Bernard 70

The Bernard 70 was a 1920s design for a French single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft by the Société des Avions Bernard. It was not built but was developed into a racing monoplane designated the Bernard S-72, (later Bernard S-73). It was further developed into single-seat fighters, the Bernard 74-01 and Bernard 74-02, although only two of the fighters were built.

Bernard 70 Series
Bernard 74
Role Racing and Fighter monoplanes
National origin France
Manufacturer Bernard
First flight 1930 (Bernard 72)
Number built 3

Design and development

The Bernard S-72 was a wooden stressed skin constructed cantilever low-wing monoplane powered by a Gnome-Rhône 5Bc[1] radial engine and had a fixed tailskid landing gear.[2] Flown by Paillard, the Bernard S-72 participated in the 1930 Coupe Michelin race. On 29 June, he took off from Le Bourget, landed successively in Reims, Nancy, Strasbourg, Dijon and Clermont-Ferrand, but unfortunately had to retire near Lyon as a result of engine failure.[1] The S-72 was re-engined with a Gnome-Rhône 7Kb[3] and re-designated the Bernard S-73. The S-73 was then developed into the Bernard 74 single-seat fighter and retained the Titan-Major engine.[2] Two prototypes were built with the first flying in February 1931, powered by a 280 hp (kw) Gnome-Rhône 7Kbs radial engine,[4] the second was fitted with a 268 kW (360 hp) Gnome-Rhône 7Kd engine and first flew in October 1931.[1] The first prototype 74 was re-engined with a Gnome-Rhône 9Kbrs radial engine and re-designated the Bernard 75 it was later used as a pilot-trainer.[2] No further aircraft were built.

Variants
Bernard S-72 photo from Annuaire de L'Aéronautique 1931
Bernard 70
Unbuilt design for a single-seat fighter.[2]
Bernard S-72
Single-seater racing monoplane powered by a 179 kW (240 hp) Gnome-Rhône 5Bc radial engine, first flight in May 1930 Later converted to the Bernard S-73.[1][2]
Bernard S-73[3]
The Bernard 72 re-engined with a 224 kW (300 hp) Gnome-Rhône 7Kb radial engine, first flown in May 1930.[2][3]
Bernard 74-01
Single-seat fighter variant, powered by a 209 kW (280 hp) Gnome-Rhône 7Kbs radial engine, later converted to the Bernard 75.[2][4]
Bernard 74-02
A second prototype powered by a 268 kW (360 hp) Gnome-Rhône 7Kd, first flown on 21 October 1931[1]
Bernard 75
Prototype Bernard 74-01 fighter re-engined with a 373 kW (500 hp) Gnome-Rhône 9Kbrs radial engine and later used as a pilot-trainer.[2][5]

Specifications (Bernard 74.01)
Bernard 72 3-view drawing from L'Aerophile Salon 1932

Data from [2][4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 6.72 m (22 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.20 m (30 ft 2 in)
  • Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 3 in)
  • Wing area: 13.45 m2 (145 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 825 kg (1,819 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,106 kg (2,438 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 7Kbs radial piston engine, 209 kW (280 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 310 km/h (193 mph, 104 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,247 ft)

Armament

References

Notes
  1. Bernard S-72 - Course - Un siècle d'aviation française
  2. Orbis 1985, p. 638
  3. Bernard S-73 - Course - Un siècle d'aviation française
  4. Bernard 74 02 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française
  5. Bernard 75 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française

Bibliography
  • Bruner, Georges (December 1972). "Bernard 72, 73, 74C.1". Le Album de Fanatique de l'Aviation (in French) (39): 7–10. ISSN 0757-4169.
  • Liron, Jean (1990). Les avions Bernard. Collection Docavia. Vol. 31. Paris: Éditions Larivière. ISBN 2-84890-065-2.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bernard 75.
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