Loire 46

Loire 46
Loire 46 of the Spanish Republican Air Force
Role	Trainer/fighter
Manufacturer	Loire Aviation
First flight	1 September 1934
Introduction	1936
Retired	1940
Status	retired
Primary user	Armee de l'Air
Number built	61

The Loire 46 was a French single-seater fighter aircraft of the 1930s. A high-winged monoplane designed and built by Loire Aviation, it was purchased by the French Air Force. It was also supplied to the Spanish Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War, but was almost out of service by the outbreak of World War II.

Design and development

The Loire 46 was an improved modification of two previous Loire fighters—the Loire 43 and 45. Although improved, it resembled the earlier machines retaining their gull mono-wing configuration, open cockpit, and fixed landing gear. The first of five prototype Loire 46s flew in September 1934. It demonstrated excellent handling characteristics and 60 production aircraft were ordered by the Armée de l'Air.

Operational history

The initial machines arrived at fighter Escadrilles in August 1936. In September 1936, the five prototype Loire 46s were sent to the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War.

By the beginning of World War II, the Loire 46's gull wing configuration was recognized as obsolete and most of these fighters had been relegated to Armée de l'Air training schools, where they were used as advanced trainers. However, one fighter Escadrille was still equipped with the Loire 46 during the early weeks of the war. Their performance against modern German fighters was predictable.

Variants

Loire 46.01

First Loire 46 prototype.

Loire 46

Single-seat fighter/trainer aircraft.

Operators

France

• Armee de l'Air

Spain

• Spanish Republican Air Force

Specifications (Loire 46)

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7.88 m (25 ft 10¼ in)
• Wingspan: 11.83 m (38 ft 9¾ in)
• Height: 4.13 m (13 ft 6⅝ in)
• Wing area: 19.50 m² (209.9 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,450 kg (3,197 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial piston engine, 694 kW (930 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 370 km/h (200 knots, 230 mph)
• Range: 750 km (466 miles)
• Service ceiling: 11,750 m (38,550 ft)
• Rate of climb: 12.09 meters per second (2,411.76 feet per minute)
  
• Climb to 3,000 m (9,840 ft): 3.3 min

Armament

• Guns: 4× fixed forward-firing 7.5 mm (0.295 inch) MAC 1934 machine guns mounted in the wings

See also

Related lists

• List of Interwar military aircraft
• List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force

References

Bibliography

• Donald, David (ed.) The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
• Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
• Taylor, John W. R. and Jean Alexander. Combat Aircraft of the World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-71810-564-8.

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons