The rise of seaplanes onboard
led to the idea of owning a floatplane able to protect French Fleet
ships against enemy seaplanes.
From 1931, the future Admiral
Lartigue publishes a note, in this sense. This will culminate in
1933, on an official program to provide the Naval Aeronautics with
a Catapultable Fighting Seaplane. One of the technical requirements
was the use of the Hispano-suiza 9V radial engine of 700cv, which
is renowned for its reliability.
Four manufacturers have responded
to the program: The company Dewoitine proposed a HD 502, derived
from the D500, refused because maintaining the online engine of
its terrestrial version. The Bernard 110 was dismissed because of
the bankruptcy of the company. The Potez 453, considered unstable
at takeoff at sea, was also rejected. The Romano company proposed
a biplane R90, also not selected for a lack of stability at sea.
The Loire Company presented the Loire 210, which, responding well
to the program, won the competition.
The Loire 210 made its first
flight on March 21, 1935. The aircraft is healthy and its performances
are considered correct. Its piloting is easy, and it passes all
the program of classic aerobatics. His catapulting is easy and his
behavior at sea is good. Trials end in the fall of 1935.
The company Loire, however,
studied a version equipped with a Gnome and Rhône K14 engine
more powerful and diameter smaller, so more aerodynamic. The aircraft,
designated Loire 211, reached 330 km / h, but was not retained by
Naval Aviation.
An order for 20 aircrafs
is passed on May 12, 1937. But the development of the prototypes
will be long and the assembly of the series models will be several
delayed to incorporate modifications. When the first aircrafts arrive
finally in unit, they will be already exceeded. The Loire 210 will
be delivered between November 1938 and September 1939. 21 units
are built and equip squadrons HC1 (Dunkerque Strasbourg) and HC2
(Richelieu and Jean Bart) from August 1939.
The aircraft was therefore
catapultable and was recovered after its mission via a crane along
the ship. This recovery maneuver, long, could be particularly delicate
if the sea was not calm. An original solution was tested: the ship
had a wide notched ramp at the stern of the ship, which was to allow
the pilot of the aircraft to land at the rear of the boat, and come
and grab his floats on the carpet before being put back on board
after tilting the ramp!
However, the career of Loire
210 was short. The aircraft experienced some accidents that will
put an end to its use. Thus, on October 17, 1939, the Loire 210
piloted by Lieutenant (Navy) Ziegler, commander of the HC1, breaks
in flight during an aerobatic session. The pilot parachutes himself
and is safe and sound, but the investigation will reveal, on some
other aircraft in the unit, cracks on the main spar of the wing
.. The technical services decide in November 1939, the withdrawal
of the service of all the Loire 210 and thus the dissolution of
the Escadrille HC1.
