Besson MB.26
Besson · France · first flew 1925 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Besson MB.26 was a French sesquiplane floatplane designed by Marcel Besson as a shipborne two-seat reconnaissance aircraft for the French Navy. It was not ordered into production.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Upper wing at the top of the fuselage and lower wing below it |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- W-strut braced sesquiplane
- Upper wing at the top of the fuselage and lower wing below it
- One main float under the lower wing and two stabilising floats on the wingtips
A floatplane sesquiplane braced by W-struts, powered by a 400 hp Lorraine 12Db inline engine. The HB.2 spans 15.0 m and is 12.1 m long.
Specifications
- The Besson MB.26 has a length of 12.1 m (40 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 180 km/h (112 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The MB.26 first flew in 1925. The HB.2 reconnaissance variant was followed by a modified C.2 configuration to turn it into a two-seat fighter seaplane.
Variants
The MB.26 HB.2 was a two-seat reconnaissance seaplane and the MB.26 C.2 a two-seat fighter seaplane. The C.2 had a new round-sided fuselage, where the HB.2 had a slab-sided one, and a new tailplane.
Where you'll see it
Neither variant was ordered or entered production. The French Navy is listed as its intended operator.
Related aircraft
- Besson MB.35 Passe Partout
- Besson MB.36
- Besson MB.411
- Aichi Experimental Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane
- Albatros L 65
- Ansaldo A.120
- Armstrong Whitworth Atlas
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