France's Potez 25 general purpose
Photos
Design
The Potez 25 was designed by Lois Coroller.1
Undercarriage
The undercarriage was a cross axle landing gear with shock absorbers.1 The wheels were made of metal spokes and rubber tires.1
Cockpit
The cockpit contained the pilot and observer beneath a cut out in the top wing.1
Prototype
The prototype of the Potez 25 first flew in 1925.1
Production
From 1925 to 1935 over 4,000 were constructed.1
ANF Les Mureauz, Hanriot, and Potez manufactured the Potez 25.1
Variants
- Potez 25:
- Potez 25 A.2: Observation plane.1
- Potez 25 B.2: Bomber.1 There were twelve 26 lb / 12 kg or four 110 lb / 50 kg bombs under the fuselage, and six 26 lb / 12 kg bombs under the wings.1
- Potez 25 H: Floatplane variant.1 One version had two floats, the other with a single central float.1
- Potez 25-O: Additional fuel for long flights.1 Unsuccessfully attempted to fly from Paris to New York.1
- Potez 25 ??: Salmson (520 HP) radial engine installed.1
- Potez TOE: Used overseas.1
Usage
Used by more than 20 countries.1 Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, China, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Guatemala, Indo-China, Japan, Madagascar, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay, USSR, and Yugoslavia.1
Used by the French air force into the mid-1930s.1 Other countries used them into the 1940s.1
The Potez 25 was licensed built by Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Yugoslavia.1
Switzerland
Switzerland had a mix of liquid and air cooled engines in their Potez 25s.1 One air cooled engine used was the Gnome-Rhône 9Ac Jupiter.1
Sino-Japanese War
The Chinese air force used the Potez 25s against the Japanese.1
Ethiopia
The Ethiopian military used the Potez 25s against the Italians in 1935.1
Specifications
| Potez 25 TOE1 | |
|---|---|
| Type | General purpose1 |
| Crew | 21 Pilot, observer1 |
| Engine (Type) | Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb piston1 |
| Cylinders | |
| Cooling | Liquid1 |
| Net HP | 4501 |
| Propeller blades | 21 |
| Dimensions | |
| Span | 46' 5"1 14.14 m1 |
| Length | 29' 10"1 9.1 m1 |
| Height | 12'1 3.67 m1 |
| Wing area | 506 ft2 1 47 m2 1 |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 3,329 lb1 1,510 kg1 |
| Loaded | 5,512 lb1 2,500 kg1 |
| Performance | |
| Speed @ sea level | 129 mph1 208 kph1 |
| Cruising speed | |
| Climb | |
| Service ceiling | 19,000'1 5,800 m1 |
| Range | 783 miles1 1,260 km1 |
| Armament | |
| Forward firing | 1: 7.7 mm Vickers MG1 |
| Rear cockpit | 2: 7.7 mm Vickers MG1 |
| Bombs | 440 lb1 200 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of World War II, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
