All Aero

The Potez 60 sometimes named the Sauterelle (“Grasshopper”) is a French 1930s parasol-wing open-cockpit trainer. The Potez 60 is essentially made of wood and covered in linen.

The fuselage is made up of two plywood side panels, assembled on frames. Wooden fins allow the attachment of fairly wide track landing gear, in order to reduce the risk of a “wooden horse” by inexperienced pilots and to facilitate access to the front station.

The construction of the wing is in three panels around two wooden spars, mounted on tubular steel masts. Some Potez 60s had slats mounted on the leading edge. The empennage is wooden too; its size and shape have been slightly modified from the prototype.

The undercarriage is made of steel tubing with Potez or Messier type rubber dampers or its equivalent. Some aircraft had no brakes, others had cable brakes.

It had a wide-track tailwheel landing gear and is powered by a 45 kW (60 hp) Potez 3B uncowled radial engine.

The Potez 3B engine fitted to the Potez 60 was “one half” of the 6Ba fitted to the Potez 43. As a result, these engines have many parts in common. The 3B engine proved to be reliable, but it requires quite intensive maintenance, especially of the rocker arms, whose lubrication system is quite special.

Test pilot René Labouchère took off the Potez 60 for the first time in Méaulte on August 8, 1934. In December, the aircraft was presented in Villacoublay by Georges Detré to the STIAé, the powerful state body mandated to control any French aircraft. Detré gave a brilliant presentation, meant to demonstrate the aircraft’s docility and ease of piloting.

One additional machine was modified in 1948 to take a 75 hp Minie 4DC-30 engine and was referred to as the Potez 60/48.

An order for 250 was placed by the French government, but deliveries stopped after 155 aircraft were produced. On the first models, even the propeller was made by Potez – the Potez 121. Afterwards, several other brands were approved.

Powerplant: 1 × Potez 3B radial engine, 45 kW (60 hp)
Wingspan: 10 m (32 ft 9.75 in)
Empty weight: 629 lb
Length: 22 ft 10 in
Height: 7 ft 8 in
Loaded weight: 1232 lb
Maximum speed: 145 km/h (90 mph, 78 kn)
Time to 1640 ft: 3 min 45 sec
Ceiling: 3000 m / 9840 ft
Range: 720 km / 404 mi
Crew: 2

Potez 60/48
Engine: 75 hp Minie 4DC-30