Lioré et Olivier LeO H-13

The Lioré et Olivier LéO H-13 was a French biplane two-engine flying boat of the 1920s, built in passenger and military variants.

Lioré et Olivier H-13
LeO H.135B3 no. 6-6 of Polish Navy
Role Passenger and bomber flying boat
Manufacturer Lioré et Olivier
First flight July 1922
Primary users French Navy
French civil aviation
Polish Navy
Number built 53

Development

The LeO H-13 was constructed by Lioré et Olivier in Levallois-Perret factory, for an order of the French Aeronavale airlines. The prototype was flown in July 1922. From 1923 23 passenger aircraft were built LeO H-13A.

Next, military variants were developed: reconnaissance-bomber LeO H-13B-3 and trainer LeO H-13E. They differed in fuselage configuration, because the H-13B-3 had an open cockpit for a pilot only behind a lower wing, while the H-13E had an open cockpit for a trainee and instructor seating side-by-side, in front of wings. Both had open machine gun positions in the nose and behind the wings. The H-13E could be also used as a reconnaissance aircraft. From late 1923 20 H-13B-3 were built (nos. 1-20) and 10 H-13E (nos. 21-30).

Variants

Data from: - Lioré et Olivier[1]

LéO H-13
Lioré et Olivier LeO H-13 photo from L'Aéronautique December,1922
Prototype
LeO H-13bis
LéO H-13A
Passenger variant, 3 built
LéO H-13B-3
Reconnaissance-bomber variant, 20 built.
LéO H-13E
Trainer variant, 10 built.
LeO H-132
2 built,powered by 2x Hispano-Suiza 8Aa engines.
LeO H-133
4 built, powered by 2x 300 hp (223.7 kW) Renault 12F engines.
LeO H-134
Lioré et Olivier LeO H-134 photo from L'Aéronautique January,1926
2 built, powered by 1x 450 hp (335.6 kW) Lorraine 12Eb engines.
LeO H-135
7 built, powered by 2x 180 hp (134.2 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Ab engines.
LeO H-136
12 built for Aeronavale
Leo H-14
Design studies for a 5-seat version of the H-13, not completed due to lack of interest from airlines.

Service

Passenger H-13A were used over the Mediterranean Sea.

In the French Navy, H-13 were quickly withdrawn for training purpose, because of weak structure and low manufacturing quality.

In 1924-1925 two H-13B3 and two H-13E were sold to Poland and used in Naval Aviation Unit (MDLot) in Puck from mid-1925. One of H-13E was used for a short time in a River Flotilla in Pińsk. The first H-13B-3 no. 1-1 was withdrawn in 1929, next two (nos. 1-2 and 1-3) in 1931, while the last H-13E, no. 1-4, crashed on 29 July 1931 over the land near Puck.

Description

Two-engine biplane flying boat of wooden construction. Wooden framed fuselage, plywood covered, rectangular in cross-section, with a flat bottom with a single step. Two-spar rectangular wings, covered with plywood (in front) and canvas. A lower wing attached to the fuselage, an upper wing above it, mounted on struts, with two engines between wings, driving tractor propellers. Two floats under a lower wing. Conventional braced empennage. Two 150 hp radial engines Hispano-Suiza 8E.

Armament: two twin 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns and 4 bombs up to 25 kg below a lower wing.

Operators
 France
 Poland

Specifications (LeO H-13B-3)

Data from Lioré et Olivier[1]

General characteristics

  • Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
  • Wingspan: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 58 m2 (620 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,620 kg (3,571 lb)
  • Gross weight: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 250 kg (551.2 lb) (350 l (77.0 imp gal))
  • Powerplant: 2 × Hispano-Suiza 8Aa V-8 water-cooled piston engine, 110 kW (150 hp) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn) military aircraft, 160 km/h (99.4 mph; 86.4 kn)
  • Range: 450 km (280 mi, 240 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 3,600 m (11,800 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 3.1 m/s (610 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 38.8 kg/m2 (7.9 lb/sq ft)

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References
  1. Hartmann, Gerard (2002). Lioré et Olivier. Boulogne-Billancourt: E-T-A-I. ISBN 2 7268 8607 8.
  • (in Polish) Sankowski, Wojciech: "Pierwsze Francuzy" in: Lotnictwo z szachownicą nr 20
  • Hartmann, Gerard (2002). Lioré et Olivier. Boulogne-Billancourt: E-T-A-I. ISBN 2 7268 8607 8.
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