Potez 540
Potez · France · first flew 1933 · bomber
The Potez 540 was a French twin-engined reconnaissance bomber of the 1930s, designed by Louis Coroller and built by Potez. It was a high-wing monoplane of mixed wood and metal covering over a steel tube frame.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 16.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-wing monoplane with two engines in streamlined nacelles carried on stub wings
- Main landing gear units retract into the engine nacelles
- Single fin and rudder on production aircraft, with turrets in the nose and on the back
Look for a high wing with two engine nacelles on stub wings, a single fin and rudder, and a glazed nose with a gun position. A semi-retractable dustbin-style ventral turret is a further clue.
Specifications
- The Potez 540 has a length of 16.2 m (53 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.1 m (73 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 310 km/h (193 mph).
- Typical crew: 4-7.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The prototype Potez 54 was a private venture built to a 1932 specification and first flew on 14 November 1933. It had twin fins and rudders, which were replaced by a single fin and rudder in the form redesignated Potez 540, delivered to the Armee de l'Air in November 1934.
Variants
The Potez 541 was a 540 re-engined with Gnome-Rhone 14K radials, and the Potez 542 used Lorraine 12H Petrel V-12 engines. The Potez 543 was a derivative of the 541 built for Romania, of which eight were delivered.
Where you'll see it
A total of 192 Potez 540s were built, serving with France and the Spanish Republican side in the Civil War, where they were nicknamed the Flying Coffin. They were later relegated to transport and paratrooper training duties and used in French colonies and by Vichy France until most were retired or destroyed by late 1943.
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