Amiot 354
Avions Amiot · France · first flew 1938 · bomber
The Amiot 354 was one of France's most advanced bombers at the outbreak of the Second World War, representing a complete transformation from the boxy Amiot 143 into a sleek modern design capable of outpacing many fighters of its era. Production delays meant too few were available when they were needed most.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slim streamlined fuselage with retractable undercarriage, far removed from its boxy Amiot 143 predecessor |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Elegant twin-engine French bomber with a pointed nose and graceful elliptical-tapered wings
- Slim streamlined fuselage with retractable undercarriage, far removed from its boxy Amiot 143 predecessor
- Hispano-Suiza liquid-cooled engines in long tapered nacelles giving a clean profile
Identified by its slim, pointed fuselage, twin liquid-cooled engines in long nacelles, and a relatively narrow tapered wing; the ventral gondola for the bomb-aimer is a useful recognition feature.
Specifications
- The Amiot 354 has a length of 14.5 m (48 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.83 m (75 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 480 km/h (298 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the Amiot 340 racing design, the 354 first flew in 1938 and was ordered in large numbers for the Armée de l'Air. Production was badly delayed by industrial problems, and fewer than 50 had reached front-line units by June 1940. Some crews managed to escape to North Africa after the armistice.
Variants
The Amiot 351 and 354 differed primarily in powerplant; the 356 was a proposed long-range version. The closely related Amiot 370 set a Paris–New York distance record in 1938.
Where you'll see it
Served briefly with the Armée de l'Air's bomber groups in spring 1940; surviving aircraft continued with Vichy French forces in North Africa into 1942.
Related aircraft
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