Hanriot HD.3
Hanriot · France · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Hanriot HD.3 was a French two-seat fighter biplane of the First World War, first flown in June 1917. It looked like a scaled-up HD.1 and was built in modest numbers.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.95 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Conventional single-bay biplane with staggered wings of equal span
- Pilot and gunner in tandem open cockpits
- Nine-cylinder water-cooled Salmson 9Za radial engine in the nose
A staggered, equal-span, single-bay biplane with two open tandem cockpits and a fixed tailskid undercarriage with a cross-axle. Short struts brace the fuselage sides to the lower wing.
Specifications
- The Hanriot HD.3 has a length of 6.95 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 192 km/h (119 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Flight testing showed excellent performance, and the French government ordered 300 in 1918 for a planned offensive the following year. The Armistice led to cancellation with about 75 delivered to the Aéronautique Militaire and at least 15 to the Aéronautique Maritime.
Variants
The HD.3 C.2 was the main production version. The HD.3bis was a night-fighter prototype with a thicker wing section. The HD.4 was a one-off floatplane derivative, and the HD.9 was a single-seat photo-reconnaissance version.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Aéronautique Militaire and Aéronautique Maritime. After the war one navy example was used for trials aboard the carrier Béarn and another for flotation tests at the Isle of Grain.
Related aircraft
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