Levasseur PL.15

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The Levasseur PL.15 was a torpedo bomber seaplane developed in France in the early 1930s.Taylor 1989, 575] It was a follow-on design to Levasseur's PL.14 that had been, in turn, developed from the carrier-based PL.7. While the PL.14 had retained the PL.7's boat-like fuselage (developed as a safety feature for carrier-based aircraft ditching), the PL.15 was a purpose-built seaplane with an all-new, slender fuselage. World Aircraft Information Files, File 900 Sheet 06]

The Aéronavale ordered sixteen PL.15s for use aboard the seaplane tender "Commandant Teste", and purchased and deployed the prototype as well. These remained in service from 1933 to 1938, when they were put into storage.World Aircraft Information Files, File 900 Sheet 06] The PL.15s were reactivated with the outbreak of war in September 1939, and were used for anti-submarine patrol along France's Atlantic coast.World Aircraft Information Files, File 900 Sheet 06]

Variants

* PL.15 - main production version (17 built)
** PL.151 - radical inverted sesquiplane redesign with full-size mid-wing mainplane and small secondary plane mounted above fuselage (not built)
** PL.154 - landplane version (1 converted from PL.15)

Units using this aircraft

* France
** Aéronavale
*** Escadrille 7B2
*** Escadrille 3S6

pecifications

aerospecs
ref=
met or eng?= met

crew=Three
capacity=
length m=12.85
length ft=42
length in=2
span m=18.00
span ft=59
span in=1
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=5.10
height ft=16
height in=9
wing area sqm=74.5
wing area sqft=802
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
wing profile=
empty weight kg=2,835
empty weight lb=6,237
gross weight kg=4,500
gross weight lb=9,900
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Hispano-Suiza 12Nb
eng1 kw= 480
eng1 hp= 650
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=

max speed kmh=208
max speed mph=130
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh= 181
cruise speed mph= 113
stall speed kmh=
stall speed mph=
range km=750
range miles=470
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=4,500
ceiling ft=14,800
g limits=
roll rate=
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

armament1=1 × trainable, rearward-firing machine gun in rear cockpit
armament2=1 × 400 mm or 450 mm torpedo
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6= aircontent
see also=
related=
similar aircraft=
lists=

Notes

References

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* [http://www.aviafrance.com/9443.htm aviafrance.com]