Let Let Let – Warplanes

Bréguet Br.790 Nautilus

Based on a specification issued in 1937 for a small patrol flying boat for coastal reconnaissance Bréguet designed and built the Br.790 Nautilus. The Br.790 had a light alloy hull and a two-spar shoulder-wing covered with fabric. The engine was placed on struts above the hull centre section driving a three-bladed pusher propeller. In 1938 an order for two prototypes was placed. The first one was completed and flown in the summer of 1939 at Biscarrosse. After initial trials the forward fuselage was extended with some 30 cm and official evaluation trials were started at Saint Raphael in February 1940. Bases on these trials an order for 75 machines was placed, but this was later changed into 45 planes only. The second prototype flew for the first time in January 1940 at Biscarrosse. Production of the series Br.970 never materialized because of the German occupation and the final fate of the two prototypes is unclear.

Technical details:

Power plants: Hispano-Suiza 12Xirs liquid-cooled 12-cylinder V engine of 720 hp
Dimensions: wingspan 17.00 m
length 13.00 m
height 4.00 m
wing area 33.0 m2
Weights: empty 2700 kg
all-up loaded 3600 kg
Performances: max. speed 310 km/h at 2100 m
range 900 km
service ceiling 6000 m
Equipment: 1 Darne 7.5 mm machine gun in an open dorsal position and provision for two small bombs of 75 kg under the wings

Latécoère 631

Intended as a large trans-ocean ‘flagship’ for Air France, Latécoère designed in 1938 the Laté 631. It was for that time a huge ship fitted with six engines. It was intended for trans-Atlantic mail delivery and for luxury transport of (rich!) passengers. Work commenced shortly before the outbreak of the war and after the armistice with Germany the Latécoère works were allowed to finish the construction under the Vichy government. First flight took place on 4 November 1942, but the trials in France were halted when Germany confiscated it. The Laté 631 prototype, carrying the civil registration F-BAHG, was flown to Friedrichshafen in Germany. It was the intention to use it as a long-range patrol flying boat fitted with military equipment, but on 17 April 1944 it was destroyed at its moorings on Lake Constance during an Allied Mosquito raid and in total it only logged 40 flying hours.

The second 631 was meanwhile completed in 1943 in the Toulouse plant. To prevent it from being destroyed in an air-raid it was dismantled and hidden. After the liberation of France the construction was completed and it made its first flight on 6 March 1945 at Biscarosse. Carrying the registration F-BANT and named ‘Lionel de Marmier’ it went to Air France for use in the African French colonies. After the war another nine were ordered and built for use by Air France carrying the civil registrations F-BANU, F-BDRA, F-BDRB, F-BDRC, F-BDRD, F-BDRE, F-WDRF and F-WDRG. The ninth and last machine would have been registered F-WRDH but it was never flown. The Laté 631 did not have a very lucky career. F-BANU crashed on 28 March 1950 killing all ten occupants on board. Another fatal crash took place with F-BRDC on 1 August 1948 with the loss of 12 crewmen and 40 passengers. Also F-BDRD crashed on 21 February 1948 with the loss of the crew of seven and 12 passengers. With the loss of the fourth machine, F- BRDE on 10 September 1955 all other Laté 631′s were grounded and stored at Biscarosse inside a hangar. They were all severely damaged when the hangar collapsed during a storm and finally they were all scrapped. The Laté 631 was the last airplane built by the Latécoère company.

Technical details:

Power plants: six Wright GR-2600-A5B Cyclone double-row 14-cylinder air cooled engine of 1600 hp each
Dimensions: wingspan 57.43 m
length 43.46 m
height 10.35 m
wing area 350 m2
Weights: empty 32,000 kg
all-up loaded 75,000 kg
Performances: max. speed 395 km/h at 1850 m
range 6000 km with 8000 kg payload
service ceiling 4000 m
Equipment: accommodation for 46 passengers with a crew of 5

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

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12