The Gourdou Leseurre prototype
GL-832 HY, a light coastal patrol aircraft designed for the French
Naval Air Force, was an evolution of the GL-830 HY model, but with
a 250 hp Hispano-Suiza radial engine against 350 hp for its predecessor.
The GL-831 HY prototype made its first flight on December 23, 1931.
It was transferred on January 25, 1932 to Saint-Raphael to carry
out its tests. In May, the tests are momentarily interrupted to
make modifications to the prototype, in particular on the floats
and empennages.
Tests resumed in July, and
in 1933, a first order of 6 serial copies passed by the state under
the designation of GL-832 HY and the first aircraft made are first
flight on December 17, 1934. These are motorized by a Hispano-Suiza
9Qb of 230Cv. The manufacturer proposed to motorize its aircraft
by a Hispano-Suiza 9Qd more powerful, but the technical services
have advanced that the GL-832 to intervene in missions out of reach
of the land planes, did not require, of this fact, a more powerful
engine
The aircraft is composed
of a metal structure, except the front part of the fuselage which
is covered with duralumin sheet. The design of the drift is more
traditional than that of the GL-812, The horizontal stabilizer is
positioned under the fuselage and is reinforced by two tie rods
per side. The folding wings are structurally reinforced to allow
catapulting.
The crew takes place in two
separate cabins, protected by a windshield.
In total, 22 copies of GL-832
will be manufactured.
The aircraft was presented in 1936, at the exhibition of the French
Fleet of the Paris Air Show.
The GL-832 HY was delivered
to second-class cruisers, as well as to colonial boats. Since they
do not have catapults, the seaplanes are placed on the water by
a crane before take-off.
In 1938, only the cruisers
"Emile Bertin", "Duguay-Trouin", "Lamotte-Piquet"
and "Primauguet" still use GL-832. At the declaration
of war, the Far Eastern fleet still has five GL-832s: two aboard
the "Primauguet", two assigned to the Colonial Patrol
and one is in reserve in Saigon. Five more GL-832s are used by the
cruiser "Emile-Bertin" and two other patrol boats.
In August 1940, eight GL-832s
are still listed in the active units.
