Couzinet 70
| 70 Arc-en-Ciel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The Arc-en-Ciel at Fernando de Noronha, Brazil on 14 June 1934 | |
| Role | Long-range commercial monoplane |
| Manufacturer | Société des Avions René Couzinet |
| First flight | 11 February 1932 |
| Introduction | 1934 |
| Primary user | Aéropostale |
| Produced | 3 |
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The Couzinet 70 was a 1930s French three-engined commercial monoplane built by Société des Avions René Couzinet founded by René Couzinet.
Design and developments
The Couzinet 70 Arc-en-Ciel III (en Rainbow) was developed from the 1920s Couzinet 10 Arc-en-Ciel and Couzinet 30. The Couzinet 70 was developed originally as a mail plane for use of Aéropostale's South Atlantic service. The aircraft was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear. The aircraft was powered by three Hispano-Suiza 12Nb inline piston engines. The two wing mounted engines could be accessed in flight through tunnels in the wing. After route-proving in 1933 the aircraft was modified and re-designated the Couzinet 71 and entered service with Aéropostale in May 1934.
Developments
There were two further developments based on the Couzinet 70. Only one of each type was built.
Couzinet 101
A 3-seat touring aircraft with similar layout to the Arc en Ciel was produced as the Couzinet 101, powered by three 85 hp (63 kW) Pobjoy R radial engines. During the Spanish Civil War the Couzinet 101 became a transport in the Spanish Republican Air Force.[1]
Couzinet 103
The latest development in the series was the Couzinet 103 with three 135 hp (101 kW) Salmson 9Adr radial engines which could carry two crew (or one pilot and passenger) and four passengers in a separate cabin.
Variants
- 10 Arc en Ciel
- The original prototype four place bomber, later converted to the 'Couzinet 27
- 27 Arc en Ciel II
- Converted from the Couzinet 10 but crashing on 8 August 1928
- 70 Arc en Ciel III
- Three-engined Hispano-Suiza 12Nb powered prototype, one built and converted to a Couzinet 71
- 71
- Prototype modified for service as a mailplane.
Operators
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- Spanish Republican Air Force - Couzinet 101
Specifications (70/71)
General characteristics
- Crew: Four
- Length: 16.15 m (52 ft 11¾ in)
- Wingspan: 30 m (98 ft 5 in)
- Height: 4 m (13 ft 1½ in)
- Wing area: 90 m2 (968.78 ft2)
- Empty weight: 7310 kg (16,116 lb)
- Gross weight: 16,790 kg (37,015 lb)
- Powerplant: 3 × Hispano-Suiza 12Nb V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 485 kW (650 hp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 280 km/h (174 mph)
- Range: 6800 km (4225 miles)
References
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Couzinet Arc-en-Ciel. |