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Latham 43

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Top speed
  
160 km/h

Length
  
16 m

Wingspan
  
22 m

Manufacturer
  
Société Latham

The Latham 43 was a flying boat bomber built in France in the 1920s for service with the French Navy. It was a conventional design for its day - a two-bay biplane with unstaggered wings, and engines mounted tractor-fashion on struts in the interplane gap. The pilot sat in an open cockpit, with a gunner in an open bow position, and another in an open position amidships.

Contents

Two examples, designated Latham 42 powered by liquid-cooled Vee engines were evaluated by the navy in 1924, leading to a contract for 18 aircraft powered by air-cooled radial engines instead. Designated Latham 43 by the manufacturer and HB.3 in naval service (for Hydravion de bombardement - "Seaplane-bomber", 3 seats), they remained in service between 1926 and 1929.

Eight other machines with the original liquid-cooled engine were sold to Poland.

Variants

  • prototypes with Lorraine 12Da engines (2 built)
  • production version for France with Gnome et Rhône 9Aa engines (18 built)
  • production version for Poland with Lorraine engines (8 built)

    • Operators

     France
  • Aéronavale
  • Escadrille 4R1
  • Escadrille 5R1
    •  Poland
  • Polish Naval Aviation
  • Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy based at Puck

    • Specifications (French production version)

    General characteristics

  • Crew: Three
  • Length: 15.60 m (61 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 22.50 m (73 ft 10 in)
  • Height: 5.40 m (17 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 125 m2 (1,345 ft2)
  • Empty weight: 3,460 kg (7,610 lb)
  • Gross weight: 5,390 kg (11,860 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Gnome et Rhône 9Aa, 280 kW (380 hp) each

    • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 160 km/h (100 mph)
  • Range: 800 km (500 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,100 ft)

    • Armament

  • 1 × trainable .303 machine gun in open position in bow
  • 1 × trainable .303 machine gun in open position amidships
  • 400 kg (880 lb) of bombs

    • References

    Latham 43 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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