Levasseur PL.2

The Levasseur PL.2 was a French biplane torpedo bomber designed by Pierre Levasseur for the French Navy.

Levasseur PL.2
Levasseur PL.2, June 1926
Role Torpedo-bomber biplane
Manufacturer Levasseur
Designer Pierre Levasseur
First flight November 1922
Introduction 1926
Retired 1932
Primary user French Navy
Produced 1922-1923
Number built 11

Design and development

The second design of Pierre Levasseur was the PL.2, a single-seat unequal-span biplane inspired by designs from Blackburn Aircraft. It had a fixed tailskid landing gear and was powered by a nose-mounted Renault engine. The first of two prototypes first flew in November 1922. The second aircraft had a four-bladed propeller and other powerplant improvements. Nine production aircraft were built in 1923, these were fitted with ballonets and jettisonable landing gear for operations at sea.[1]

Operational history

The aircraft entered service in 1926 aboard the French aircraft carrier Béarn and continued in use until they were scrapped in 1932.

Variants
  • PL 2 AT-01 : First torpedo-bomber prototype.
  • PL 2 AT-02 : Second prototype, equipped with a four-blade propeller.
  • PL.2 : Single-seat torpedo-bomber aircraft, nine built for the French Navy.

Operators
 France

Specifications

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft[2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 14.9 m (49 ft 8.50 in)
  • Wingspan: 15.15 m (49 ft 8.5 in)
  • Height: 3.9 m (13 ft 3.25 in)
  • Gross weight: 3,653 kg (8,053 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12Ma , 433 kW (580 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 180 km/h (112 mph, 97 kn)
  • Range: 700 km (435 mi, 378 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 2,454 m (8,052 ft)

Armament

  • 1 x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine-gun
  • 450Kg (992lb) Torpedo or bombs

References

Notes
  1. Taylor and Alexander 1969, pp. 102-103.
  2. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing. 1985, pp. 2317–2318.

Bibliography
  • Taylor, John W. R. and Jean Alexander. Combat Aircraft of the World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-71810-564-8.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989. ISBN 0-517-69186-8.


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