Potez 50

{{short description|French biplane of the 1930s}} <!-- This article is a part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout. --> {{Infobox aircraft | name = Potez 50 | logo = | logo_size = | image = Potez 50 L'Aerophile April 1933.jpg | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Reconnaissance aircraft, bomber aircraft or night fighter | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = France | manufacturer = Aéroplanes Henry Potez | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = at least 3 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = Before July 1931 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = Potez 506 | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

The '''Potez 50''' or '''Potez 50 A2''' was a French two seat military multi-role aircraft, first flown in 1931. It did not go into service but seven variants using five different engines were produced, one of them setting several speed with useful load records and another, the Potez 506, setting three altitude world records.

==Design==

The Potez 50 was a single bay sesquiplane. Both upper and lower wings were in two parts and were unswept with constant chord, though the trailing edge of the upper wing tapered outboard into rounded tips. The lower wing had a smaller chord as well as being about one third shorter. Both were built around two spruce and plywood box spars and were fabric covered. The outward leaning pairs of interplane struts were closer on the lower wing as its spars were closer together; additional wire bracing completed the structure. The upper wing was braced over the fuselage on parallel pairs of outward and slightly backward leaning cabane struts to the upper fuselage; the lower wings were attached to the fuselage. The wings lacked dihedral and were mounted with marked stagger; only the upper wing carried ailerons, which occupied about half the span.<ref name=Lailes6/>

The Potez 50 and its variants were powered by five different nose-mounted engines, two inlines and three radials, detailed below. The first of these was a {{convert|600|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Lorraine 12Fd Courlis water-cooled W-12 engine, enclosed by a close fitting metal cowling which followed the contours of its three-cylinder banks. There was a large, rectangular, honeycomb radiator on the fuselage underside at the rear of the engine, equipped with a shutter. Behind the engine the fuselage was built around four longerons making it flat sided though with rounded ply decking; the central part of the fuselage around the cockpits was also ply skinned, with fabric aft. The pilot's open cockpit was under an angular cut-out in the upper trailing edge which widened his field of view; he controlled a fixed, forward firing machine gun and the gunner/observer's position close behind had a pair of machine guns on a flexible mount as well as radio and photographic equipment.<ref name=Lailes6/>

At the rear the empennage was conventional, with a cropped triangular tailplane mounted on top of the fuselage and braced from below on each side by an inverted V-strut, allowing its incidence to be varied in flight. Its elevators were separate and balanced. The Potez 50 had an almost triangular fin and a rounded, unbalanced rudder which reached to the keel.<ref name=Lailes6/>

The undercarriage was fixed with the mainwheels under aircraft fairings and on split axles centrally mounted on a transverse V-strut from the central lower fuselage. The track was {{convert|2.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. Short, faired legs with rubber shock absorbers and drag struts were attached to the outer lower fuselage. The steerable tailskid also had a rubber damper.<ref name=Lailes6/>

==Operational history==

The date of the first flight of the Potexz 50 is not known but it had already been tested by the end of June 1931 as it was selected, along with three other prototypes, to make a publicity tour of eastern Europe which began on 5 July.<ref name=Lailes1/> In October, still Courlis powered, it was at the government testing field at Villacoublay,<ref name=Lailes2/> but in December it was back at the Potez base at Meaulte with an unspecified {{convert|650|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Hispano-Suiza engine.<ref name=Lailes3/><ref name=Lailes4/> By March another engine change had been made, this time to the Salmson 18AB, an eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial<ref name=Lailes6/><ref name=Lailes5/> producing the same power as the Hispano.

Two Potez 50s were flying by the summer of 1932, one with an Hispano engine and the other with another radial, a supercharged, fourteen cylinder, {{convert|700|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Gnome-Rhône Mistral Major. They both contested the Circuit des Alpes, with the Hispano powered aircraft officially entered and placed second, under two minutes behind the winner and the second, unofficial entrant six minutes behind.<ref name=Lailes7/> The Potez 50 A2, powered by a {{convert|700|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} 14Kbrs Mistral Major engine, set two international records at Villacoublay on 16 September 1932 carrying a useful loads of {{convert|500 and 1000|kg|lb|abbr=on}} over {{convert|500|km|mi|abbr=on}}; the heavier load was carried at {{convert|294.194|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Lavion/><ref name=LaGen/> In December it was on display at the 1932 Paris Aero Show, identified as the '''Potez 503'''.<ref name=LaGen/>

In March 1933 Lemoine set further French and world load carrying speed records, some at least in a '''Potez 505''' 14Kbrs powered variant.<ref name=Lailes8/><ref name=Flight2/> The most significant records, set by the '''Potez 506''' variant with a more powerful {{convert|800|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} K14drs engine,<ref name=Flight1/> were those of altitude: it twice set new absolute world records, first at {{convert|13661|m|ft|abbr=on}} by Lemoine on 28 September 1933 and then at {{convert|14843|m|ft|abbr=on}} by Détré on 14 August 1936.<ref name=LAA/> The same aircraft was flown by Maryse Hilsz to set a new women's fixed-wing aircraft altitude record of {{convert|14309|m|ft|abbr=on}} on 23 June 1936 which still stood in 1948.<ref name=Flight3/>

During May 1935 Détré demonstrated the '''Potez 501''' with a {{convert|1000|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Hispano-Suiza 14AA (Type 79) fourteen cylinder radial engine.<ref name=Lailes9/>

The pre-war French civil aircraft register records three Potez 50s, one a 501 and the other two 502s. One of the latter was converted into the 503.<ref name=ABA/>

==Variants== ; Potez 50: military prototype as described, initially with Lorraine 12Fd Courlis engine.<ref name=Lailes6/> ; Potez 501: {{convert|700|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Gnome-Rhône 14Kbrs Mistral Major.<ref name=avfr1/> It later had a {{convert|1000|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Hispano-Suiza 14AA two-row radial.<ref name=Lailes9/> ; Potez 502: two built.<ref name=ABA/> ; Potez 503: Gnome-Rhône 14K. Set 1932 speed with load records, displayed at 1932 Paris Salon.<ref name=LaGen/> one converted from 502.<ref name=ABA/> ; Potex 504: ; Potez 505: Gnome-Rhône 14Kbrs Mistral Major.<ref name=Lailes8/> ; Potez 506: {{convert|800|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs Mistral Major with higher compression and improved supercharger,<ref name=Flight1/> driving a three blade propeller. Set three world altitude records.<ref name=LAA/><ref name=LaeroP1/>

==Specifications (Potez 50, Courlis engine) == {{Aircraft specs |ref=''Les Ailes March 1932'' <ref name=Lailes6/> |prime units?=met <!-- General characteristics --> |genhide=

|crew=Two |capacity= |length m=9.496 |length note= |span m=14.80 |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |height m=3.638 |height note= |wing area sqm=42 |wing area note= |aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes --> |airfoil= |empty weight kg=1640 |empty weight note=equipped |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=2700 |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|360|L|Impgal USgal|abbr=on}} |more general= <!-- Powerplant --> |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Lorraine 12Fd Courlis |eng1 type=water-cooled W-12 engine |eng1 hp=600 |eng1 note= |power original=

|more power=

|prop blade number=2 |prop name= |prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia note=

<!-- Performance --> |perfhide=

|max speed kmh=244 |max speed note=at ground level |cruise speed kmh=200 |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km=650 |range nmi= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |endurance=<!-- if range unknown --> |ceiling m=7200 |ceiling note=absolute |g limits=<!-- aerobatic --> |roll rate=<!-- aerobatic --> |glide ratio=<!-- sailplanes --> |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude=9.2 min to {{convert|3000|m|ft|abbr=on}} |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass= |thrust/weight=

|more performance= <!-- Armament --> |armament= * 1×fixed, forward firing machine gun * 2×machine guns on a flexible mount in rear cockpit |guns= |bombs=

|avionics= }}

==References== {{Commons category}} {{reflist|2|refs=

<ref name=LAA>{{cite book |title= L'Année Aéronautique|last1=Hirschauer 1936-7|first1=L.|last2= Dollfus|first2=Ch. |year=1937 |publisher=Dunod|location=Paris |url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6554818g/f95}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes1>{{cite journal |date=2 July 1931|title=La tournée de propagande du Ministere de L'Air|journal=Les Ailes |issue=524 |pages=11|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6555773n/f11}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes2>{{cite journal |date=October 1931|title=À Villacoublay|journal=Les Ailes |issue=539 |pages=12|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65557883/f12}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes3>{{cite journal |date=17 December 1931|title=À Meaulte|journal=Les Ailes |issue=548 |pages=11|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65557972/f12}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes4>{{cite journal |date=7 January 1932|title=À Meaulte|journal=Les Ailes |issue=551 |pages=12|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6560147t/f16}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes5>{{cite journal |date=3 March 1932|title=À Meaulte|journal=Les Ailes |issue=559 |pages=12|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6560155c/f12}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes6>{{cite journal |last=Frachet |first=André |date=11 March 1932 |title=L'avion Henry Potez 50 A2|journal=Les Ailes|issue=560 |pages=3|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6560156s/f3}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes7>{{cite journal |date=18 August 1932 |title=Coups d'ailes|journal=Les Ailes|issue=583 |pages=3|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6560179s/f15}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes8>{{cite journal |date=6 April 1933 |title=À l'Aéro-Club de France – Homologation de records|journal=Les Ailes|issue=616 |pages=9|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65568435/f9}}</ref>

<ref name=Lailes9>{{cite journal |date=16 May 1935 |title=À Villacoublay|journal=Les Ailes|issue=726 |pages=3|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6553881x/f3}}</ref>

<ref name=Lavion>{{cite journal |date=September 1932 |title=Un record|journal=L'Avion|issue=73 |pages=3|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5414175j/f3}}</ref>

<ref name=LaGen>{{cite journal |date=3 December 1932 |title=Paris Aero Salon|journal=La Genie Civil|volume=CI|issue=23 |pages=7|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6488373s/f8}}</ref>

<ref name=LaeroP1>{{cite journal |date=May 1937|title=Médailles|journal=L'Aérophile |pages=XXIII|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65543803/f67}}</ref>

<ref name=Flight1>{{cite magazine |date=19 October 1933 |title= The new altitude record|magazine= Flight|volume=XXV |issue=42 |page=414 |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1933/1933%20-%200797.html }}</ref>

<ref name=Flight2>{{cite journal |date=16 August 1934 |title=The World's Aviation Records|journal= Flight|volume=XXVI |issue=1338 |pages=844 |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200842.html }}</ref>

<ref name=Flight3>{{cite journal |date=29 August 1948|title=Women's Records (Class C)|journal= Flight|volume=LIII |issue=2040 |pages=114 |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1948/1948%20-%200134.html }}</ref>

<ref name=ABA>{{cite journal |date=2014|title=F-1922|journal=Air Britain Archive|pages=2014/032, 2014/126, 2014/170| first1=Martin| last1=Bernard| last2=Sparrow| first2=Dave| last3=Espérou|first3=Robert}}</ref>

<ref name=avfr1>{{cite web |url=http://www.aviafrance.com/potez-501-aviation-france-9770.htm|title=Potez 501 |author=Bruno Parmentier |date=25 January 2004 |accessdate=2 March 2016}}</ref>

}}

{{Potez aircraft}}

050 Category:1930s French military reconnaissance aircraft Category:Sesquiplanes Category:Aircraft first flown in 1931