Loire 30
| Loire 30 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Night reconnaissance monoplane |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Loire |
| First flight | 1932 |
| Number built | 1 |
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The Loire 30 a.k.a.Loire 300 was a French three-seat night reconnaissance monoplane designed and built by Loire Aviation of St. Nazaire.[1]
Design and development
The Loire 30 was designed to meet a French Air Force requirement for a three-seat night reconnaissance aircraft.[1] It was a cantiliver high-wing monoplane and powered by three 230 hp (172 kW) Salmson 9Ab radial engines strut-mounted above the wing.[1] The pilot had an enclosed cockpit with an open cockpit at the nose and amidships, both fitted with pivot-mounted 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine-guns.[1] Only one Loire 30 was produced in 1932, but it failed to gain an order and was relegated to experimental use.[1]
Loire 301
After rejection in its original role, the sole Loire 30 / Loire 300 was modified with a very large windowless drum-shaped turret fitted in the nose and re-designated Loire 301. The purpose of the turret is uncertain; the favored theory of some references is an armored turret housing a large caliber gun; another theory is an airborne blind flying training simulator. To compensate the additional weight of the turret the central engine was moved backwards and inverted to drive a pusher propeller. This led to the unusual propulsion with two tractor and one pusher engines above the wings. Due to of the turret resembling a type of copper laundry kettle commonly used at the time, the airplane was nicknamed la lessiveuse.
Specifications
Data from [1]The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Wingspan: 22.15 m (72 ft 8 in)
- Powerplant: 3 × Salmson 9Ab radial engine, 172 kW (230 hp) each
Armament
- 2 × 7.7mm (0.303 in) pivot-mounted machine guns
References
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- Notes
- Bibliography
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.