Nord Aviation Nord 3400

Nord Aviation · France · first flew 1958 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Nord 3400 was a French light naval observation and liaison floatplane built by Nord Aviation, first flown in 1958. It was designed to operate from naval vessels and coastal stations for reconnaissance and liaison duties.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.42 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Late 1950s French naval observation floatplane
High-wing strut-braced monoplane on twin floats
Tandem cockpit with observation glazing for naval spotting

A high-wing strut-braced monoplane with a radial engine, twin float undercarriage, and a practical but unremarkable naval observation layout; the tandem cockpit with good downward visibility is the main operational feature.

Specifications

The Nord Aviation Nord 3400 has a length of 8.42 m (28 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.11 m (43 ft).
Its maximum speed is 235 km/h (146 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by Nord Aviation to meet a French Navy requirement for a light observation floatplane, the Nord 3400 was evaluated in the late 1950s. The design was conventional, using a high-wing layout and twin floats. It did not achieve large-scale production, as the French Navy increasingly turned to helicopters for shipboard operations.

Variants

A small number of evaluation aircraft were built; no significant production variants.

Where you'll see it

Evaluated by the French Navy (Aéronavale) but not adopted for widespread service; the type was overtaken by helicopters for shipboard use.

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