Lioré et Olivier LeO H-46

The Lioré et Olivier LeO H-46 was a bomber seaplane built in France in 1936.

The LeO H-46 was a twin-tail monoplane floatplane bomber of all-metal construction, powered by two Gnome-Rhône 14Knr radial engines of LH and RH rotation. The production aircraft would have been powered by 1,000 hp (750 kW) engines. The LeO H-46 was first flown in May 1936 by Lucien Bourdin. During flight testing in 1938 at l'Etang de Vaine, near Marseille the H-46 was badly damaged. Expensive lengthy repairs and changing priorities led to the cancellation of the program.^[1]

Data from Aviafrance : Lioré et Olivier LeO H-46^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 5
• Length: 18.81 m (61 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 27.23 m (89 ft 4 in)
• Height: 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 102 m² (1,100 sq ft)
• Gross weight: 10,200 kg (22,487 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Gnome-Rhône 14Knrs 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial piston engines, 650 kW (870 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 340 km/h (210 mph, 180 kn) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
• Range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
• Time to altitude: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in 20 minutes

Armament

• Guns: 3x 7.5 mm (0.295 in) Darne machine guns in nose, dorsal and ventral turrets

• Hartmann, Gérard. Les Avions Lioré Et Olivier. Boulogne-Billancourt, France: ETAI. 2002. ISBN 2-7268-8607-8 (in French)
• Grey, C.G.; Bridgman, Leonard, eds. (1937). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1937. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company. p. 138c.