Loire 102
Loire Aviation · France · first flew 1936 · airliner
The Loire 102 was a French four-engine flying boat designed in the mid-1930s for long-range overwater passenger service on colonial routes. It represented France's ambition to operate competitive flying boat airliners on intercontinental routes.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 23 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French high-wing four-engine flying boat of the mid-1930s
- Parasol monoplane hull with four tractor engines on the high wing
- Boat hull with sponsons for water stability, typical 1930s French airliner configuration
A large parasol-wing flying boat with four engines mounted above the hull on a high wing, distinguished by its twin-boom or conventional tail arrangement and the typical clean French interwar flying-boat aesthetic.
Specifications
- The Loire 102 has a length of 23 m (75 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 34 m (112 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 310 km/h (193 mph).
- Typical crew: 5 + passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Loire Aviation and first flown in 1936, the Loire 102 was intended to serve on routes to French overseas territories. It competed with contemporaries from other manufacturers but was not produced in quantity.
Variants
Only a small number of prototypes or pre-production examples were built; no significant variants entered service.
Where you'll see it
Evaluated by Air France and the French Navy but not adopted in large numbers; the outbreak of WWII ended further development.
Related aircraft
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