Latécoère 523
Latécoère · France · first flew 1938 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Latécoère 523 was the militarised maritime patrol variant of the Laté 521 family of large six-engined French flying boats, adapted for armed Atlantic patrol duties with the Aéronavale.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 6 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 31.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Giant six-engine flying boat with parasol high wing above a deep double-deck hull
- Twin tail fins and rudders on a wide horizontal stabiliser
- Three tractor engines per side in single and tandem nacelle pairs along the wing
The sheer size and six-engine layout are unmistakable; only the Dornier Do X and the Soviet ANT-22 approached comparable scale among flying boats of the era. The twin tail and parasol wing are consistent features across the 521 family. The 523 can be distinguished from the civil 521 by the absence of passenger windows and the presence of gun positions.
Specifications
- The Latécoère 523 has a length of 31.6 m (104 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 49.3 m (162 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 270 km/h (168 mph).
- Typical crew: 6.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Laté 521 family grew from France's ambition for luxury transatlantic air travel in the mid-1930s. The 523 variant, first flown in 1938, was fitted with defensive armament and patrol equipment for the French Navy. Three examples were built. With the fall of France in 1940, the surviving aircraft were variously seized, scuttled, or pressed into limited Vichy service before the type disappeared.
Variants
Part of a family including the Laté 521 Lieutenant de Vaisseau Paris (civil transatlantic), Laté 522 (modified civil), and the 523 armed patrol version; the larger Laté 631 was a postwar successor.
Where you'll see it
Three Laté 523s served briefly with the French Aéronavale on Atlantic patrol duties from 1939. No combat action is recorded and the outbreak of war, followed by the 1940 armistice, ended operations.
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- Latécoère 298
- Latécoère 631
- Latécoère Laté 28.1
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- Lockheed Hudson
- Lockheed Hudson I
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