Latham 47
| Latham 47 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Flying boat |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1928 |
| Commissioning: |
1928 |
| Number of pieces: |
13 |
The Latham 47 was a twin-engine French flying boat of the Société Latham & Cie in double-decker construction .
This type became known when one of these machines disappeared without a trace in the Arctic near Bear Island in 1928 while searching for the lost airship Italia . The famous polar explorer Roald Amundsen and all crew members also died.
history
The Latham 47 was developed by Jean Latham in Caudebec-en-Caux for the French Navy, a total of 13 machines were built. Jean Latham was the cousin of aviation pioneer Hubert Latham . Hubert Latham became famous for his Antoinette VII , with whom he had to make an emergency landing on his flight over the English Channel in 1909.
Rescue mission for the airship Italia
As part of the international action to save the Nobile North Pole expedition at the end of May 1928, a Latham 47 was launched in the direction of Bergen in Norway on June 16, 1928 on the orders of the French Minister of the Navy, Georges Leygues . On board were the pilot René Guilbaud , the radio operator Valette, Lieutenant de Cuverville and the aircraft mechanic Gilbert Brazy.
After a short stop in Bergen, we went on to Tromsø . On June 18, Roald Amundsen and the pilot Leif Dietrichson got on there. After a few attempts to take off , the machine started towards Spitzbergen , but did not reach its destination. One of the swimmers was later found showing signs of machining. Amundsen and his companions had probably tried to save themselves with it.
In 1931 a large Latham 47 aircraft monument was erected in the French city of Caudebec-en-Caux . In 1929, a stele with a bronze bust was erected at Fort Risban in Calais in memory of the mechanic Brazy, and a street was named after him.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 4th |
| length | 16.30 m |
| span | 25.20 m |
| height | 5.20 m |
| Empty mass | 4,900 kg |
| Top speed | 170 km / h |
| Engines | 2; 500 PS each (approx. 370 kW) |
