Loire 46
Loire Aviation · France · first flew 1934 · fighter
The Loire 46 was a French single-seat fighter monoplane of the mid-1930s, operated in small numbers by the Armée de l'Air and notable as one of France's few fighters to see operational use before the Morane-Saulnier 406 era.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.88 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Distinctive gull-type high wing on a 1930s French monoplane fighter
- Enclosed cockpit and retractable undercarriage
- Single radial-engine fighter in Armée de l'Air service
A low-wing monoplane with a large-diameter radial engine in a long-chord cowling, enclosed cockpit, retractable undercarriage, and tapered wings with rounded tips — typical of mid-1930s French fighter design.
Specifications
- The Loire 46 has a length of 7.88 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.83 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 370 km/h (230 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Loire Aviation from the earlier Loire 43, the Loire 46 entered service in 1936. It equipped a small number of fighter groups and was sent to Spain during the Civil War to support Republican forces.
Variants
The Loire 46 was a development of the Loire 43; further development led to the Loire 250 with more powerful engines.
Where you'll see it
Served briefly with the Armée de l'Air and Republican Spain; rapidly obsolescent by 1938 and withdrawn before World War II.
Related aircraft
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