Henry Potez

Henry Potez (Méaulte, 1891 – Paris, 1981) was a French aircraft industrialist.

He studied in the french aeronautics school "Supaéro". With Marcel Dassault, he was the inventor of the Potez-Bloch propeller which after 1917, have been set on most of all Allied planes of WWI.

In 1919, he founded his own company Aviations Potez that between the wars built many planes and seaplanes in factories at that time considered the most modern in the world. He bought the Alessandro Anzani company in 1923. Many of Potez planes such as the Potez 25, 39, 54, ,62, 63 were an international success, with world records.

During twenty years, 7.000 planes left the production lines and with 40 prototypes designed, more than twenty passed to production, which was remarquable at that time.

In 1936, his factories, considered as strategic, were nationalised by the french Front populaire government.

After the second world war, the Potez engineering department designed the "Magister", a two seat two engine trainer aircraft, which was a big success. Launched in 1952 and better known as Fouga Magister this aircraft was used by many air forces.