Lioré et Olivier
Lioré et Olivier LeO 25
The Lioré et Olivier LeO 25 was a French multi‑role aircraft developed in the late 1920s and produced by the Lioré et Olivier company. First flown in 1928, it evolved from the earlier LeO 20 bomber and was conceived as a versatile platform capable of performing reconnaissance, night‑fighter, and torpedo‑bomber missions for the French Air Force. Powered by a single 650‑horse‑power Hispano‑Suiza 12Ybrs V12 engine, the high‑wing monoplane featured an all‑metal construction, a fixed landing gear initially and later a retractable version, and a spacious crew compartment for a pilot, gunner and navigator. Its armament could include up to two 7.5 mm machine guns and a payload of up to 800 kg of bombs or a single torpedo. The LeO 25 series saw extensive service during the early 1930s, participating in colonial operations in North Africa and the Levant, and it formed the backbone of France’s night‑interception capability before being replaced by more modern designs. Though only a few hundred were built, the aircraft demonstrated the transition from biplane to monoplane bomber concepts and contributed to the development of later French naval aviation units.
Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 85
- First Flight
- 1928