Loire 210

The French swimmer fighter Loire 210 emerged in the second half of the 1930s. Due to structural weaknesses, it was only a very short time in the existence of the Marine of France.

History

The design is based on a tender of the French Navy in 1933, which called for a catapult bootable fighter. It was intended that the two battlecruisers Strasbourg and Dunkerque equip it, as well as coastal defense should get some copies. As competition pattern, the Romano R.90 the Potez 453 in the development went, the Bernard and 110.

Loire designed the 210 in close connection to the high-wing Loire 46, of the almost identical to the fuselage and the tail were taken. Only the wing was a redesign. He was zweiholmig and blechbeplankt, was located in low-wing design of the cell and had a larger span. Its outer wings were covered with fabric and could be folded up for use on ships. The fuselage was of welded steel tube and decreed in the front of a sheet metal casing. The rear part was constructed in lightweight metal semi- monocoque construction. The Loire 210 had a main float under the fuselage and two support float under the wings, all of which were downgraded, keeled and made ​​of corrosion resistant light metal.

The prototype Loire 210.01 was equipped with an engine Hispano -Suiza 9Vbs and two 4.5 -mm machine guns and made ​​its first flight on 21 March 1935. Experiments and comparisons with competing prototypes subjected to very protracted, ultimately could the Loire 210, despite their low speed prevail against its competitors, and the Loire was in March 1937 awarded the contract for 20 series machines. This differed from the prototype by the stronger armament of four 7.5 -mm Darne machine guns, which were mounted in the wings.

In November 1938, the Navy took over the first specimens and subjected to some lake and catapult tests, which continued until January 1939.

In August 1939, the Loire built 210 were allocated to the Escadrilles HC.1 and HC.2. As five machines crashed within three months due to structural design flaws and other disasters are still occurring, fared for the Loire 210 a flight ban, and the squadrons were disbanded in late 1939.

An entity known as Loire 211, improved version never got beyond the planning stage.

Specifications

  • Military Aircraft
  • Aircraft of World War II
  • Seaplane
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