Potez 540

History

The French aviation group Potez was founded in 1919 after the First World War (1914-1918) and survived long enough to provide the French Air Force with various type of aircraft (it began operating in 1967). On November 14, 1933, the first flight of a new reconnaissance bomber platform called the "Potez 540" was recorded.

This relatively large aircraft was developed to meet the requirements of the French Air Force for this type and is largely financed by the companies themselves.

The

Type 540 was originally a prototype for the Type 54, and the company's engineers opted for a flat fuselage with high wings to support its main aircraft members. An aerodynamically streamlined engine nacelle was mounted below each element, suspended from the outside of the fuselage by short "stub wings". The two supporting struts of the main aircraft element of the wing were attached to these units, and under the nacelle were attached the legs of the main landing gear (the tail wheel was attached to the rear lower part of the fuselage). Each main leg retracts into an axle built into each nacelle.

Power comes from 2 Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs V-12 engines, each rated at 690 hp, driving three-bladed propellers.

Potez 540 was baptized by fire in the face of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), when it was used by armed forces loyal to the current government. By then, however, the reconnaissance bomber was no longer designed to withstand the rigors of the modern battlefield, as painfully proven when the aircraft was forced to tangle with modern German and Italian metal-clad monoplanes and biplanes. This quickly led to the Potez 540 receiving poor reviews on the battlefield as an outdated and forgettable bomber - its defensive machine gun system was simply not up to the task and its construction proved to be suitable for direct combat too fragile.

Even the French saw the problem, as their relatively new fleet of reconnaissance bombers was quickly built up for training and transport missions in the near future. Before ending, they equipped far-flung colonial air services within the French sphere of influence - mainly throughout North Africa.

Another Axis wartime operator of this type became Regia Aeronautica in Italy, while the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) also purchased an aircraft as a "Potez CXP" airship.

Following the fall of France in June 1940, the remnants of the French Potez 540 fleet were brought into service by the newly formed Axis Allied French Vichy Air Force. These are still stationed at overseas locations, mainly for purely defensive/deterrent purposes, as their value remains in question.

By the end of 1943, the line was eventually abandoned, and largely abandoned, if not out of service.

In addition to the main 540 model, there was the one-off Potez 541, which was converted to a 720hp Gnome-Rhone 14Kdrs air-cooled radial piston engine. The 541 model also formed the basis for the export-oriented Potez 543, which used the same Gnome-Rhone 14Kdrs engine.

Ten of these were built for export to the kingdom of Romania, which eventually allied with the Axis powers, but only eight were actually delivered - four of which were sent to the Spanish government to help them in their bloody civil war with the Nationalist army.

The

Potez 542 is another notable variant of the series, but based on the original Potez 540. This product differs by the use of 2 x Lorraine 12Hfrs "Petrel" V12 engines rated at 720hp. Both France and Spain used the variant in the air, with production reaching 74.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes