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France's Potez 63 day and night figher1,2

Potez 63.11 fighter:
France's Potez 63.11 fighter

Potez 63.11 fighter2:
France's Potez 63.11a fighter

Potez 63s fighter:
France's Potez 63s fighter

Design

The Potez 63 was designed to meet a 1934 requirement for a day and night fighter.1

Prototype

On April 25, 1936 the Potez 630-01 / 63.012 prototype first flew.1,2 The Potez 631 prototype first flew in March 1937.2 The Potez 633 first flew in late 1937.2 The Potez 637 first flew in mid 1938.2 The Potez 63.11 first flew in December 1938.2

Production

Production started in 1938.2

Variants

Usage

France, Germany, Greece, Romania, and Switzerland used the Potez 63 series.2 Romania and Greece received some of the Potez 633s before the outbreak of World War II.2

First Shot Down

On September 8, 1939, a Potez 637 was the first Allied aircraft lost on the Western Front.2

Mistaken Identity

There was a similar resemblance to the German Bf 110, and the Potez 63s were shot at by French and English fighters.1

Large Losses

By June 1940, out of 1,115 delivered to units, only 663 survived.1 Of these 251 were in North Africa.1 Over 200 Potez 63.11s were lost in the initial few weeks.2

German Use

After the Armistice production of the Potez 63.11 continued and these were used for training by the Germans.2

  Potez 6311,2 Potez 63.112 Potez 6332
Type Day fighter1,2
Night figher1,2
Attack bomber2
Reconnaissance2
Army cooperation1,2 Light bomber1
Crew 2 - 31,2 31 21
Engine (Type) 2: Gnome-Rhône 14M2
2: Gnome-Rhône 14 M4/MS piston1
   
Cylinders Radial1, Radial 142    
Cooling      
Net HP 700 each1,2    
Propeller blades 3 each1,2    
Dimensions      
Span 42' 6"1
16 m1
52' 6"2
16 m2
 
Length 36' 4"1
11.07 m1
35' 10.5"2
10.93 m2
 
Height 11' 10.5"1
3.62 m1
10' 1.25"2
3.08 m2
 
Wing area 351.98 ft2 1
32.7 m2 1
   
Weight      
Empty 5,401 lb1
2,450 kg1
6,912 lb2
3,135 kg2
 
Loaded 8,289 lb1
3,760 kg1
9,987 lb2
4,530 kg2
 
Performance      
Speed at sea level   209 mph2
336 kph2
 
Speed @ 14,765' /
4,500 m
275 mph1
442 kph1
   
Speed @ 18,045' /
5,500 m
  264 mph2
425 kph2
 
Climb   1,640'/minute2
500 m/minute2
 
Climb to 13,125' /
4,000 m
5.9 minutes1    
Climb to 19,685' /
6,000 m
  12.5 minutes2  
Service ceiling   27,890'2
8,500 m2
 
Range 758 miles1
1,220 km1
932 miles2
1,500 km2
 
Armament   up to 11: 7.5 mm MG2  
Forward firing 2: 20 mm HS4041    
Rear cockpit 1: 7.5 mm MAC 1934 MG1    
Under wing 4: 7.5 mm MAC 1934 MG1 4: 110 lb bombs2
4: 50 kg bombs2
 
Bombs     1,323 lb2
600 kg2

Sources:

  1. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
  2. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
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