Aircraft

Latécoère Late 15

TerryLeave a comment

The first successful Latecoere design was the 1924 Late 15, the prototype being flown in 1924 and being followed by nine series aircraft. The Late 15 had a parasol wing spanning 18.00m and a lower stub wing, landing gear with twin-wheel main units, and power provided by two 230 hp / 194kW Lorraine 8-Bd engines. Accommodation comprised an open cockpit for the pilot, just forward of the wing leading edge, with a cabin for six passengers to the rear.

The Late 15s were operated on the Casablanca-Oran stage of the air routes flown by the Latecoere airline subsidiary. The Laté 15M were 5 a/c equipped with twin floats for the Alicante-Oran run. One Late 15 was temporarily redesignated Late 15H after float landing gear had been installed, but was soon restored to its original landplane configuration. The initial success of the Late 15 was shortlived as the aircraft was soon found to be underpowered.

Engines: 2 x 194kW Lorraine 8-B1
Max take-off weight: 3530 kg / 7782 lb
Empty weight: 1900 kg / 4189 lb
Wingspan: 18.00 m / 59 ft 1 in
Length: 11.85 m / 38 ft 11 in
Height: 3.82 m / 12 ft 6 in
Wing area: 56.48 sq.m / 607.95 sq ft
Max. speed: 180 km/h / 112 mph
Cruise speed: 151 km/h / 94 mph
Ceiling: 4500 m / 14750 ft
Range: 600 km / 373 miles

Latécoère Late 8

TerryLeave a comment

In 1922 the Late 8 prototype was flown. A six-passenger biplane with a single 300 hp / 224kW Renault 12Fe engine, the Late 8 transport was based on the Breguet 14, with a rear cockpit and of steel-tube fuselage construction.

It is believed that the Late 8 was used on Lignes Aeriennes Latecoere’s France-Spain-Moroccan services.

Engine: 223kW Renault
Max take-off weight: 2270 kg / 5005 lb
Empty weight: 1500 kg / 3307 lb
Wingspan: 12.60 m / 41 ft 4 in
Length: 8.60 m / 28 ft 3 in
Height: 3.40 m / 11 ft 2 in
Wing area: 46.25 sq.m / 497.83 sq ft
Max. speed: 160 km/h / 99 mph
Cruise speed: 122 km/h / 76 mph
Ceiling: 3500 m / 11500 ft
Range: 500 km / 311 miles
Passengers: 6

Latécoère Late 6 / LAT.6 / Laté 6 Jupiter

TerryLeave a comment

1921 saw the test flight of the Late 6 (or LAT.6), an advanced bomber escort fighter in the multiplace de combat category.

Initially flown with 4 x 260 hp Salmson Z9s in push-pull pairs, later, as the Laté 6 Jupiter, flew with 4 x 400 hp Bristol Jupiters.

An all-metal sesquiplane with considerable sweepback, it failed to gain a production contract and the Laté 6 was abandoned due to the high cost of all-metal geodesic construction.

Engine: 4 x 400hp Bristol Jupiter / 4 x 194kW Salmson Z-9
Max take-off weight: 7050 kg / 15543 lb
Empty weight: 5000 kg / 11023 lb
Wingspan: 27.70 m / 90 ft 11 in
Length: 15.74 m / 51 ft 8 in
Wing area: 124.00 sq.m / 1334.72 sq ft
Max. speed: 215 km/h / 134 mph
Cruise speed: 166 km/h / 103 mph
Ceiling: 6000 m / 19700 ft
Crew: 4-5
Armament: 3 x 7.7mm machine-guns, 2000kg of bombs

Latécoère Late 5

TerryLeave a comment

The Laté 4 was unstable and on 14 October 1922 the aircraft was caught by a gust and crashed. At this point the civil aircraft was abandoned. In early 1921 a decision had already been made to submit the second Latécoère 4 as a four-man bomber (to BPR 3 spec); it became the Latécoère 5 powered by three 375 hp / 280kW Lorraine 12Da W12 engines.

The Late 5 was unsuccessful.

Engine: 3 x 370hp / 280kW Lorraine 12Da
Max take-off weight: 8400 kg / 18519 lb
Empty weight: 5230 kg / 11530 lb
Wingspan: 26.80 m / 87 ft 11 in
Length: 18.10 m / 59 ft 5 in
Height: 4.12 m / 13 ft 6 in
Wing area: 195.00 sq.m / 2098.96 sq ft
Max. speed: 160 km/h / 99 mph
Cruise speed: 122 km/h / 76 mph
Ceiling: 4000 m / 13100 ft
Range: 700 km / 435 miles
Crew: 2
Passengers: 24