Levasseur PL.400
Société Pierre Levasseur Aéronautique · France · first flew 1939 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Levasseur PL.400 was an artillery observation and liaison aircraft built by Société Pierre Levasseur Aéronautique in the late 1930s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.72 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-wing monoplane of wood and metal construction
- Single Potez 9C radial engine
- Two-seat artillery observation aircraft
Look for a two-seat high-wing observation monoplane with a nine-cylinder radial engine in the nose.
Specifications
- The Levasseur PL.400 has a length of 9.72 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 202 km/h (126 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew on 19 December 1939. The aircraft was burned intentionally in June 1940 to avoid capture by German forces.
Variants
The PL.400 was the first prototype, with a 220 hp Potez 9C radial. The PL.401 was a second prototype with a 220 hp Renault 6Q-09 in-line engine, completed but not flown before the French collapse in 1940.
Where you'll see it
Two were built and neither entered service.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.