Loire 130
Loire Aviation · France · first flew 1934 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Loire 130 was a French flying boat that saw service during World War II, designed and built by Loire Aviation of Saint-Nazaire.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.29 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Reconnaissance flying boat with a high wing
- Single pusher engine
- Catapult-launched from French Navy battleships and cruisers
It is a high-wing flying boat with a single pusher engine, armed with two 7.5 mm Darne machine guns and able to carry two 75 kg bombs.
Specifications
- The Loire 130 has a length of 11.29 m (37 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16 m (52 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It originated from a mid-1930s French Navy requirement for a reconnaissance seaplane that could also serve aboard battleships and cruisers. It first flew on 19 November 1934 and was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12X engine.
Variants
The Loire 130 M was the production version, and the Loire 130 Cl was a colonial variant with an enlarged radiator and a Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs engine.
Where you'll see it
It was chosen in 1936 against five competitors and entered production in 1937, and 125 were built. Most French battleships and cruisers and the seaplane tender Commandant Teste carried them, and some remained in French colonial service until 1951.
Related aircraft
- Loire 46
- Loire 210
- Loire 250
- Loire 501
- ANF Les Mureaux 115
- CAMS 110
- CANT Z.501 Gabbiano
- Curtiss SOC Seagull
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