Let Let Let – Warplanes

Breguet Br.730 and Br.731

Based on an earlier design that was never built, the Br.710, the Breguet works started in the mid-thirties with the design and construction of a modern all-metal high-wing flying boat intended for transport and long-range patrol duties. Designated as the Br.730 it was a very advanced design fitted with four engines, a single wing and a twin vertical fins with a very characteristic glasshouse-type cockpit canopy of the same type that was also used on the Bizerte flying boat. The Br.730 made its first flight on 4 April 1938 at Le Havre, but a few months later it sank with a ripped open fuselage after a landing accident in shallow water. It was salvaged and eventually rebuilt with a completely new hull. In spite of this accident the French government ordered four production machines, but the outbreak of the second world war prevented operational service. Under the Vichy government production was very slowly resumed, although none were completed during the wartime and several hulls under construction were damaged during air raids. After the war the first Br.730 was put into service as the Vega at Flotille 9FTr. Three other machines were also completed for the Aéronavale. Fitted with more powerful engines and a more conventional cockpit glazing they were put into service as the Altair, the Bellatrix and the Sirius under the new type designation Br.731. The three Br.731′s were operational at Escadrille 33S. The Vega crashed in December 1948; all three other Br.731′s were finally scrapped when put out of service.

Technical details Br.730:

Power plants: four Gnome-Rhone 14N radial engines of 1010 hp each
Dimensions: wingspan 40.36 m
length 24.37 m
height 8.60 m
wing area 172 m2
Weights: empty 16 300 kg
all-up loaded 26 900 kg
Performances: max. speed 330 km/h
range 2500 km with 4400 kg payload
service ceiling 5000 m

Technical details Br.731:

Power plants: four Gnome-Rhone 14R radial engines of 1350 hp each
Dimensions: wingspan 40.36 m
length 24.35 m
height 8.18 m
wing area 172 m2
Weights: empty 17 000 kg
all-up loaded 35 000 kg
Performances: max. speed 375 km/h
range 2500 km with 9000 kg payload
service ceiling 6000 m

Latécoère 611

To meet a specification issued on 10 May 1935 for a well-armed maritime patrol flying boat Latécoère designed the type 610 for this purpose. Early 1936 one prototype was ordered, but because of changes in the original specifications it was extensively redesigned as the Laté 611. The Laté 611 was for its time a very modern-looking design of all-metal construction with retractable wing-floats in more or less the same class as the British Sunderland flying boat. Construction was started in Toulouse with final assembly at Biscarrosse and the plane was ready for its first water trials on 2 March 1939. First flight was made on 1 July 1939. The Laté 611 went through a cumbersome flight test period with a number of modifications made before it was handed over to the Aéronavale on 12 April 1940. It carried the name ‘Achernar’. It was flown over to Africa where under the terms of the armistice with Germany all armament was removed. After some damage it was flown back to France for repair work. After repairs were completed it was soon damaged again and it was not before October 1941 that it was flying again. It served at the Aéronavale until after the end of the war. It was finally grounded in February 1947 after having logged in total 1600 hours. Only one was built, although the French government initially placed an order of ten examples.

Technical details:

Power plants: four Gnome-Rhone 14N30/31 14-cylinder radial engines of 1010 hp each
Dimensions: wingspan 40.55 m
length 27.05 m
height 7.33 m
wing area 195 m2
Weights: empty 15 295 kg
all-up loaded 28 834 kg
Performances: max. speed 349 km/h
range 4350 km
service ceiling -
Equipment: 4 Darne 7.5 mm machine guns in lateral positions, 2 Browning 12.7 mm machine guns in a dorsal turret and 1 12.7 mm machine gun in the tail. Provision for a total bomb load of 800 kg.

Related posts:

1. Dutch flying boats and amphibians
2. German flying boats Part 1: 1914-1935
3. German flying boats Part 2: 1935-2000
4. Vanneau history
5. Dornier Do-28 amphibian for the MLD

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