Dewoitine D.342 is the ultimate
version of the series of planes commercial three-engined aircrafts
of Dewoitine. It is of completely metallic conception, in low wing
with a retractable landing gear. Its drawing is purer than that
of his predecessor, the D338, with a wider fuselage, of egg-shaped
section which allowed him to take 24 passengers and two crew members.
The access to the aircraft is made left-hand side, by a door situated
behind the cockpit. It is motorized by three Gnomes-Rhône
14N of 960 ch with three-blade propellers in variable steps. Its
reservoirs of a total capacity of 2600 liters authorized him an
autonomy of 1000kms approximately.
The aircraft makes its first
flight on November 23, 1938. It will be delivered to Air France
only in 1942, under registration F-ARIZ and chartered on African
lines. On September 27, 1942, the plane, which was supposed to go
to Dakar, crashed on the takeoff of Amer El Ein, 70 km from Algiers.
There were no survivors.
