Besson H-5

Besson H-5

Besson H-5 circa 1922
Role	Transport flying-boat
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Marcel Besson
First flight	1922
Number built	1

The Besson H-5 (or sometimes Besson MB-11) was a French transport quadruplane flying boat designed by the Marcel Besson company of Boulogne.^[1] The only H-5 was damaged and development was abandoned.^[1]

Development

The HB.5 (MB-10) originally started development as an open-sea reconnaissance/bombing flying-boat, but it was completed as a 20-seat passenger transport flying-boat.^[1] Described as grotesque it had two sets of staggered biplane wings with an unusual X-type bracing and a biplane tail with triple fins and rudders.^[1] Powered by four Salmson 9Z radial engines that were located in tandem pairs in line with the third mainplane.^[2] The H-5 had a conventional fuselage on a three-ply mahogany boat hull, which had 24 watertight compartments.^[2]

The H-5 was tested from the St Raphael naval air station in 1922 and proved to be stable with little vibration.^[1] After a few test flights the H-5 was accidentally damaged and development was abandoned.^[1]

Staggered wing detail

Specifications

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 5
Capacity: 20 passengers
Length: 22.0 m (72 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 29.00 m (95 ft 2 in)
Height: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 225 m² (2,420 sq ft)
Empty weight: 5,500 kg (12,125 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 10,000 kg (22,046 lb)
Powerplant: 4 × Salmson 9Z water-cooled radial piston engine, 190 kW (260 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 168 km/h (104 mph; 91 kn)
Range: 900 km (559 mi; 486 nmi)
Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,500 ft)

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Orbis 1985, p. 655
1 2 "The Marcel Besson H-5 Quadruplane Flying Boat". Flight. 15 February 1923. p. 89.

Bibliography

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

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