Potez 32
The Potez 32 and its military version the Potez 33 was a single-engine French monoplane transport built by Potez and based on the Potez 29 biplane.
| Potez 32 and 33 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Potez 33 | |
| Role | Transport monoplane |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Potez |
| First flight | 1928 |
| Primary user | French Air Force |
| Number built | 102 |
| Developed from | Potez 29 |
Development
The Potez 32 used the same fuselage, tail unit and landing gear of the Potez 29, but was a high-wing strut-braced monoplane configured as either a five-passenger transport or mail plane. The first aircraft was flown in 1928 and was followed by 54 production aircraft.
The Potez 33 militarized version was first flown in 1928 and designed as a liaison / observation aircraft or could be used as a pilot or observer trainer. The Potez 33 was fitted with dual controls and had large observation windows, it also had a dorsal machine gun position and could carry light bombs on under-fuselage racks.
Variants
- Potez 32
- Civil variant powered by a Salmson 9Ab engine, prototype and 31 production aircraft.
- Potez 32/2
- Civil variant powered by a 171 kW (230 hp) Lorraine 7Ma engine, one built.
- Potez 32/3
- Civil export variant for Canada with a 164 kW (220 hp) Wright J-5 radial engine, seven built.
- Potez 32/4
- Civil variant powered by a 283 kW (380 hp) Gnome-Rhône 9A and a small increase in wing area, nine built and five converted for Potez 32.
- Potez 32/5
- Experimental variant with a Hispano-Suiza 9Qd engine, one built.
- Potez 33/1
- Military variant with a 171 kW (230 hp) Lorraine 7Me, two built for Portugal.
- Potez 33/2
- Military production variant with a Salmson 9Ab, 40 built for Brazilian and French Air Forces.
- Potez 33/3
- Military variant for Belgium with a 224 kW (300 hp) Gnome-Rhône 7Kdrs radial, four built.
- Potez 33/4
- Military variant for Belgium with a 224 kW (300 hp) Lorraine Algol 9Na, eight built.
Operators
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Potez 33 military operators
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Specifications (Potez 33/2)
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928,[1][2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 pilots + crew members
- Capacity: (Potez 32 - 4 pax)
- Length: 10.15 m (33 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 14.5 m (47 ft 7 in)
- Height: 4 m (13 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 35 m2 (380 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 950 kg (2,094 lb)
- Gross weight: 1,750 kg (3,858 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Salmson 9Ab 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 170 kW (230 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 190 km/h (120 mph, 100 kn)
- Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
- Range: 670 km (420 mi, 360 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
- Wing loading: 50 kg/m2 (10 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.0978 kW/kg (0.0595 hp/lb)
Armament
- Guns: 2 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Lewis machine gun on a ring mount.
- Bombs: 12x 10 kg (22 lb) bombs in internal bomb-bay
Avionics
radio equipment and aerial cameras
References
- Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. pp. 119c–120c.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2773.
Further reading
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.