https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potez_630
The Potez 630 and its derivatives were a family of twin-engined aircraft
developed for the French Air Force in the late 1930s. The design was a
contemporary of the British Bristol Blenheim (which was larger and designed
purely as a bomber) and the German Messerschmitt Bf 110 (which was designed
purely as a fighter).
The Potez 630 was in use by several operators during the Second World War.
Following the Battle of France, both the Vichy French Air Force and Free French
Air Forces used the type; a number of captured aircraft were operated by several
air wings of the Axis powers. After the end of the conflict in 1945, a handful
of aircraft were used for training purposes for some time.
The Potez 630 was a twin engine, monoplane, fully metallic three-seater with
efficient aerodynamic lines and twin tailplanes. The basic design allowed for
the type to replace various obsolete aircraft in the French Air Force in a wide
range of roles. The long glasshouse housed a crew of three, comprising a pilot,
an observer or commander who was carried based upon mission requirements, and a
rear gunner who manned a single flexible light machine gun. The Potez 637
featured a glazed gondola located beneath the fuselage for an observer to be
carried in the prone position. Some variants, such as the Potez 631 and 633, had
a vertical bomb bay located between the two crew members. The 630 was a
relatively simple and sound design, requiring an average of 7,500 man-hours to
assemble each aircraft.
All members of the family (with the possible exception of the Potez 63.11)
shared pleasant flying characteristics and were designed to allow for easy
maintenance.
As a daytime fighter aircraft, the performance of the Potez 631 C3 was
relatively disappointing, partially due to a low maximum speed and inadequate
rate of climb compared with contemporary fighter aircraft. When applied to the
nightfighter role, their lack of detection capability against enemy aircraft
rendered their presence mainly ineffective. Later models had a heavy armament
(12 machine guns for the Potez 63.11). Unfortunately the Potez 63 family, like
many French aircraft of the time, simply did not have sufficiently powerful
engines to endow them with an adequate performance and they proved vulnerable to
Messerschmitt Bf 109s, like the contemporary Fairey Battle and Bristol Blenheim
bombers. Their similarity to the Messerschmitt Bf 110, both being equipped with
twin engines, twin fins and a long greenhouse canopy, is believed to have
resulted in several aircraft being lost to "friendly fire".
Role
Heavy fighter
Manufacturer
SNCAN
Designer
First flight
25 April 1936
Introduction
October 1938
Status
Retired
Primary users
French Air Force
French Naval Aviation
Vichy French Air Force
Free French Air Forces
Number built
1,395
From May 1938, production Potez 630 fighters started to be delivered; the first
improved Potez 631 aircraft were received in August that year. Potez 630 and
631s, in two-seater configuration, were soon used to replace obsolete ANF Les
Mureaux 113 used as night fighters, while single-seat fighter groups received a
number of three seat Potez 63s to act as command aircraft, from which formations
of single-seat fighters would be directed and co-ordinated by radio. In July
1938, the first fifteen Potez 630 aircraft participated in the Villacoublay Air
Show.
The French Air Force found a use for the Potez 633 aircraft as conversion
trainers for units that had received the Breguet 691 attack aircraft. On 20 May
1940, three Potez 633s took part in a strafing mission against German troops
near Arras. This was the type's only operational mission over France as two days
later the aircraft was withdrawn from front-line service. A small number of
Potez 633 originally destined for China were commandeered by the French colonial
administration in Indochina and saw limited action in the brief French-Thai War
in early 1941.
Once active combat had begun, the Potez 631 had quickly proved to be an
ineffectual interceptor; it was slower than some German bomber aircraft and 130
km/h slower than the Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighter. Perhaps the most successful
unit operating the Potez 631 was the Flottille F1C of the French Naval Air Arm;
exchange for 8 of their own losses prior to its withdrawal from active combat.
Specifications (Potez 63.11A.3)
General characteristics
Crew: three
Length: 10.93 m (35 ft 10?1/3 in)
Wingspan: 16.00 m (52 ft 6 in)
Height: 3.08 m (10 ft 1?1/4 in)
Empty weight: 3,135 kg (6,911 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)
kW (700 hp) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 425 km/h (229 knots, 264 mph) at 5,500 m (18,045 ft)
Cruise speed: 299 km/h (162 knots, 186 m/h) at 4,500 m (14,765 ft) (recon
cruise)
Range: 1,500 km (810 nmi, 932 mi)
Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,890 ft)
Rate of climb: 8.4 m/s (1,653 ft/min)
Armament
Guns: (original armament)
1x fixed, forward-firing 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun
1x fixed, rearward-firing 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun
1x flexibly mounted, rearward-firing 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun
Bombs: 4x 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
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