World War 2 In Review

Arsenal-Delanne 10: French Experimental Fighter

Arsenal-Delanne 10.

The Arsenal-Delanne 10 was an experimental fighter aircraft of French origin. The plane had a rear cockpit and a distinctive tandem wing.

General Information

Type: Fighter

Manufacturer: Arsenal de l'Aéronautique

Designer: Maurice Delanne

Number built: 1

Introduction date: 1940– 41

First flight: October 1941

Design and Development

The Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2 two-seat fighter, designed by Maurice Delanne and built by the Arsenal de l’Aéronautique, was of so-called Nenadovich biplane or tandem wing configuration, the tandem-mounted wings providing a continuous slot effect and offering exceptional center of gravity range. The fighter was of all metal stressed-skin construction, which used a sandwich technique, with a smooth dural skin welded to a corrugated sheet. Pilot and gunner sat in tandem under a single canopy at the rear of the fuselage, which was level with the rear wing, which carried twin tailplanes. This arrangement gave the gunner a clear field of fire for his planned armament of two 7.5 mm machine guns, which was to be supplemented by a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub and two more machine guns in the wing. The aircraft was fitted with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage and was powered by a single 860 hp (641 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engine.

The Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2 prototype was virtually complete at Villacoublay when German forces occupied the factory in June 1940. Work on the aircraft continued in a desultory fashion and the first flight test was made in October 1941. After completion of the initial test program, the aircraft was ferried to Germany for further trials. Sometime during July 1943 the sole example was transferred by DFS to German soil for what is perceived to be additional testing and evaluation. It does not appear that any additional notable work on the design was undertaken.

Specifications

Crew: 2

Length: 7.328 m (24 ft 0.5 in)

Wingspan: 10.11 m (33 ft 2 in)

Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)

Wing area: 22.50 m2 (242.2 sq ft)

Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs liquid-cooled v12 engine, 640 kW (860 hp)

Maximum speed: 550 km/h (342 mph, 297 kn) at 5,415 m (14,764 ft)

Endurance: 1.5 hr

Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,810 ft)

Time to altitude: 6.5 min to 5,000 m (16,400 ft)

Armament:

Guns: (proposed)

1 × fixed forward firing 20 mm cannon and 2 × wing mounted 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns

2 × flexibly mounted 7.5 mm machine guns in rear cockpit

Bibliography

Cuny, Jean (January 1989). "Delanne: une certaine formule (2): le Delanne 10 C2" Delanne: A Certain Formula, Part 2: The Delanne 10 C2]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (230): 14–20.

Cuny, Jean & Lebourg, J. (February 1989). "Delanne: une certaine formule (3): le Delanne 10 C2" Delanne: A Certain Formula, Part 3: The Delanne 10 C2]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (231): 33–35.

Green, William (1967). War Planes of the Second World War: Fighters. Vol. I. London: Macdonald.

Arsenal-Delanne 10.

Early artist sketch of Arsenal-Delanne 10.

Arsenal-Delanne 10 under construction.

Arsenal-Delanne 10 in French colors.

Arsenal-Delanne 10.

Arsenal-Delanne 10 French and Luftwaffe color scheme details.

Arsenal-Delanne 10C.2 speculative French color scheme

Arsenal-Delanne 10.C2 in speculative French color scheme.

Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2 prototype; color scheme is speculative based on photos.

Speculative production version with armament in typical French color scheme.

Arsenal-Delanne 10 in the first Luftwaffe color scheme as D-AXWP. Note the black swastika on a white disc over a red background on the tail fin. Villacoublay July 1943.

Another view of D-AXWP. Villacoublay July 1943.

D-AXWP color scheme sideview. Villacoublay July 1943.

D-AXWP speculative color scheme four-view. Villacoublay July 1943.

Another Luftwaffe color scheme.

Another view of the same Luftwaffe color scheme.

Arsenal-Delanne 10 during testing by the Luftwaffe in the same color scheme as the previous two photos.

Sideview of a speculative Luftwaffe color scheme for the Arsenal-Delanne 10.

Another sideview of a speculative Luftwaffe color scheme for the Arsenal-Delanne 10.

Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2 prototype with German markings; speculative based on photos.

Arsenal-Delanne 10.

Aresenal-Delanne 10.

Arsenal-Delanne 10 armament.

Amiot 143: French Medium Bomber

Amiot 143M.

The Amiot 143 (sometimes written as 143M or 143 M.5) was a 1930s French five-seat Multiplace de Combat (M.5) designed to meet 1928 specifications for a monoplane capable of day and night bombing, long-range reconnaissance and bomber escort.

General Information

Type: Medium bomber

Manufacturer: Avions Amiot

Designer: Félix Amiot

Primary user: French Air Force

Number built: 138

Manufactured: 1935-1937

Introduction date: July 1935

First flight: 12 April 1931

Retired: 1944

Design and Development

Amiot received an order for two prototype Amiot 140s, to be evaluated against the competing Bleriot 137, Breguet 410 and SPCA 30. The Amiot 140 was a high-winged cantilever monoplane of all-metal construction, with a fixed tail wheel undercarriage. The pilot sat in an open cockpit, with positions for gunners in the nose and dorsal positions. A glazed gondola under the forward fuselage carried a bombardier/gunner, ensuring that the gunners had a clear field of fire all around the aircraft. The Amiot was intended to be powered by two 515 kW (691 hp) Lorraine 18G Orion water-cooled W engines but these were unavailable and the first prototype was fitted with Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr engines to allow flight testing, making its maiden flight on 12 April 1931. The second prototype was completed in February 1932 but the continued unavailability of its intended engines, either the original Lorraine-Dietrichs or turbocharged Hispano-Suizas, meant that it never flew. Despite this, on 23 November 1933 an order was placed for 40 Amiot 140s, to be powered by 662 kW (888 hp) Lorraine 12Q Eider engines.

The French Air Ministry had meanwhile revised its requirements, concentrating on the bombing role and asking for better performance. Amiot redesigned the aircraft to meet these requirements and incorporate lessons learned during testing of the Amiot 140. The gondola under the fuselage was enlarged, allowing easier operation of the aircraft's guns and a radio-operator was added, bringing the crew to five. Manually operated gun turrets were provided in the nose and dorsal positions. Orders were placed for two prototypes, differing only in the engines fitted, with the Amiot 142 having Hispano-Suiza 12Y engines and the Amiot 143 having Gnome-Rhone 14K radial engines. The 143 flew first, on 1 August 1934, while the 142 didn't fly until January 1935. As it was decided to allocate the Hispano-Suiza engines to fighters, the Amiot 143 was selected, and the existing order for 40 Amiot 140s was converted to 143s.

The Amiot 143 had the same high-wing and fixed undercarriage as the Amiot 140, with the wing thick enough to allow crew access to the engines by a tunnel between the wing spars. The pilot sat in an enclosed cockpit, level with the leading edge of the wing and the navigator-bombardier, who was also provided with flying controls, sat in the extensively glazed gondola beneath the pilot. The radio operator sat towards the rear of the gondola and in early aircraft operated two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Lewis guns. Nose and dorsal turrets, each carrying a Lewis gun, completed the defensive armament, while the gondola also housed an internal bomb-bay. After 40 aircraft had been completed, the design was revised, with the aircraft being fitted with a longer nose (increasing overall length from 17.94 to 18.24 m (58.9 to 59.8 ft), a revised fuel system and with the Lewis guns in the nose, dorsal turrets and ventral position each being replaced by single 7.5 mm (0.295 in) MAC 1934 machine guns, with a fourth gun for the navigator-bombardier firing through a hatch in the floor.

Deliveries of the design began in April 1935 and continued until March 1937, with a total of 138 being built. An improved version, the Amiot 144 was built to meet 1933 requirement for a Multiplace de Combat, fitted with a retractable undercarriage. First flying on 18 January 1936, only one was built.

Operational History

The Amiot 143 entered service in July 1935, with deliveries continuing until 1938. Six were going to be delivered to the Spanish Republican Air Force during the Spanish Civil War. However, there is no evidence that these were delivered during the war. By the time the last deliveries were made in March 1938, the Amiot was obsolete and was already being replaced by more modern aircraft such as the Bloch MB.131. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Amiot 143s still equipped five groupes in Metropolitan France together with an African-based groupe.

During the Phoney War, Amiot 143 groupes carried out reconnaissance and leaflet raids over Germany. Eighty-seven Amiot 143s remained in front line service when the Battle of France began on 10 May 1940, of which 50 equipped four metropolitan groupes: GBs I/34 and II/34 in the north, GBs I/38 and II/38 in the East and 17 equipped one African groupe, GB II/63, which was in the process of re-equipping with Martin 167Fs. Following the start of the Battle of France, the Amiot 143 was mainly used in night attacks against German airfields and lines of communications, and experienced relatively low losses. An exception was a daylight raid by 10 Amiots from GBs I/34, II/34 and II/38 against German bridgeheads near Sedan on 14 May 1940. Despite having a fighter escort, two Amiots were shot down while a third force-landed before returning to base.

Fifty-two Amiot 143s were in the Unoccupied Zone and 25 were in French North Africa. They were reorganized into GBs I/38 and II/38 and were used until July 1941 when they were replaced by LeO 451 bombers. Some Amiots of II/38 served as transports for the French in Syria. This groupe later joined the Allies after their landings in Africa. The last Amiot 143 was retired from service in February 1944. A few Amiot 143 are reported to have been commandeered by the Germans and used as transports. Only 11 were left in the Unoccupied Zone when it was occupied by the Germans in 1943 and only three were airworthy. Had the war gone on a little longer for France, it is likely that all of the Amiot 143 would have become trainers, having been replaced by more modern bombers such as the LeO 451.

Variants

Amiot 140 M.4: Prototype with 2 x 485 kW (650 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr V-12 engines. Two built, of which only one flown, followed by orders for 40, to be powered by 2 x 662 kW (888 hp) Lorraine 12Q Eider W-12 engines, which were built as Amiot 143s. Optional M.5 suffix refers to bomber role, and seating for 4 crew.

Amiot 141: Powered by three 520 kW (700 hp) Lorraine-Dietrich 18G Orion W-18 water-cooled piston engines.

Amiot 142: Prototype with 499 kW (669 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs V-12 engines (1 built)

Amiot 143 M.5: Production version with 649 kW (870 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs/14Kjrs (left and right hand rotation) radial engines (138 built, including 40 ordered as Amiot 140 and 25 ordered as Amiot 144)

Amiot 144: Version with reduced wing area, flaps and retractable undercarriage and no front turret, powered by 2x 664 kW (890 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs/14Kjrs (left and right hand rotation) (1 built, orders for 25 produced as Amiot 143 instead)

Amiot 145: Amiot 144 with Hispano-Suiza 14AA radial engines (not built)

Amiot 146: Amiot 144 with Gnome-Rhône 18Lars radial engines (not built)

Amiot 147: Amiot 144 with Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs/12Yfrs (left and right hand rotation) V-12 engines (not built)

Amiot 150: Reconnaissance, torpedo bomber, for Aeronavale. developed from Amiot 143 with a 10% larger wing, interchangeable wheel or float landing gear, and powered by two 750 hp (560 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs radials (1 prototype built)

Operators

Independent State of Croatia

Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia operated one example.

France

Armee de l'Air operated 138 aircraft.

French Navy

Vichy France

Vichy French Air Force

Nazi Germany

Luftwaffe operated a few captured aircraft.

Poland

Polish Air Forces on exile in France

Groupe de Bombardement Marche Polonais in Lyon-Bron had assigned 3 aircraft in late May until 1 June, others were used for training in other units.

Specifications (Amiot 143)

Crew: Five (pilot, navigator/bombardier, radio operator, nose and dorsal gunners)

Length: 18.24 m (59 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 24.53 m (80 ft 6 in)

Height: 5.68 m (18 ft 8 in)

Wing area: 100 m2 (1,100 sq ft)

Empty weight: 5,455 kg (12,026 lb)

Gross weight: 8,611 kg (18,984 lb)

Maximum takeoff weight: 10,360 kg (22,840 lb)

Powerplant: 2 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs/Kjrs 14-cyl. air-cooled radial engines, 640 kW (858 hp) each

Maximum speed: 295 km/h (183 mph, 159 kn)

Range: 1,300 km (810 mi, 700 nmi)

Ferry range: 1,995 km (1,240 mi, 1,077 nmi)

Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)

Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 6.8 minutes

Armament:

Guns: 4 × 7.5 mm (0.295 in) MAC 1934 machine guns (one each in nose and dorsal turrets, forward gondola and rear gondola)

Bombs: 800 kg (1,800 lb) internally plus 800 kg (1,800 lb) externally

Bibliography

Bénichou, Michel (May 1997). "Les Amiot 140: Le progrès était plus rapide". Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 330. pp. 16–32.

Bénichou, Michel (July 1997). "Amiot 143: Les sacrificés de la première heure (Troisième partie)" (PDF). Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 332. pp. 40–54. Retrieved 18 May 2023.

Breffort, Dominique; André Jouineau (2004). French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942: Fighters, Bombers, Reconnaissance and Observation Types: Volume 1 From Amiot to Curtiss. Paris: Histoire & Collections.

Comas, Matthieu (September 2000). "Les bombardiers polonais de Lyon-Bron" [The Polish Bombers of Lyon-Bron]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French). No. 90. pp. 30–32.

de Laubier, Philippe (October 1985). "Le Bombardement Français Sur La Meuse: Le 14 mai 1940" (PDF). Revue Historique des Armées (in French). pp. 96–109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2010.

Fernandez, José (September 1994). "L'Amiot 143 (1ère partie)" [The Amiot 143, Part 1]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (19): 2–7.

Fernandez, José (January 1995). "L'Amiot 143 (5e partie)" [The Amiot 143, part 5]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (23): 32–34.

Green, William (1967). War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Seven Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft. London: Macdonald.

Moulin, Jacques (April 1999). "Les Amiot 143 à la 35ème" [The Amiot 143s of the 35th Wing]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French). No. 73. pp. 42–44.

"The Amiot 143...a Study in Angular Ugliness". Air International. Vol. 35, no. 6. December 1988. pp. 306–313.

"The Paris Air Show: The French Aircraft Exhibits". Flight. Vol. XXII, no. 50. 12 December 1930. pp. 1427–1438.

Amiot 140M, the prototype for the Amiot 143.

Amiot 143, No. 84, E307, Escadrille Br 224, Armee de l’Air.

Amiot 143s.

Amiot 143.

Amiot 143M.

Wrecked French Potez 630 and Amiot 143 aircraft at Baalbek, Syria, in 1941.

Amiot 143Ms taking off.

Nose turret of the Amiot 143 armed with a MAC-type T machine gun.

Parachute jumps in emergencies could be made by the machine gunner in the nose turret of the Amiot 143. A trapdoor on which the gunner stood could be opened to permit his escape if the ship should become disabled in action. Door is shown in the open position.

Amiot 143.

Amiot 143s, 4˚ Escadrille, II/22 Groupe de Bombardment, Chartres, 1930s.

Amiot 143s.

Amiot 143.

Amiot 143s.

Amiot 143.

Amiot 143Ms seen in the movie “Quelques appareils militaires français.”

Amiot 143M seen in the movie “Quelques appareils militaires français.”

Amiot 143Ms seen in the movie “Quelques appareils militaires français.”

Amiot 143M seen in the movie “Quelques appareils militaires français.”

Amiot 143M cockpit as seen in the movie “Quelques appareils militaires français.”

Amiot 143M cockpit.

Crew of an Amiot 143M.

Insignia of 4˚ Escadrille, GB II/34, on the tail of an Amiot 143.

Amiot 143Ms.

Amiot 143.

Crashed Amiot 143M after overshooting the airfield. 1940.

Amiot 143.

German troops pose in front of Amiot 143M, No. 113, GB II/38, that was abandoned by its crew after landing in a field due to poor weather conditions.

Another view of Amiot 143 No. 113, GB II/38.

Another view Amiot 143, No. 113, GB II/38.

Amiot 143.

German troops examine a captured Amiot 143.

Wrecked Amiot 143M being examined by German soldiers.

Another view of the wrecked Amiot 143M No. 19 being examined by German soldiers.

Amiot 144 prototype.

Amiot 150 BE (Bombardement/Exploration) was a scout-torpedo-bomber derived from the Amiot 143. Only one prototype built. After the first flight from Cherbourg on September 18, 1937, the tail assembly was redesigned and fitted with twin fins and rudders as shown in the picture. After a heavy landing on June 3, 1939 the aircraft was declared beyond repair.

Amiot 150 BE.

Amiot 143M.

Amiot 143.

Amiot 144.

Amiot 150 BE.