Loire 46
| Loire 46 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
September 1, 1934 |
| Number of pieces: |
61 |
The Loire 46 was a French fighter aircraft from 1934.
history
The construction principle of the Loire 46 goes back to the type Loire 43 , of which only a prototype was built, which flew for the first time on October 17, 1932 . This type was a single-seat all-metal aircraft with a rigid landing gear and Puławski wing , similar to the Polish PZL P.7 , which had set a new standard in fighter aircraft development two years earlier. The drive was provided by a 690 hp V-engine of the Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs type .
A revision of the tail and landing gear as well as a replacement of the engine with a 880 horsepower paid radial engine Gnôme-Rhône 14Kcs led to follow-up type Loire 45 , which first flew on 20 February 1,933th This aircraft was visually very reminiscent of the PZL P.24 (a successor to the PZL P.7 ), the prototype of which flew for the first time three months later and demonstrated significantly better flight performance.
As the Loire 45 was not yet satisfied with its performance, further revisions were decided. This mainly affected the shape of the wings and the tail. It took more than a year until a new prototype finally took off on September 1, 1934, now under the name Loire 46 and powered by a slightly weaker 850 HP Gnôme-Rhône 14Kfs engine . It demonstrated excellent flight characteristics at a top speed of 368 km / h. The Armée de l'air finally ordered 60 machines, which arrived at the French fighter squadrons from August 1936.
Six Loire 46 found their way to Spain, where they took part in the war on the side of the Republic .
At the beginning of the Second World War , most of the Loire 46 were only in training units of the Armée de l'air . In September 1939, however, a regular squadron was still equipped with the type.
Countries of operation
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 7.76 m |
| span | 11.80 m |
| height | 4.13 m |
| Wing area | 9.50 m² |
| Wing extension | |
| Empty mass | 1450 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 1950 kg |
| Top speed | 368 km / h at an altitude of 6000 m |
| Service ceiling | 11,750 m |
| Range | 1300 km |
| Engines | 1 × radial engine Gnôme-Rhône 14Kfs Mistral Major, 850 PS (625 kW) |
| Armament | 4 × 7.5 mm MG MAC 1934/39 1 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 cannon |
See also
literature
- Dominique Breffort, André Jouineau, Alan McKay (translator): French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942 Volume 2: From Dewoitine to Potez. Histoire & Collections, ISBN 2-915239-49-5 (English).
