Latécoère 28

infobox Aircraft
name = Latécoère 28
type = Eight-passenger monoplane
logo =
manufacturer = Forges et Ateliers de Construction Latécoère

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caption = Three view drawings of Latecoere 28
designer =
first flight = 1927
introduction =
retired =
status =
primary user = Aéropostale
more users =
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
developed from = Latécoère 26
variants with their own articles =

The Latécoère 28 was a successful French long-haul mail plane and passenger airliner of the 1930s. It was the main symbol of Air France's predecessor, Aéropostale in its efforts to establish intercontinental air mail services and support French colonialism and French cultural influence between the wars.

Its pilots included famous poets and French men of letters such as Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Jean Mermoz as well as the usual veterans from World War I.

Design and development

The Latécoère 28 was a development of the Latécoère 26. It was braced high-wing single-engined monoplane initially powered by Renault 12Jbr engine. The Latécoère 28 had a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and enclosed cockpit for two crew. The cabin was fitted for eight-passengers.

A total of about fifty planes of several versions were built between 1927 and 1932. The seaplane version, the Latécoère 28-3, was the first to make a postal delivery crossing of the South Atlantic when Mermoz flew from Dakar to Natal in 21 hours and a half aboard the "Comte-de-La Vaulx" (prototype n° 919) on 12 May 1930. [http://jnpassieux.chez-alice.fr/html/Late28_3.php]

This high-wing single engine plane was first built with Renault engines which were soon replaced by Hispano Suiza 12Lbr giving 500 hp (370 kW). The floatplane version had the Hispano Suiza 12Lbr giving 650 hp (480 kW).

Technically, it was a refinement of the Latécoère 26 fuselage. The passengers had access to a washroom.

Operational service

The first aircraft were used by Aéropostale on the African mail routes connecting Cassablanca and Dakar. The aircraft also inaugurated a Paris-Madrid service.It became famous in South America because of the regular mail service it ensured, from France to Argentina, and further on. With this plane it was possible to send a letter from Paris to Santiago de Chile in what seemed then like an astonishingly short four days. Previously, the mail steamships had taken weeks or months.

It had a very limited military career. Venezuela bought three for use as bombers, and the government of France gave several to the republican side in the Spanish Civil War.

Variants

;Laté 28.0:Initial production with a 500hp (373 kW) Renault 12Jbr engine, 17 built (some later converted to 28.1).;Laté 28.1:Further production with a 500hp (373 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Hbxr engine, 29 built.;Laté 28.2:Mail carrier, one built.;Laté 28.3:Mail carrier, five built.;Laté 28.3/H:A wheeled landing gear version of the 28.3, one built.;Laté 28.3-I:A passenger version of the 28.3, one built.;Laté 28.4-I:A development of the 28.3 with a 650hp (485kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr engine, one built;Laté 28.5:Structurally strengthen version with a 650hp (485kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr engine.;Laté 28.6:For Venezuela powered by a 650hp (485kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr engine, three built.;Laté 28.8:One 28.0 modified with an enlarged wingspan;Laté 28.9:Three-seat landplane bomber for Venezuela, three built.

Operators

Civil

; ARG
* Aeropostala Argentina; FRA}
* Aéropostale
* Air France; VEN
* Aviacon Aeropostal Venezolana
* Linea Aeropostal Venezolana

Military

; ESP
* Spain; VEN
* Venezuela

pecifications (Latécoère 28.0)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=
crew=two
capacity=8 passengers
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 13.64 m
length alt= 44 ft 9 in
span main= 19.25 m
span alt= 63 ft 1 in
height main= 3.58 m
height alt= 11 ft 9 in
area main= 48.6 m²
area alt= 523 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,173 kg
empty weight alt= 4,790 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 3,856 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 8,501 lb
more general=
engine (prop)= Renault 12Jb
type of prop=
number of props=1
power main= 373 kW
power alt= 500 hp
power original=
max speed main= 223 km/h
max speed alt= 139 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 4,685 km
range alt=2,928 miles
ceiling main= 5,200 m
ceiling alt= 17,100 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
Laté 26 -
Laté 29 -
Laté 35
similar aircraft=
Fokker F.VII
sequence=
Laté 24 -
Laté 25 -
Laté 26 -Laté 28
Laté 32 -
Laté 34 -
Laté 35
lists=
see also=

External links

*fr icon [http://jnpassieux.chez-alice.fr/html/Late28.php Latécoère 28]