Loring R III

Operational history

In the mid 1920s, during General Primo de Rivera's dictatorship the R-III entered a contest along with the Potez 25 for the modernization of the Spanish Military Air Arm. Both planes had similar characteristics, but the Military Directory favoured the Loring R-III in order to promote local industries. The Aeronáutica Militar placed an order of 110 units, which put the Loring company at the head of the Spanish aeronautical industry of the time.

In October and November 1926 three variants of the R-3 were exhibited at the Loring section of the National Aeronautics Exhibition held in Madrid's Palacio de Cristal: The R-3, the C-1 fighter and the T-1 light trainer. Neither the fighter nor the trainer variants, however, went into production.

Some R-3s remained in service well after the proclamation of the Spanish Republic until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. It is not clear, however, whether they saw active service in the civil war.

Variants

R-3

The main version with two tandem open cockpits; powered by a 600 kW (800 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Hb engine.

C-1

Fighter prototype based on the R-3; one built and exhibited at the Palacio de Cristal Aeronautical exhibition in 1926.

T-1

Light trainer based on the R-3; one prototype built in 1926.

Operators

 Spain (Kingdom)

Aeronáutica Militar

 Spain (Republic)

Aeronáutica Militar

Specifications

Data from Ejército del Aire website

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (pilot, observer)

Length: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 14.50 m (47 ft 7 in)

Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)

Empty weight: 1,400 kg (3,080 lb)

Gross weight: 2,380 kg (5,240 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × Hispano Suiza 12Hb, 447 kW (600 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 235 km/h (146 mph)

Armament

2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns in the engine cowling.

2 × trainable 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns on a Scarff ring for the observer.

40 × 11 kg (24 lb) bombs on under-fuselage racks, or

8 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs