- Yes
- No
Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a new prototype developed for the French Air Force: the Dyle et Bacalan DB-10.
In the late 1920s, the French military sought to modernize its bomber force and issued a requirement for a new night bomber capable of carrying out operations in darkness. Several French manufacturers responded to the program, including Dyle et Bacalan, a company founded in 1879 that had initially specialized in naval engineering before eventually turning its attention to aviation.
Rather than developing a conventional bomber, Dyle et Bacalan engineers opted for a highly unconventional solution. The DB-10 was built around a lifting-body concept, with a large forward wing intended to generate additional lift and contribute to the aircraft’s overall performance. The aircraft accommodated a crew of three and was immediately recognizable thanks to its unusual fuselage and the cockpit positioned high above the main body.
Although the concept was certainly innovative, its unusual configuration also created serious aerodynamic problems. The aircraft generated considerable drag, resulting in a very low top speed and poor overall performance. At a time when fighter aircraft were becoming increasingly faster, this was a particularly serious weakness for a bomber that would potentially have to operate in enemy airspace.
The DB-10 was therefore unable to meet the French Air Force’s expectations and was ultimately rejected in favor of competing designs. The project never progressed beyond the prototype stage, and the aircraft’s unconventional lifting-body concept remained little more than an interesting experiment.
Unfortunately, there is not much more to say about this aircraft, except that there is a superb video showing it in flight.
Characteristics
Length : 13.60 m
Width : 25.00 m
Height : 3.80 m
Mass :
- Empty : 3,150 kg
- Full : 5,600 kg
The aircraft is powered by two 480 hp Gnome et Rhône 9A Jupiter engines, enabling it to reach a top speed of 195 km/h and a service ceiling of 5,500 m.
The crew consists of three people—a front gunner, a pilot, and a co-pilot/observer—seated one behind the other in that order.
Weapons
The aircraft’s armament is relatively simple; it features a rather impressive bomb load but is severely limited in terms of defensive weaponry.
Defensive armament:
- 1 x twin 7.7mm Lewis machine gun
Offensive armament:
- 1,300 kg of bombs
In-game, this aircraft would be an interesting addition, offering a bomber with a very good bomb load but an inability to defend itself effectively due to its low speed and inadequate armament.
Picture
Sources
- https://archive.org/details/Flight_International_Magazine_1926-12-02-pdf/mode/2up
- NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 19930089262: Dyle and Bacalan metal monoplane, D.B. 10 : night bomber - equipped with two 420 HP. Jupiter engines : NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
- Dyle et Bacalan DB-10 - Bombardier lourd - Un siècle d’aviation française
- Société Anonyme de travaux Dyle et Bacalan
