The Potez-CAMS 141 was a French long range reconnaissance flying boat of the late 1930s. Intended to equip the French Navy, only a single prototype was completed before the German invasion of France stopped production. That prototype did, however serve operationally from bases in French North Africa until scrapped in 1943.
It was a four engined monoplane, powered by Hispano-Suiza 12Y engines, with a braced, high aspect ratio wing mounted above the fuselage and a twin tail. It was armed with a dorsal turret carrying two 7.5 mm Darne machine guns, with a further two machine guns in lateral "cheek" barbettes and two in waist positions. After evaluation, a production order for four aircraft was placed, with a further 15 being ordered before the start of the Second World War.[1]
Operational historyedit
The prototype, named Antarès, entered service with Escadrille E8 of the French Navy in September 1939, flying its first patrol mission over the Atlantic on 20 September 1939.[2] Additional large orders for Potez-CAMS 141s were placed shortly after the start of the war, with delivery expected from June 1940, but these orders were cut back owing to changing priorities and the realisation that the loss rate of long range flying boats was very low.[1]
No production aircraft had been completed by the time of the Armistice in June 1940, with Antarès being evacuated to Port Lyautey in Morocco. It was operated by the Vichy French Navy, serving with Escadrille 4E at Dakar, continuing in service until the Allied Invasion of North Africa, when after brief fighting, the French armed forces in North Africa joined with the Free French. Antarès continued in service, carrying out patrols over the Central and South Atlantic. On 2 June 1943, Antarès sank the German submarine U-105 near Dakar.[3]Antarès was retired and scrapped early in 1944.[2]
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-105". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
Bibliographyedit
Bousquet, Gérard (2013). French Flying Boats of WW II. Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus. ISBN978-83-63678-06-7.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Potez-CAMS 141.
Aviafrance
April 27, 2024
potez, cams, french, long, range, reconnaissance, flying, boat, late, 1930s, intended, equip, french, navy, only, single, prototype, completed, before, german, invasion, france, stopped, production, that, prototype, however, serve, operationally, from, bases, . The Potez CAMS 141 was a French long range reconnaissance flying boat of the late 1930s Intended to equip the French Navy only a single prototype was completed before the German invasion of France stopped production That prototype did however serve operationally from bases in French North Africa until scrapped in 1943 Potez CAMS 141 Role Flying Boat Manufacturer Potez CAMS First flight January 21 1938 Introduction 1939 Retired 1943 Primary user French Navy Number built 1 Contents 1 Development and design 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Specifications Potez CAMS 141 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksDevelopment and design editThe Potez CAMS 141 was designed by Chantiers Aero Maritimes de la Seine or CAMS which since 1933 had been part of Potez to meet a 1935 French Navy specification for a long range marine reconnaissance flying boat to replace obsolete aircraft such as the Breguet Bizerte competing against the Latecoere 611 and Breguet 730 The prototype first flew on 21 January 1938 at Caudebec en Caux starting official trials in August 1938 1 It was a four engined monoplane powered by Hispano Suiza 12Y engines with a braced high aspect ratio wing mounted above the fuselage and a twin tail It was armed with a dorsal turret carrying two 7 5 mm Darne machine guns with a further two machine guns in lateral cheek barbettes and two in waist positions After evaluation a production order for four aircraft was placed with a further 15 being ordered before the start of the Second World War 1 Operational history editThe prototype named Antares entered service with Escadrille E8 of the French Navy in September 1939 flying its first patrol mission over the Atlantic on 20 September 1939 2 Additional large orders for Potez CAMS 141s were placed shortly after the start of the war with delivery expected from June 1940 but these orders were cut back owing to changing priorities and the realisation that the loss rate of long range flying boats was very low 1 No production aircraft had been completed by the time of the Armistice in June 1940 with Antares being evacuated to Port Lyautey in Morocco It was operated by the Vichy French Navy serving with Escadrille 4E at Dakar continuing in service until the Allied Invasion of North Africa when after brief fighting the French armed forces in North Africa joined with the Free French Antares continued in service carrying out patrols over the Central and South Atlantic On 2 June 1943 Antares sank the German submarine U 105 near Dakar 3 Antares was retired and scrapped early in 1944 2 Operators edit nbsp France French NavySpecifications Potez CAMS 141 edit nbsp Potez 141 3 view drawing from L Aerophile March 1938 Data from Warplanes of the Second World War Volume Five Flying Boats 1 General characteristicsCrew 9 12 Length 24 31 m 79 ft 9 in Wingspan 41 01 m 134 ft 7 in Height 7 85 m 25 ft 9 in Wing area 171 1 m2 1 842 sq ft Empty weight 15 031 kg 33 138 lb Gross weight 23 148 kg 51 033 lb Max takeoff weight 26 055 kg 57 441 lb Powerplant 2 Hispano Suiza 12Y 26 liquid cooled V 12 piston engines 640 kW 860 hp each handed rotation Powerplant 2 Hispano Suiza 12Y 27 liquid cooled V 12 piston engines 640 kW 860 hp each handed rotation Performance Maximum speed 320 km h 200 mph 170 kn Cruise speed 260 km h 160 mph 140 kn Endurance 30 hours Service ceiling 5 600 m 18 400 ft Wing loading 135 kg m2 28 lb sq ft Power mass 0 12 kW kg 0 073 hp lb Armament Two 7 5 mm Darne machine guns in dorsal turret two machine guns in lateral cheek barbettes and two machine guns in waist positions up to 1 500 kg 3 300 lb of bombs See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Blackburn Sydney Breguet 730 Dornier Do 24 Kawanishi H6K Latecoere 300 Latecoere 611 Liore et Olivier LeO H 47 Related lists List of aircraft of the French Air Force during World War II List of flying boats and floatplanesReferences edit a b c d Green William 1968 Warplanes of the Second World War Volume Five Flying Boats London Macdonald pp 42 43 ISBN 0 356 01449 5 a b Gerard Hartmann Les hydravions POTEZ PDF in French Retrieved 2007 08 22 Helgason Gudmundur U 105 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 2007 08 22 Bibliography editBousquet Gerard 2013 French Flying Boats of WW II Sandomierz Poland Stratus ISBN 978 83 63678 06 7 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Potez CAMS 141 Aviafrance Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Potez CAMS 141 amp oldid 1124302771, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
