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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a new prototype of a French Navy seaplane from the interwar period: the Potez 453.
In 1930, following a tender won by Potez for a new catapult-launched reconnaissance seaplane, the French Navy began operating the Potez 452 from several of its major warships. The aircraft proved to be reliable and well-liked by its crews, with seventeen examples eventually being built and deployed aboard French cruisers. Its good handling characteristics and compact design made it particularly well suited to operating from shipboard catapults.
In 1934, the French Navy issued a new requirement, this time for a catapult-launched fighter capable of escorting reconnaissance aircraft and protecting French warships from enemy aircraft, particularly torpedo bombers. Potez decided to use its experience with the Potez 452 as the basis for a new design. The resulting aircraft, designated Potez 453, retained the general layout of its predecessor but was extensively redesigned to fulfill its new role as a fighter.
Despite its origins, the Potez 453 was significantly different from the Potez 452. The most obvious change concerned the cockpit. The open cockpit of the reconnaissance aircraft was replaced by an enclosed cockpit positioned further aft on the fuselage, while the rear observer and gunner position was completely removed. This reduced the crew to a single pilot and allowed the aircraft to be made considerably more compact and aerodynamic.
The powerplant was also dramatically improved. The Potez 452 had been powered by a relatively modest 350 hp engine, limiting its maximum speed to approximately 217 km/h. For the Potez 453, Potez selected a much more powerful 720 hp engine, allowing the aircraft to reach around 325 km/h. This considerable increase in performance was essential for its intended mission, as the aircraft needed to intercept enemy torpedo bombers before they could reach the fleet.
The armament was similarly adapted to its new role. While the Potez 452 carried no fixed offensive armament, the Potez 453 was equipped with two machine guns mounted in the upper fuselage and positioned to fire forward. Combined with its increased speed and improved maneuverability, this gave the aircraft the firepower required to engage enemy aircraft.
The prototype made its maiden flight in 1935 and quickly demonstrated promising flight characteristics. One of its most interesting features was its use of high-lift flaps, which allowed the aircraft to maintain excellent control and energy retention even during very tight turns. This was particularly valuable for a small fighter operating in the confined environment around a fleet, where maneuverability was considered more important than outright speed.
Unfortunately for Potez, the company faced competition from Loire, which had submitted its own catapult-launched fighter, the Loire 210. Following the evaluation trials, the French Navy ultimately selected the Loire aircraft for the program. With no further requirement for the Potez 453, development was abandoned after the completion of the prototype, bringing the aircraft’s short career to an end.
Characteristics
Length : 10.20 m
Width : 11.20 m
Height : 3.46 m
Mass :
- Empty : 1 480 kg
- Max : 1 877 kg
The aircraft is powered by a single 720 hp Hispano-Suiza engine, enabling a top speed of 335 km/h and a service ceiling of 8,300 meters. Its stall speed is 94 km/h.
The crew consists of a single pilot seated in an enclosed cockpit.
Weapons
The aircraft’s armament is relatively simple, consisting of two 7.5mm MAC 34 machine guns mounted on top of the fuselage, positioned just beneath the propeller arc and directly in front of the pilot to improve aiming.
In-game, this seaplane would be a very interesting addition to the French tech tree, providing an amphibious fighter with good combat capabilities and a high top speed at a low Br.
Sources
- Les hydravions POTEZ
- Potez 452 (1932)
- Potez 452
- Potez 453 - Hydravion de chasse - Un siècle d’aviation française
- Potez 453 1935 (France). Hydravion de chasse. Le Potez 453 était un hydravion monoplace de chasse qui était directement développé à partir du Potez 452, un hydravion biplace d’observation. Il en conservait l’architecture générale mais possédait un moteur radial plus puissant, un Hispano-Suiza 14Hbs de 14 cylindres en double étoile développant 720 CV. Il possédait deux mitrailleuses MAC 34 de 7.5 mm placées dans le nez. Il pouvait être embarqué et catapulté à partir des navires de ligne de la Marine. Le prototype fit son premier vol le 24 septembre 1935. Les performances de cet appareil se révélèrent intéressantes mais il était affecté d’un couple à piquer très important. Finalement, après les essais officiels, le Potez 453 fut rejeté et ce fut le médiocre Loire… - Avions moches, bizarres, ratés, projets abandonnés et aviation insolite. | Facebook
- Potez and Potez-CAMS flying boats and seaplanes | Secret Projects Forum
