Latécoère 611

infobox Aircraft
name = Latécoère 611
type = Flying Boat
manufacturer = Latécoère


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1939
introduced = 1940
introduction=
retired = 1947
status =
primary user = French Navy
more users =
produced =
number built = 1
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Latécoère 611 was a French four-engined maritime reconnaissance flying boat of the Second World War. Although only a single prototype was completed, this served throughout the war, being used by both the Vichy French and Free French navies.

Development and design

In May 1935, the French Navy issued a specification for a long-range flying boat to replace the obsolete Breguet 521. To meet this requirement, Latécoère designed the Latécoère 611. This was a cantilever monoplane powered by four Gnome-Rhone 14N radial engines and fitted with a twin tail. It was also fitted with stabilising floats that retracted into the outer engine nacelles. The prototype was assembled at Biscarrosse, and first flew on 8 March 1939.cite book |last= Green |first=William |title=Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five, Flying Boats |year= 1968|publisher= Macdonald|location=London|pages= p.27-29 |isbn= 356 01449 5 ]

Although it was intended that the aircraft be armed with a 25 mm cannon in a dorsal turret, this was unavailable, and was replaced by one carrying two 7.5 mm Darne machine guns, with a further four machine guns firing through portholes and two in a retractable tail position. In December 1939 the French Navy placed an order for twelve of a modified version, the Latécoère 612, which was to be powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines. These aircraft, however, were never delivered.

Operational history

The prototype Latécoère 611 was delivered to the French Navy on 12 April 1940 and named "Achenar", being flown to North Africa in June 1940 and subsequently disarmed under the terms of the Armistice. After being damaged in a collision with another flying boat, it eventually entered full service with the Vichy French Navy on 15 October 1941, operating with "Escadrille 4E" at Port Lyautey and Dakar.

In November 1942, following the Allied Invasion of North Africa, "Escadrille 4E" switched sides and joined the Free French, carrying out anti-submarine patrols over the South Atlantic, later (October 1943) being enlarged to form "Flotille 7F", which continued to fly the Latécoère 611 alongside Short Sunderlands. The Latécoère was re-armed in 1944, with the dorsal turret being fitted with two 50 cal. Browning machine guns and a similar gun being fitted in the tail.

The sole Latécoère 611 was finally retired from service as a transport in 1947. [cite web |url= http://www.netmarine.net/aero/bases/stmandrier/histoire/histoire04.htm
title= Histoire de la BAN Saint-Mandrier|accessdate=2007-08-14 |language=French]

Variants

;Latécoère 611 :Prototype - powered by four Gnome-Rhone 14N engines. One built.;Latécoère 611:Proposed production version - powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines. Twelve ordered but unbuilt.

Operators

;FRA

pecifications (Latécoère 611)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref= Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five, Flying Boats

crew=7
capacity=
length main= 27.06 m
length alt= 88 ft 9 in
span main= 40.56 m
span alt= 133 ft 0½ in
height main= 7.65 m
height alt= 25 ft 1 in
area main= 195.1 m²
area alt= 2,099 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 16,034 kg
empty weight alt= 35,274 lb
loaded weight main= 26,555 kg
loaded weight alt= 58,422 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 31,065 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 68,343 lb
more general=

engine (prop)=Gnome-Rhone 14N30/31
type of prop=14 cylinder radial engine
number of props=4
power main= 753 kW
power alt= 1,010 hp
power original=

max speed main= 349 km/h
max speed alt= 145 knots, 217 mph
cruise speed main= 180 km/h
cruise speed alt= 97 knots, 112 mph
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 4,250 km
range alt= 2,295 nm, 2,640 mi
ceiling main= m
ceiling alt= ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= kg/m²
loading alt= lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= W/kg
power/mass alt= hp/lb
more performance=*Endurance: 32 hours
*Climb to 2,000 m (6,560 ft): 10 min

armament=
*Two 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Machine guns in dorsal turret,
*One 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Browning Machine gun in tail and,
*Four 7.5 mm Darne machine guns in beam positions.
*"up to" 802 kg (1,764 lb) bombs

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=
*Lioré et Olivier H-246
*Potez-CAMS 141

sequence=

lists=
*List of seaplanes and flying boats
*List of aircraft of the Armée de l'Air, World War II

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=871&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=795&ANNEE=&ID_MISSION=&MOTCLEF=]