Villiers II
Ateliers d'Aviation François Villiers · France · first flew 1925 · fighter
The Villiers II was a two-seat navalised fighter produced by the French firm Ateliers d'Aviation François Villiers. It was intended to operate from the aircraft carrier Béarn.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sesquiplane with a lower wing much smaller than the upper wing
- Waterproof flying-boat style hull so the aircraft could ditch safely
- Compact floats under the tips of the lower wings
Look for a tractor sesquiplane with a boat-like hull and small floats on the lower wingtips. The pilot sits just aft of the wings with a gunner behind him.
Specifications
- The Villiers II has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 217 km/h (135 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was one of the company's first designs, built to a French Navy requirement for a two-seat shipboard fighter and the Saint Raphael contest. It made its maiden flight in 1925 and passed maritime acceptance tests that February.
Variants
Two prototypes were ordered as the Vil 2AMC2, one with a 450 hp Hispano-Suiza 12H V12 and one with a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W12. The 30 production aircraft used the Lorraine-Dietrich engine.
Where you'll see it
It entered service with the French Navy in 1927, after an order for 30 was placed in December 1925. Its service life was brief.
Related aircraft
- Villiers VIII
- Villiers XXIV
- Villiers 26
- Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA
- Avia BH-21
- Beardmore W.B.XXVI
- Bernard SIMB AB 14
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