In 1932, the Navy issued
a program to acquire a distant exploration seaplane, which could
operate from bases in the colonies.
Although it was the Breguet
Bizerte that won the competition, we ordered a prototype of its
unfortunate competitor, the Loire 70. This practice, surprising,
but common at that time, had no doubt, in order not to weaken more
the industry Aeronautics, trying to keep all the builders in activity
...
The prototype was quickly
built and, powered by three Gnome Rhône 9Kbrs 500 hp each,
he made his first flight, December 28, 1933. But as often at that
time, the technical services have requested many changes and developments
that have significantly delayed the commissioning of the aircraft.
Seven copies are ordered by the Navy, but it is only in 1937, more
than three years after the first flight of the prototype, that the
first Loire 70 are delivered in units ...
The Loire 70 of wood construction
and metal covered, is a seaplane with central hull, and high wing.
The balance at anchor is provided by two small floats under the
wings. It is now powered by 3 Gnôme Rhône 9Kfrs 9 cylinders
star mounted on pylons. These engines, more powerful than those
of the prototype of origin, develop 740ch each and lead to two-blade
metal propellers. Ttwo engines take place classically on the front
part of the wing, and the third, placed in the center of the wing
in the rear part is propulsive.
The fuselage is of a particularly
complex design, with many glazed surfaces. The defensive armament,
consisting of 7.5mm machine guns Darne is distributed over 5 positions.
2 machine guns in the front of the fuselage, 1 machine gun on each
side of the front of the fuselage, 2 in back dorsal position and
finally one installed in part ventral, just behind the hull. This
postion, impractical, required the gunner to disassemble his weapon
before each "takeoff" or landing.
Offensive weaponry includes
either 600 kg of bombs or four 75 kg ASM grenades, all installed
under the wings.
The first aircraft were delivered
at the end of 1937, to the E7 Squadron based in Karouba. Their mission
was to patrol over the Mediterranean, and possibly to carry out
bombing. Suffice to say that these aircrafts, far too slow and old-fashioned
at their arrival in unity, were totally ineffective in this last
type of mission. Before entering the war, however, they carried
out their missions of surveillance of the Navy of Mussolini in mediterrannée.
Deliveries lasted until the middle of 1938, when the E7 Squadron
had 8 Loire 70s, including the prototype delivered to standard equipment
and delivered in units. The Loire 70, rather fragile, was the victim
of many failures or accidents, especially at the hull, engine mounts
or even engines: the declaration of war in September 1939, only
5 aircraft were still present at the Squadron E7. On February 12,
1940, following two accidents, the Loire 70 was banned from flying,
and replaced by LeO H43, hardly more effective ...
The operational career of
this hydroplane was so brief and lacking! His only contact with
the Italian enemy was fatal: the aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica
bombard on June 12, 1940, the base of Karouba where are wet 4 Loie
70. Three of them were destroyed and the fourth, seems to have taken
off . The last Loire 70 will be scrapped soon after.
