Latécoère 300 Croix du Sud and the Latécoère 301.01 Ville de Buenos Aires .

The latter was lost on January 10th on her second flight back to Dakar. Seven hours after take-off in Natal, radio contact was lost and no trace of the crew or the machine was ever found.

On the same day, the Latécoère 301.02 Ville de Rio de Janeiro took off on its first successful mail flight in the opposite direction in Dakar.

Despite the accident, Air France continued to use the machines until the end of February. However, the Croix du Sud had already returned to France for a general overhaul before the loss of the Ville de Buenos Aires . From the end of April the existing flying boats were gradually used again. First the new Latécoère 301.03 Ville de Santiago (18 flights until 8 December), from July also the 301.02 (14 flights until 22 September) and from October again the Latécoère 300 Croix du Sud (4 postal flights 12/13 October , back 26/27 under Mermoz / 10 November 1936, back 16/17 both flights under Rouchon).

The last flight of the Croix du Sud

On December 7, 1936, the machine took off on its 25th transatlantic flight under Jean Mermoz, for whom it was also the 25th transatlantic flight. It was Air France's 49th flight to South America. He returned with the machine just eight minutes after the start at 4:32 am because one of the engines was not running properly. No other aircraft was available for the plan flight. He started with Alexandre Pichodou (* 1905, 38 Atlantic flights) as co-pilot, Henri Ezan (* 1904, 17 Atlantic-F.) As navigator, Edgar Cruvelher (* 1899, 11 Atlantic-F.) As radio operator and the mechanic Jean Lavidalie (* 1902) again after a brief inspection of the machine at 6:52 a.m.

Four hours later, at 10:43 a.m., the last radio message came from the machine, in which it was reported that the rear starboard engine had to be switched off. After that no more was heard from the machine and no parts were ever found. Search flights of the Farman 220 Ville de Mendoza under Guillaumet and the Laté 301 Ville de Santiago under Guerrero, which had arrived in Dakar by counter mail, and a German Dornier whale from Bathurst were unsuccessful. Search trips by the security ship Air France I and the Avisos D'Entrecasteaux as well as the civilian ships in the presumed loss area also remained without result.

Presumably the aft starboard engine lost its propeller, which then damaged or destroyed the hull. Such problems had occurred before. As parts of the machine were never found, a final assessment of the cause of the accident is not possible. One of the reasons for their unreliability was seen in the controllable pitch propellers of the latest operational engines in flying boats.

Mermoz was not considered an advocate of the use of flying boats over the South Atlantic. His critical stance was presumably reinforced by the loss of the Laté 301 F-AOIK "Ville-de-Buenos-Aires" at the beginning of the year, in which his friend and former mechanic Collenot was killed.

The Laté 301 postal planes

Latécoère 301-01 construction no. 1016, F-AOIK Orion , Ville de Buenos Aires

First flight on August 23, 1935, first transatlantic flight on December 30, 1935 16h 10 ′ under Ponce, missing with six men on February 10, 1936 on the second return flight from Brazil under Ponce;

Latécoère 301-02 construction no. 1017, F-AOIL Eridan , Ville de Rio de Janeiro

First flight on December 30, 1935, first transatlantic flight on February 10, 1936 17h 48 ′ under Guillaumet (at the same time as the sister plane was lost), 21/22. September 1937 last return flight under Delauney / 26th transatlantic flight in the postal service, until February 1939 reserve machine in Dakar;
from the beginning of the war parts used to maintain the operational capability of the Escadrille E4 in Dakar;

Latécoère 301-03 construction no. 1018, F-AOIM Nadir , Ville de Santiago , Lieutenant de Vaisseau de l'Orza

First flight on January 18, 1936, first transatlantic flight on April 27, 1936 16h 55 ′ under Guillaumet, 7./8. December 1936 Guerrero last return flight from Brazil (18th transatlantic flight), search flight to Croix du Sud , no further mail flight, February 1938 return to France and delivery to Aeronavale, when war broke out in the service of the Navy, June 1940 separated for remaining in the occupied part of France .

The Laté 302 naval reconnaissance aircraft

The reconnaissance machines had a machine gun turret in the bow and two individual machine guns on the back of the fuselage. There were no planned, remote-controlled twin towers on the wing, as they had a very negative effect on the flight and control properties of the machines.

Latécoère 302-01 construction no. 1021, Guilbaud (code E4-1)

First flight on February 22, 1936, delivered in March 1936, 1939 at Escadrille E4 in Dakar, 24 reconnaissance flights up to the armistice, withdrawn June 13, 1941, replaced by Latécoère 523 Altair ;

Latécoère 302-02 construction no. 1022, Cavelier de Cuverville (code E4-2)

First flight on March 3, 1936, 1939 at Escadrille E4 in Dakar, 17 reconnaissance flights up to the armistice, April 30, 1941 eliminated, replaced by Latécoère 611 Achernar ;

Latécoère 302-03 construction no. 1023, Mouneyrés (code E4-3)

First flight on April 23, 1936, 1939 at Escadrille E4 in Dakar, 14 reconnaissance flights up to the armistice, decommissioned December 1941, replaced by Potez-CAMS 141 Antares ;

Latécoère 301-03 construction no. 1018, see above, Lieutenant de Vaisseau de l'Orza (codé E4-4)

First flight on January 18, 1936, 18 transatlantic flights, last search flight to Croix du Sud February 1938 Return to France and delivery to Aeronavale, when war broke out in service with the Navy, 12 reconnaissance flights up to the armistice, June 1940 excluded due to remaining in occupied France.

Technical specifications

Latécoère 300
Parameter Blériot 5190 Latécoère 300 Latécoère 301 Latécoère 302
crew 4th 4-5 5 10
Passengers 4 possible no
length 26.0 m 25.83 m 26.15 m
span 43.0 m 44.20 m 44.00 m
height 6.3 m 6.50 m 7.98 m
Wing area 242 m² 306.7 m² 298.3 m²
Empty mass 12,310 kg 11,723 kg 10,860 kg 15,004 kg
Takeoff mass 22,075 kg 22,952 kg 23,060 kg 23,997 kg
Cruising speed 190 km / h 160 km / h 185 km / h 200 km / h
Top speed 237 km / h 220 km / h 225 km / h 235 km / h
Service ceiling 4750 m 4600 m 4300 m 5800 m
Range 4500 km 4450 km 3600 km 2400 km
Engines four Hispano-Suiza 12 Nbrs four HS 12Nbr four HS 12Ydrs2
power 650 hp each 930 hp each

literature

  • Gérard Bousquet: Les Paquebots Volants - Les hydravions transocéaniques francais , éditions Larivière, 2006, ISBN 2-914205-00-7
  • Jean Cuny: Latecoere, Les avions et hydravions , éditions Larivière, Paris 1992, ISBN 2-907051-01-6
  • la Poste aérienne francaise , tome II, Air France 1933/1940 , pp. 14-39, icare 177, SNPL
  • William Green: Flying Boats , Macdonald, London 1969,
  • Joseph Kessel : Mermoz , Schwarzwald-Verlag, Freudenstadt, 1948
  • Michael JH Taylor: Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London, 1989

Web links

Commons : Latécoère 300  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Cuny: Latécoère , pp. 80ff.
  2. Cuny, pp. 130ff.
  3. ^ Cuny, p. 132
  4. Cuny, p. 134
  5. ^ Bousquet, p. 235, December 19, 1933
  6. Bousquet, p. 235, December 31, 1933/1. January 1934
  7. a b c d Bousquet, p. 235
  8. Bousquet, p. 221
  9. a b c d e f g h i Bousquet, p. 236
  10. Bousquet, p. 255
  11. La Poste aérienne francais, vol. 2, p. 34
  12. Bousquet, p. 66
  13. a b c d Bousquet, p. 237
  14. Mermoz had carried out the first postal test flights over the South Atlantic in 1930 with the Latécoère 28.3 F-AJNQ Comte de la Vaulx floatplane ; In 1933/34 he drove the three-engine Couzinet 70 Arc-en-Ciel four times to South America and back;
    At the turn of the year 1935/36 he also commanded five flights of the Blériot 5190 Santos-Dumont ; Mermoz had
    the Croix du Sud for the first time on 26./27. October 1936 commanded on their 22nd Atlantic crossing from Natal to Dakar, previously he had commanded one Atlantic flight of the
    Laté 301.02 Ville de Rio de Janeiro and two of the Laté 301.03 Ville de Santiago ;
  15. Bousquet, pp. 224-227: La disparition de la Croix du Sud
  16. a b c d e Cuny, pp. 138–148 Les Croix du Sud militaires