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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1219.PDF
JULY 24x11, 1947 FLIGHT - " Flujht " •phototjruithb, Dn a low run up the Solent the Latecoere 631-04 displays her fine lines. On the left is M. Prevostj the pilot. ^~—____——^" Six-Engined 70-ton Latecoere 631 Demonstrates from Hythe Massive Elegance C'.E ourselves, the French have for many years appre-ciated the inherent qualities and future possibilitiesof the large, long-range commercial flying-boat. Unlike ourselves, they already possess a few machines ot this class which, though falling short of the standards which will be set in two years' time by the SR45 (span 220ft, flying weight 120 tons, cruising speed over 300 m.p.h., range 5,000 miles), do at least approach the massive Saro in dimensions. One of these boats, the six- engined Latecoere 631-04, fourth machine of its class, was flown over last week from Biscarrosse to the B.O.A.C. base at Hythe, and was made available for flying experi- ence and examination The visit was arranged by Com- mercial Transocean (London), Ltd., the British representa- tives for the Office Francais d'Exportation de Materiel Aeronantique. Perseverance The basic design of the 631 dates from 1938, when the first prototype was ordered by the French Air Ministry to a specification calling for a flying-boat to operate on North and South Atlantic routes, carrying forty pas- sengers for 3,700 miles against a 37 m.p.h. headwind. Between 1939 and 1940 construction was interrupted, but was put in hand again after the German occupation, and the first machine flew in November, 1942. Thereafter it was confiscated by the Germans and taken to Friedrichs- hafen, on Lake Constance, where it was eventually sunk by bombing. Flights have already been made over the South Atlantic to Latin American countries, and it is understood that Air France will shortly make a proving flight over the same route. A considerable number of these flying-boats have been ordered. Nos. 2, 3 and 4 will go to Air France, Nos. 5, 6 and 7 to the Mexican Government, and 8, 9 and 10 to Air France. It is possible that Air France will ultimately order three more. The price, incidentally, is in the region of £350,000. Everything considered, the Latecoere is a most creditable achievement. She is remarkable not only for her overall size and the spaciousness and arrangement of her interior, but for her graceful line's and very clean aerodynamic design. Points worthy of special notice are the lateral stabilizing floats, which retract into the tail fairings of the outboard nacelles, and the tail unit, with a dihedral tail- plane carrying unbraced fin and rudder assemblies totally above it at its extremities. As demonstrated last week, the 631-04 is laid out to /• light photograph the float completesThe starboard float assembly. When retract the tail fairing of the engine
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