Loire 46

The Loire 46 was an improved modification of two previous Loire fighters—the Loire 43 and 45. Although improved, it resembled the earlier machines retaining their gull mono-wing configuration, open cockpit, and fixed landing gear. The first of five prototype Loire 46s flew in September 1934. It demonstrated excellent handling characteristics and 60 production aircraft were ordered by the Armée de l'Air.

The initial machines arrived at fighter Escadrilles in August 1936. In September 1936, the five prototype Loire 46s were sent to the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War.^[1]

By the beginning of World War II, the Loire 46's gull wing configuration was recognized as obsolete and most of these fighters had been relegated to Armée de l'Air training schools, where they were used as advanced trainers. However, one fighter Escadrille was still equipped with the Loire 46 during the early weeks of the war. Their performance against modern German fighters was predictable.

Loire 46.01

First Loire 46 prototype.

Loire 46

Single-seat fighter/trainer aircraft.

  France

• Armee de l'Air

  Spain

• Spanish Republican Air Force

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7.88 m (25 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 11.83 m (38 ft 10 in)
• Height: 4.13 m (13 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 19.5 m² (210 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,450 kg (3,197 lb)
• Gross weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 694 kW (931 hp)
• Propellers: 3-bladed metal variable-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn)
• Range: 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 11,750 m (38,550 ft) ^[3]
• Rate of climb: 12 m/s (2,400 ft/min)
• Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 3 minutes 18 seconds

Armament

• Guns: 4× fixed forward-firing 7.5 mm (0.295 inch) MAC 1934 machine guns mounted in the wings

Comparable and similar aircraft

• PZL P.11/PZL P.24
• Dewoitine D.371/D372
• Gourdou-Leseurre GL.30
• Nieuport-Delage NiD-122
• Curtiss F13C

Related lists

• List of Interwar military aircraft
• List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force

• "Les chasseurs Loire 40/46" [The Loire 40/46 Fighters]. Le Album de Fanatique de l'Aviation (in French) (27): 2–5. November 1971. ISSN 0757-4169.
• Donald, David, ed. (1997). The encyclopedia of world aircraft (Updated ed.). Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
• Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. London: Salamander. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.
• Ledet, Michel (November 1993). "Le Loire 46 (1ère partie)". Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (9): 20–27. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Ledet, Michel (December 1993). "Le Loire 46 (2ème partie)". Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (10): 12–20. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Ledet, Michel (January 1994). "Le Loire 46 (3ème partie)". Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (11): 7–9. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Mombeek, Eric (May 2001). "Les trésors de Cazaux" [The Treasures of Cazaux]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (98): 44–47. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Moulin, Jacques (2004). Loire 43, 45 & 46: les chasseurs Loire-Nieuport. Document'air. Vol. 3. n.p.: Avia Editions. ISBN 978-2-915030-07-5.
• Taylor, John W.R.; Alexander, Jean (1969). Combat aircraft of the world. London: Ebury P.; Michael Joseph. ISBN 0-71810-564-8.

• Parmentier, Bruno (18 May 1998). "Loire 46". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 24 December 2019.