Latécoère 631

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lat%C3%A9co%C3%A8re_631

The Latécoère 631 was a civil transatlantic flying boat built by Latécoère, the
largest ever built up to its time. The type was not a success, being unreliable
and uneconomic to operate. Five of the eleven aircraft built were written off in
accidents and one was lost during World War II.

The Latécoère 631 was the result of a specification issued in 1936 by the
Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile for a 40-passenger airliner with a range
of 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi). The aircraft was ordered in 1938. It was
intended that it would be powered by six Gnome et Rhône P.18 engines of 1,650
horsepower (1,230 kW) each. A competitor for this specification was the SNCASE
SE.200 Amphitrite.

Construction of the aircraft was stopped due to the outbreak of World War II and
was not resumed until after the signing of the Franco-German Armistice. The
prototype, registered F-BAHG, first flew on 11 November 1942. It was
subsequently confiscated by the Germans, and passed to the Luftwaffe, who
allocated the codes 61+11. The aircraft was flown to Lake Constance, where it
was destroyed in an attack by two Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito aircraft
on 17 April 1944. SNCASE SE.200 Amphitrite 20+01 was destroyed in the same
attack.


Role
flying boat

Manufacturer
Latécoère

Designer
Pierre-Georges Latécoère

First flight
4 November 1942

Number built
10 (plus the prototype)

The second aircraft, F-BANT, first flew on 7 March 1945. It was powered by six
Wright Cyclone engines of 1,600 horsepower (1,200 kW) each. Four aircraft were
purchased by Air France, and entered service on the Biscarosse-Port-Étienne-Fort
de France route in July 1947. The aircraft were withdrawn from service in August
1948 following the loss of F-BDRC. SEMAF operated two aircraft until 1950, when
the survivor was withdrawn following the loss of F-BANU. The Société France
Hydro operated one aircraft until it was lost on 10 September 1955. This was the
last flying aircraft, with the remaining four survivors being scrapped. The
Latécoère 631 was not a success due to it being unreliable and uneconomic to
operate.

Accidents and incidents

* On 31 October 1945, Air France's F-BANT was operating a flight from Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil to Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina when the
propeller of No. 3 engine separated in flight, damaging No. 2 engine. A
propeller blade sliced a 3 metres (9.8 ft) hole in the cabin, killing two
passengers. A fire started and an emergency landing was made in the Laguna de
Rocha, Uruguay. The aircraft was subsequently repaired and returned to service.

* On 21 February 1948, Latécoère's F-BDRD crashed into the English Channel off
Saint-Marcouf, Manche in a snowstorm with the loss of all nineteen people on
board. The aircraft was being delivered from Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine to
Biscarosse, Landes.

* On 1 August 1948, Air France's F-BDRC crashed into the Atlantic Ocean with the
loss of all 52 people on board. The aircraft was operating a flight from Fort de
France, Martinique to Port-Étienne, Mauritania. Following this loss, the
Latécoère 631 was withdrawn from service by Air France. The United States Coast
Guard ship USCGC Campbell reported finding debris on August 4 but no sign of
survivors.

* On 28 March 1950, SEMAF's F-BANU crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Cap
Ferret, Gironde with the loss of all twelve people on board. The aircraft was on
a test flight from Biscarosse.

*On 10 September 1955, Société France-Hydro's F-BDRE suffered the failure of a
wing and crashed with the loss of eight of the sixteen people on board. The
aircraft was on a flight from Lac Lérè, Chad to Douala, French Cameroons en
route to Biscarosse for maintenance.

Specifications (Laté 631)

General characteristics
Crew: 5
Capacity: 46
Length: 43.46 m (142 ft 6? in)
Wingspan: 57.43 m (188 ft 4½ in)
Height: 10.1 m (33 ft 1½ in)
Wing area: 349.4 m² (3,760 ft² )
Empty weight: 32,400 kg (71,280 lb)
Loaded weight: 71,350 kg (137,300 lb)
Powerplant: 6 × Wright R-2600-A5B Cyclone 14-cylinder air cooled radial engine,
1,194 kW (1,600 hp) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 394 km/h (213 knots, 245 mph)
Cruise speed: 297 km/h (161 knots, 185 mph)
Range: 6,035 km (3,281 nm, 3,750 mi)
Wing loading: 92.7 kg/m² (19.0 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.10 kW/kg (0.070 hp/lb)



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