{{Short description|French monoplane fighter}} <!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. --> {{Infobox aircraft | name = Wibault 7 | logo = | logo_size = | image = Wibault 72.jpg | alt = | caption = Wibault 74 | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Monoplane fighter | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = France | manufacturer = [[Wibault]] | design_group = | designer = [[Michel Wibault]] | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = ''[[Aéronautique Militaire]]'' | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = 1929 | retired = | first_flight = 1924 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = [[Vickers Wibault]] | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

The '''Wibault 7''' was a 1920s [[France|French]] monoplane [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]] designed and built by ''[[Société des Avions Michel Wibault]]''. Variants were operated by the French and Polish military and built under licence for Chile as the [[Vickers Wibault]].

==Development== Developed from the earlier Wib.3 the Wibault 7 was a C.I category single-seat high-wing braced parasol monoplane fighter powered by a {{convert|480|hp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}} [[Gnome-Rhone 9Ad]] [[radial engine]]. The main difference from earlier aircraft was the use of an all-metal construction system which was patented by Wibault. The first prototype flew in 1924, and was followed by two more prototypes. Despite being placed only third in the competition (behind the [[Nieuport-Delage NiD 42]] and the [[Gourdou-Leseurre GL.30|Gourdou-Leseurre GL.32]]), an order for 25 Wib.7s was placed in January 1927.<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> These were followed in production by 60 aircraft for the ''[[Aéronautique Militaire]]'' as the '''Wib.72''' which entered service in 1929. 26 Wib.7s were built for Chile under licence by [[Vickers]] in England.

Plans to sell the aircraft to Poland did not come about, but the [[Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze|PZL]] company bought a licence and manufactured 25 aircraft with Bristol Jupiter engines, designated in Poland as Wibault 70C1, to the Polish military.<ref name=morg>Morgała, Andrzej (2003), p. 29-31</ref> One or two of them were fitted with [[Wright Cyclone]] engine.<ref name=morg/> The next variant was the '''Wib.73''', with seven built for Paraguay. The French Navy bought some carrier-capable '''Wib.74'''s with a strengthened fuselage and arrestor hook.

==Variants== ;Wib.7 :Prototype powered by a 480&nbsp;hp (358&nbsp;kW) [[Gnome-Rhone 9A]]d radial engine. Two further prototypes followed by 25 production aircraft.<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> ;[[Wibault 9|Wib.71]] Re-engined with a {{convert|400|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} [[Hispano 12 J]]b engine but redesignated Wib.9 before completion.<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> ;Wib.72 :Strengthened production aircraft for French Air Force and Poland. 85 built.<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> ;Wib.73 :Production aircraft for Poland and Paraguay powered by {{convert|336|kW|hp|abbr=on}} [[Lorraine-Dietrich 12E]]b [[W engine]]. 11 built .<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> ;Wib.74 :Production navalised aircraft for the French Navy. 18 built.<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> ;[[Vickers Wibault|Vickers Wibault Scout]] :Licensed production with a [[Bristol Jupiter]] engine for Chile, 26 built. ;Wibault 70C1 :Licensed production with a Bristol Jupiter engine for Poland, 25 built by [[Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze|PZL]]<ref name=morg/>

==Operators== ;{{CHI}} *[[Chilean Air Force]] ;{{FRA}} *''[[Aéronautique Militaire]]'' *[[French Navy]] ;{{PAR}} *[[Military of Paraguay|Paraguayan Air Force]] received 7 Wib.73s. Three remained in service at the outbreak of the [[Chaco War]] between Paraguay and [[Bolivia]].<ref name="Complete fighters p596"/> ;{{POL}} *[[Polish Air Force]]

==Specifications (Wib 7)== [[File:Wibault_7_C1_3-view_L'Aéronautique_April,1927.png|thumb|Wibault 7 C1 3-view drawing from L'Aéronautique April,1927]] {{Aircraft specs |ref=''The Complete Book of Fighters''<ref name="Complete fighters p596">Green and Swanborough 1994, p. 596.</ref> |prime units? = met<!-- eng for US/UK aircraft, met for all others --> |crew=one |length m=7.45 |length ft=24 |length in=5.33 |span m=11.00 |span ft=36 |span in=1.13 |height m=2.90 |height ft=9 |height in=6.13 |wing area sqm=22.0 |wing area sqft=236.8 |empty weight kg=827 |empty weight lb=1,823 |gross weight kg=1,444 |gross weight lb=3,183 |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Bristol Jupiter|Gnome et Rhône 9A]]c |eng1 kw=313 |eng1 hp=420 |max speed kmh=227 |max speed mph=141 |range km=600 |range miles=373 |ceiling m=8,500 |ceiling note=<ref>Angelucci 1983, p. 116.</ref>|ceiling ft=27,900 |climb rate ms= 5.4 |climb rate note=<ref>Climb to {{convert|5000|m|ft|-2|abbr=on}}:15.3 min.</ref>|climb rate ftmin=1,070 |armament = *2x 7.7 mm [[Vickers machine gun]]s }}

==See also== * [[Aerial operations in the Chaco War]] {{aircontent <!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. --> |see also= |related=*[[Vickers Wibault]] |similar aircraft=<!-- similar or comparable aircraft --> |lists=*[[List of Interwar military aircraft]]<!-- related lists --> }}

==References== {{Commons category|Wibault 7}} ===Notes=== {{Reflist}}

===Bibliography=== *Angelucci, Enzo. ''The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980''. San Diego, California: The Military Press, 1983. {{ISBN|0-517-41021-4}}. *{{cite journal |last1=Bruner|first1=Georges|title=Fighters a la Francaise, Part One|journal=Air Enthusiast |date=1977|issue=3 |pages=85–95 |issn=0143-5450}} *{{cite journal |last1=Cortet|first1=Pierre|title=Courrier Lecteurs|journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=December 1996 |issue=45 |page=2 |trans-title=Readers Mail |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *{{cite journal |last1=Cortet|first1=Pierre|title=Courrier Lecteurs|journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=February 1997 |issue=42 |pages=2–3 |trans-title= |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *{{cite journal |last1=Cortet |first1=Pierre |title=Le Wibault 7 et ses dérivés (1<sup>e</sup> partie) |journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=February 1996 |issue=35 |pages=7–13 |trans-title=The Wibault 7 and its Derivatives |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *{{cite journal |last1=Cortet |first1=Pierre |title=Le Wibault 7 et ses dérivés (2<sup>e</sup> partie) |journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=March 1996 |issue=36 |pages=17–21 |trans-title= |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *{{cite journal |last1=Cortet |first1=Pierre |title=Le Wibault 7 et ses dérivés (3<sup>e</sup> partie) |journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=April 1996 |issue=37 |pages=17–18 |trans-title=|language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. ''The Complete Book of Fighters.'' New York: Smithmark, 1994. {{ISBN|0-8317-3939-8}}. *{{cite journal |last1=Laureau|first1=Patrick |title=En passant par l'Angleterre...: De la France au Chili: les Wilbault 7C1|journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=August 1996 |issue=41 |pages=28–31 |trans-title=Passing Through England: From France to Chile |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *{{cite journal |last1=Luczak |first1=Wojciech |title=Les Wibault polonais |journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=June 1996 |issue=39 |pages=33–34 |trans-title=The Polish Wilbault 7s |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *{{cite journal |last1=Morareau |first1=Lucien |title=Les Wibault 74 de la Marine |journal= Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=May 1996 |issue=38 |pages=14–19 |trans-title=The Naval Wibault 7s |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *Morgała, Andrzej (2003). ''Samoloty wojskowe w Polsce 1924–1939'' [Military aircraft in Poland 1924–1939], Warsaw: Bellona. {{ISBN|83-11-09319-9}} {{in lang|pl}} *{{cite journal |last1=Sapienza|first1=Antonio Luis |title=Les Wibault 73 C.1 paraguayens et brésiliens|journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=July 1996 |issue=40 |pages=15–18|trans-title=Paraguayan and Brazilian Wibault 73 C.1s|language=French |issn=1243-8650}} *Taylor, Michael J. H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation''. London: Studio Editions, 1989. {{ISBN|0-517-69186-8}}. *''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft'' (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.

{{Wibault aircraft}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wibault aircraft|Wib 7]] [[Category:1920s French fighter aircraft|Wibault 07]]