Besson H-5
ANF Les Mureaux · France · first flew 1922 · transport aircraft
The Besson H-5 was a unique French quadruplane flying boat of 1922, featuring four stacked wings and four Salmson radial engines, designed to carry 20 passengers. It was the most unusual configuration attempted in French flying boat design, and remains one of the few quadruplanes ever built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 22 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extraordinary quadruplane flying boat with four stacked wings
- Four Salmson radial engines in wing-mounted positions
- Single example; 20-seat capacity; tested 1922 at St-Raphaël
Unmistakeable due to its four equal-span wings stacked in a quadruplane arrangement, no other flying boat shares this configuration. The four engines distributed across the wing stacks, broad flying-boat hull, and triple-fin tail arrangement complete the extraordinary silhouette.
Specifications
- The Besson H-5 has a length of 22 m (72 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 29 m (95 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 168 km/h (104 mph).
- Typical crew: 3-4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Marcel Besson and built by ANF Les Mureaux, the H-5 was tested at Saint-Raphaël on the French Riviera in 1922. The quadruplane configuration was chosen to generate high lift at low speed for safe water operations while keeping the structure compact. The single prototype was damaged during trials and not repaired, ending what might have been a pioneering approach to large flying boat design.
Variants
Single prototype only.
Where you'll see it
Never entered passenger or commercial service; testing only.
Related aircraft
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