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AMIOT 143M

 


Technical Specifications
Type
Bomber medium monoplane with high wings and fixed landing gear
Date first flight
August 1934
Wingspan
24.45 m 
Lenght
18.24 m 
Height
5.13 m 
Wing Area
96 m2 
Empty Weight
5445 Kg 
Max. Takeoff Weight
11500 Kg 
Cruising Speed
250 km/h. 
Maximum Speed
295 km/h at 3400m 
Climbing Speed
2000m in 6mn 8s 
Service ceilling
9700m 
Range
1300kms 
Crew
5 Men
Motorization
2 Radial Engine Gnôme & Rhône 14 cyl 14 Kirs of 870 Hp each
Armament
1 machine-gun MAC 34 of 7.5mm in the front turret
1 machine-gun MAC 34 of 7.5mmin the ventral turret

1 machine-gun MAC 34 of 7.5mm in the dorsal turret

900 Kgs of bombs

 


Production

141 Amiot 143 have been built since the date of the first flight on August 1934 in one only version, the Amiot 143M.

To date, out of the 141 aircraft manufactured, 65 are listed in the list below :

 


Historical

In 1928, the State issued an official note for a multi-seat of fight able to fulfill missions of Combat Diurnal and Nocturnes. The Société Amiot, won the competition against three other competitors. The aircraft: the Amiot 140M, equipped with Hispano-Suiza 12 Nbr engines made its first flight on April 12, 1931. After the first tests, some modifications were made: the addition of a front turret, displacement of the bomb bay towards the left and increasing the lower glazed surface.

In November 1933, a first order of 40 copies was issued. The Amiot 143M powered by Gnome Rh�ne 14 K Mistral Major of 740 CV with air-cooling made its first flight the 1st August 1934. It subsequently received GR 14 Kirs / Kjrs of 850CV. The first tests at the CEMA led to modifications, including the enlargement of the drift in September 1934 and the lengthening of the fuselage of 25cm in December 1934. The first series aircraft finally flew in April 1935. Two additional orders (73 in April, 1935 and 25 in 1936), bring the number of planes made in 148, the last one being delivered in March, 1937.

This bi-motor had a particular design: its wing profile was so thick, that the engineer could access the engines or tanks in flight by the inside of the wing. The cockpit was on two levels with the pilot at the top level. The lower part was occupied by the front and rear gunners, the radio, and the Navigator-Bomber-Co-pilot, who was able to take the orders from his post via a steering wheel linked to that of the pilot by chains. The bottom part was crossed by a corridor which followed the bombs bay propped up on the left of the aircraft. The load of Bombs was taken in the hold and could be completed by two outside catchers under the wing on both sides of the fuselage. The defensive armament first of all compound of machine guns Lewis of 7.5mm is afterward modified to be equipped with MAC 34 of 7.5mm.

Derived versions were studied without consequences. These include the more modern AMIOT 144M5, equipped with Shutters and a retractable landing gear, the unique version of which was flying in January 1936, and the Amiot 150BE for the naval aircraft which flew in September 1937 and was Abandoned following an accident.

Although outdated, 87 of these aircraft still equip the Groups of Bombardment in the mobilization. Faced with their extreme vulnerability, the AMIOT 143M were very quickly reserved for nocturnal missions, but given the urgency of the situation, certain missions were carried out during the day, such As that of Sedan on May 14th, 1940 which ended "only" with the loss of three aircraft.

After the Armistice, 52 Amiot 143 were listed in the Free Zone and 25 in North Africa. In metropolis, these aircraft are used until 1941, date in which they are replaced by LéO 451.In AFN, they were still used during the Syrian campaign from May to July 1941, and were then are used for missions of transport within the GT III / 15.During the invasion of the Free Zone, only 11 Amiot 143 remained in the metropolis, of which only 3 were in a flying condition. In AFN, the last aircraft was retired from service in February 1944.

 


Versions

The Amiot 143 was only built in one version: the Amiot 143M.


Bibliography

1) _ Editions Larivière :
-Le Fanatique de l'Aviation No331 et 332

2) _ Editions LELA-PRESSE : "L'AMIOT 143"
by Jérome RIBEIRO et Michel LEDET

 


Photos Album

 


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