Levasseur PL.2
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| Levasseur PL.2 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Torpedo-bomber biplane |
| Manufacturer | Levasseur |
| Designed by | Pierre Levasseur |
| Maiden flight | 1922 |
| Introduced | 1926 |
| Retired | 1932 |
| Primary user | French Navy |
| Produced | 1922-1923 |
| Number built | 11 |
The Levasseur PL.2 was a French torpedo-bomber biplane designed by Pierre Levasseur for the French Navy.
[edit] Development
The second design of Pierre Levasseur was the PL.2 a single-seat unequal-span biplane inspired by designs from Blackburn Aircraft. It had a fixed tailskid landing gear and was powered by a nose-mounted Renault engine. The first of two prototypes first flew in November 1922, the second aircraft had a four-bladed propeller and other powerplant improvements. Nine production aircraft were built in 1923, these were fitted with ballonets and jettisonable landing gear for operations at sea.
[edit] Operational history
The aircraft entered service in 1926 aboard the French carrier Béarn and continued in use until they were scrapped in 1932.
[edit] Variants
- PL 2.01 : First torpedo-bomber prototype.
- PL 2.02 : Second prototype, equipped with a four-blade propeller.
- PL.2 : Single-seat torpedo-bomber aircraft, nine built for the French Navy.
[edit] Operators
- French Navy
- Escadrille 7B2
[edit] Specifications
Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing, 2317-8.
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Wingspan: 15.15 m (49 ft 8½ in)
- Gross weight: 3653 kg (8053 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12Ma, 433 kW (580 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
Armament
- 1 x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine-gun
- 450Kg (992lb) Torpedo or bombs
[edit] See also
- The White Bird, Levasseur PL.8 which attempted a transatlantic flight in 1927
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing, 2317-8.
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