Besson MB.26

Summary

The Beeson MB.26 was a French sesquiplane floatplane designed by Marcel Besson as a shipborne two-seat reconnaissance aircraft for the French Navy, but it was not ordered into production.[1]

MB.26
Role Reconnaissance or fighter floatplane
National origin France
Manufacturer Besson
Designer Marcel Besson
First flight 1925

Design and development edit

The MB.26 was a W-strut wing braced sesquiplane, the upper wing was attached at the top of the fuselage and the lower was below the fuselage.[1] It had one main float under the lower wing and two stabilizing floats on the wingtips.[1] This HB.2 variant was followed by a modified C.2 configuration to turn it into a two-seat fighter seaplane.[1] The C.2 had a new round-sided fuselage, the HB.2 had a slab-sided fuselage, and a new tailplane.[1] Neither variant was ordered or entered production.[1]

Variants edit

MB.26 HB.2
Two-seat reconnaissance seaplane variant.[1]
MB.26 C.2
Two-seat fighter seaplane variant.[1]

Operators edit

  France

Specifications (HB.2) edit

Data from [1] The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 12.10 m (39 ft 8.25 in)
  • Wingspan: 15.00 m (49 ft 2.5 in)
  • Height: 3.70 m (12 ft 1.25 in)
  • Wing area: 52.00 m2 (559.74 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,665 kg (3,671 lb)
  • Gross weight: 2,415 kg (5,324 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lorraine 12Db inline piston engine , 298 kW (400 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 180 km/h (112 mph, 97 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 5,200 m (17,060 ft)

Armament

  • One fixed forward-firing 7.7mm (0.303in) machine-gun
  • Twin 7.7mm (0.303in) machine-guns on ring-mount at observers cockpit

See also edit

Related lists

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Orbis 1985, p. 656

Bibliography edit

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.