| Amiot 130 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Long rangereconnaissance aircraft Type of aircraft |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | SECM-Amiot |
| First flight | April 1931 |
| Number built | 1 |
TheSECM-Amiot 130 R.2 was a contender for aFrench government contract for a long range, two seatreconnaissance aircraft, issued in 1928. There were eight prototypes in the 1931–32 contest and the Amiot 130 was not selected for production.
The French R.2 specification of 1928 called for an all-metal two seat reconnaissance aircraft, fast and with a rapid climb rate and large radius of action. It led to prototypes from eight manufacturers, the Amiot 130,Breguet 33,Latécoère 490,Les Mureaux 111,Nieuport-Delage Ni-D 580,Potez 37,Weymann WEL-80 and theWibault 260. One of the terms of the specification required the manufacturers to use aHispano-Suiza 12Nb water-cooledV-12 engine.[1][2]
Like all but two of the competing prototypes, the Amiot 130 was aparasol wing aircraft. The two-part, straight-edged, tapered wing had sweep only on theleading edge and blunt, angled tips. There was a large, semi-circular cut-out over thecockpits to enhance upward visibility. The wing was built around twospars and covered with finely corrugatedduralumin. It was braced from the lowerfuselage on each side with parallel pairs offlying struts to the spars near mid-span. The wing was held centrally over the fuselage oncabane struts.[1]
The Amiot 130's engine was housed in a close-fittingcowling which followed the contours of its two-cylinder banks. Its low-profileradiators were mounted vertically on the fuselage sides, just behind the engine. Amiot put considerable effort into silencing the engine, streaming the exhaust via a long duralumin tube into a gutter extending almost to the tail. The two open cockpits were intandem, with the pilot under the rear part of the wing and the observer close behind. He had a flexible mount for a pair ofdefensivemachine guns.[1]
The fuselage of the Amiot 130, built around fourlongerons, was long and slender, with a rounded upper surface. Its vertical tail was oval. The horizontal tail was straight-tapered but theelevators had prominenthorn balances.[1]
The Amiot had aconventional fixed undercarriage with its mainwheels on axles mounted at the vertices of V-struts, with the forward components hinged on the central fuselage underside and the rear drag struts on the lower fuselage longerons. Each axle had a longoleo strut mounted on the mid-side of the fuselage, just aft of the engine.[1]
The type 130 first flew in April 1931.[3] Although theSTAéConcours des avions de grande reconnaissance (Long range reconnaissance aircraft competition) atVillacoublay began in April 1931[2] lasted about a year,[4] there are no reports of it taking part. Having flown it long enough to receive payment from the French government, Amiot concentrated on other projects.[3] It was used five years later in experiments with earlygyroscopicautopilot experiments.[5]
Data from L'Aéronautique August 1931[1] (General), AviaFrance[6] (Performance)
General characteristics
Performance
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