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France's Potez 63 day and night figher1,2
Potez 63.11 fighter:
Potez 63.11 fighter2:
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
- Potez 630 and Potez 631: ~3002
- Potez 633: 1352
- Potez 637: 612
- Potez 63.11: ~9002
- Total: ~1,3602, 1,3951
Variants
- Potez 63.01: Prototype.2 Had Hispano-Suiza engine.2
- Potez 630: Day and night fighter.1,2 Crew 2-3.1
- Potez 631: Day and night fighter.1,2 Crew 2-3.1
- Potez 633: Light bomber.1 Attack bomber.2
- Potez 637: Reconnaissance.1,2 Crew of 3.1 Had a ventral observation gondola.2
- Potez 63.11: Army cooperation.1,2 Nose section was redesigned to be glazed.2 The cockpit was moved towards the rear.2
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:
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
