Gourdou-Leseurre GL.2
Gourdou-Leseurre · France · first flew 1918 · fighter
The Gourdou-Leseurre GL.2, originally the Type B, was a French fighter aircraft that made its maiden flight in 1918.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Parasol-wing monoplane fighter
- Wing braced by four struts on either side
- Single Hispano-Suiza 8Ab in the nose
A single-seat parasol monoplane with a heavily strutted wing and a fixed undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Gourdou-Leseurre GL.2 has a length of 6.5 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.4 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 257 km/h (160 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a development of the Type A, rejected over concerns about wing rigidity. The Type B had a new wing braced by four struts on each side instead of two, a revised fin and rudder, and a strengthened undercarriage.
Variants
The improved GL.21 appeared by 1920 with revised ailerons. A redesigned GL.22 with a wing of greater span followed two years later.
Where you'll see it
Twenty examples were delivered in November 1918 as the GL.2C.1, but the end of the war meant a loss of official interest.
Related aircraft
- Gourdou-Leseurre Type A
- Gourdou-Leseurre GL.30
- Gourdou-Leseurre GL-832 HY
- Adamoli-Cattani Fighter
- AEG DJ.I
- AEG J.II
- Albatros C.XIV
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