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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a new French aircraft from the interwar period: the Amiot 122Bp3.
During the 1920s, the French Air Force was looking to replace its aging reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft. Many of the aircraft still in service had been designed during the First World War and were rapidly becoming obsolete. In response to this need, the Amiot company developed a new aircraft: a relatively large biplane capable of carrying a crew of two or three while also carrying a significant bomb load.
The first version, designated Amiot 122 BN2, was a two-seat night bomber and made its maiden flight in 1924. Although the aircraft demonstrated good handling characteristics, it was somewhat underpowered. Unfortunately, the sole prototype was lost in a crash in 1925.
A new prototype was subsequently developed, featuring a different engine along with several minor modifications. This aircraft continued testing until 1927, when the French Air Force placed an order for 80 aircraft of a three-seat variant.
This resulted in the Amiot 122Bp3. Deliveries began in 1930, and the aircraft entered service as a replacement for much older biplanes, including the Breguet 14.
Known by its crews as “Grosse Julie” (Big Julie), the Amiot 122Bp3 had a relatively uneventful operational career. By the mid-1930s, its biplane configuration and overall performance had become increasingly outdated compared with the new generation of modern bombers.
As a result, the Amiot 122Bp3 remained in service for only a few years before being replaced by considerably more advanced twin-engine bombers. By 1935, the “Grosse Julie” had effectively reached the end of its operational career, marking the conclusion of another transitional design in the rapid modernization of French military aviation during the interwar period.
Characteristics
Length : 13.72 m
Width : 21.50 m
Height : 5.15 m
Mass :
- Empty : 2,260 kg
- Full : 4,200 kg
The aircraft is powered by a single 650 hp Lorraine 18Kd engine mounted in the nose, allowing it to reach a top speed of 205 km/h and a service ceiling of 6,200 m. It has a range of 1,000 km without additional fuel tanks and 1,700km with.
The crew consists of three people: a pilot, an observer/ventral gunner, and a dorsal gunner.
Weapons
The aircraft’s armament is quite interesting, consisting of small-caliber machine guns positioned to provide coverage from most angles, complemented by a light bomb load.
Defensive armament:
- 2 x 7.7mm Lewis machine guns (dorsal turret)
- 1 x 7.7mm Lewis machine gun (ventral mount)
Offensive armament:
- 2 x 7.7mm Lewis machine guns
- 800 kg of bombs
In-game, this aircraft would add a heavy ground-attack biplane to the French tree, featuring a strong payload capacity combined with solid defensive capabilities, making it an interesting addition that rounds out the air tech tree.
Pictures
