Levasseur PL.7

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The Levasseur PL.7 was a torpedo bomber developed in France in the late 1920s.Taylor 1989, 574] It was a development of Levasseur's PL.4 reconnaissance aircraft and intended to replace their PL.2 then in service with the Aéronavale. It was a single-bay sesquiplane of largely conventional design, but incorporating safety features for naval operation, including jetissonable main undercarriage units, a watertight, boat-shaped fuselage, and small floats on the undersides of the lower wings.

The first flight was in 1928, and during testing, aspects of the design underwent fine-tuning, including engine choice and the design of the wing struts and tail fin. Eventually presented to the Navy, an order for 15 aircraft was placed in 1929. However, the Navy had reservations about the wing design, and ordered five of these machines to be delivered with their spans shortened from the 18.00 m (54 ft 2 in) original down to 16.50 m (54 ft 2 in) and built to different wing areas, and a sixth machine with its span shortened to 17.25 m (56 ft 4 in). World Aircraft Information Files, File 900 Sheet 06] These miscellaneous types were all put into service together aboard the carrier "Béarn" in July 1930. After testing, one of the 16.50 m wing designs was selected as the standard, and 30 new aircraft were ordered with this wing. Ten of the existing PL.7s were also thus modified.

The PL.7s were grounded in July 1931 after two aircraft had disintegrated in flight, losses that were attributed to vibration problems. They were returned to service in September 1932 having reinforced wing bracing and engine mounts, and new three-bladed metal propellers. In 1934, they were relegated to shore duties, but were put aboard the aboard the "Béarn" again in 1936, where they were still in service (albeit now thoroughly obsolete) at the outbreak of the Second World War.Taylor 1989, 575]

Levasseur displayed an aircraft at the 1926 "Salon de l'Aéronautique" dubbed the PL.7T (for "transport") and promoted as an airliner. This was fitted with a Gnome et Rhône-built Bristol Jupiter engine and had a revised fuselage with side-by-side seating for a pilot and mechanic and enclosed cabin for six passengers."Flight" 1926, 782 ] This, however, was merely a PL.4 specially modified for the show. It was scrapped immediately afterwards, never having flown.

Units using this aircraft

* France
** Aéronavale
*** Escadrille 7B1

pecifications

aerospecs
ref=
met or eng?= met

crew=Three
capacity=
length m=11.68
length ft=38
length in=4
span m=16.50
span ft=54
span in=2
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=4.86
height ft=15
height in=11
wing area sqm=71.0
wing area sqft=764
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
wing profile=
empty weight kg=2,800
empty weight lb=6,160
gross weight kg=3,950
gross weight lb=8,690
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Lorraine-Dietrich 12Lbr
eng1 kw= 450
eng1 hp= 600
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
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max speed kmh=170
max speed mph=110
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
stall speed kmh=
stall speed mph=
range km=645
range miles=403
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=2,900
ceiling ft=9,500
g limits=
roll rate=
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
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armament1=2 × trainable, rearward-firing machine guns in rear cockpit
armament2=1 × 400 mm or 450 mm torpedo
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6= aircontent
see also=
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Notes

References

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* [http://www.aviafrance.com/7550.htm aviafrance.com]