The Potez 34 was built by Aéroplanes Henry Potez and was derived from the Potez 28M and used the Ryan NYP's blind flying / periscope configuration.^[1]

Intended to win the distance record in closed circuit and then in a straight line, the first record attempts of the Potez 34 were punctuated by tyre punctures and oil leaks. Modifications were made including the exchange of the Farman engine with a lighter Hispano-Suiza and the adoption of a metal propeller. On 18 June 1929, the French distance in closed circuit record was beaten over a course of 6,517 km (4,049 mi) flown by Lionel de Marmier and Louis Favreau, but the world record could not be broken due to a technical failure.^[2] On 25 June 1929, the same crew attempted to break the distance record in a straight line, flying to the Far East, but propeller vibrations necessitated a landing in Tunisia and the failure of the attempt.

The Potez 34 was lent by the Ministere de l'Air to Joseph Le Brix, assisted by Maurice Rossi, for a flight from Paris to Saigon, with three stops at Benghazi, Basra and Allahabad. The attempt began 16 December 1929 and a breakdown occurred over Burma on the night of 22 to 23 December 1929, the aircraft crashed into the jungle but the crew parachuted to safety.^[3]

34.1

Farman Engine 12 We

34.2

Hispano-Suiza engine 12 Lbr

•   France

Armée de l'Air

Data from ^[4]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Length: 11.50 m (37 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 18.30 m (60 ft 0 in)
• Height: 3.91 m (12 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 61 m² (660 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,900 kg (4,189 lb)
• Gross weight: 5,920 kg (13,051 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 350 L (77 imp gal; 92 US gal) in wing tanks.
• Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Lbr liquid cooled V-12, 450 kW (600 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 242 km/h (150 mph, 131 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
• Ferry range: 6,700 km (4,200 mi, 3,600 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)