Hanriot
Hanriot HD.3
The Hanriot HD.3 was a French two‑seat fighter‑bomber developed by the Société Hanriot in the final months of World War I. Designed by the engineer Marcel Letort, the aircraft emerged from Hanriot’s earlier HD.1 single‑seat fighter and was intended to combine the maneuverability of a fighter with the observational capacity of a reconnaissance plane. First flown in late 1918, the HD.3 featured a wooden frame covered in fabric, a shoulder‑mounted wing with slight stagger, and a robust 260 hp Hispano‑Suiza 8Fb V‑8 engine that drove a two‑bladed wooden propeller. Its armament comprised a forward‑firing synchronized Vickers machine gun for the pilot and a second gun on a flexible mounting for the observer, while some prototypes carried a modest bomb load of up to 120 kg.
Although the armistice halted large‑scale production, the HD.3’s design proved influential in the post‑war era. It demonstrated the viability of multi‑role aircraft and contributed technical insights that fed into later Hanriot models such as the H.16 and the successful H.380 series. The prototype’s balanced handling, respectable climb rate, and dual‑crew configuration earned it a place in French aviation history as a transitional step toward modern fighter‑reconnaissance aircraft.
Although the armistice halted large‑scale production, the HD.3’s design proved influential in the post‑war era. It demonstrated the viability of multi‑role aircraft and contributed technical insights that fed into later Hanriot models such as the H.16 and the successful H.380 series. The prototype’s balanced handling, respectable climb rate, and dual‑crew configuration earned it a place in French aviation history as a transitional step toward modern fighter‑reconnaissance aircraft.
Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 90
- First Flight
- 1917
Design & Classification
- Manufacturer
- Hanriot
- Engine
- Salmson Z9
- Wikidata ID
- Q3126894