Latham HB.5
Latham · France · first flew 1921 · transport aircraft
The Latham HB.5 was a French biplane flying boat with four engines arranged in push-pull pairs. Ten were used by the French Navy.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 18.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large biplane flying boat with unequal-span wings
- Four engines in two push-pull pairs mounted between the wings
- Planing hull about 17 m long with open pilots' cockpits
The wings are rectangular with unequal spans, 32 m above and 24 m below. The four 250 hp Salmson 9Z radials sit in two nacelles between the wings.
Specifications
- The Latham HB.5 has a length of 18.2 m (60 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 32 m (105 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 164 km/h (102 mph).
- Typical crew: 5.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Despite its military designation as a five-crew flying-boat bomber, it was designed as a civil version of the 1919 Latham Trimoteur, moving from three engines to four while keeping about 750 kW in total. It first flew on 2 July 1921.
Variants
It was developed from the Latham Trimotor. It could be configured as a bomber or as a ten-passenger transport.
Where you'll see it
Ten were used by the French Navy.
Related aircraft
- Latham 42 and 43
- Barnhart Twin 15 Wampus-Kat
- Bastianelli P.R.B.
- Burnelli RB-1
- De Havilland DH.29 Doncaster
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