Lioré et Olivier
LeO 45
The LéO 45, officially the Lioré et Olivier LeO 45, was a French twin‑engine bomber that entered service in the late 1930s. Developed by the Lioré et Olivier aircraft company, its first prototype flew in March 1937 and after a rapid testing program it was ordered by the French Air Force as a response to the growing need for a high‑speed, long‑range strategic bomber. Powered by two 1 200‑horse‑power Gnome‑Rhône 14N radial engines, the LeO 45 could reach 430 km/h (267 mph) and carry up to 2 000 kg of bombs across a range of roughly 1 500 km. Its all‑metal stressed‑skin construction, low‑drag wing and retractable landing gear gave it a sleek silhouette and superior performance compared with older biplane bombers. Armament included several 7.5 mm defensive machine guns positioned in dorsal, ventral and nose stations. Although only a few hundred were produced before France’s surrender in 1940, the LeO 45 saw combat during the Battle of France and later operated under German and Vichy control for reconnaissance and transport duties. The aircraft demonstrated the transition of French aviation from wooden designs to modern monoplane bombers, influencing post‑war French bomber concepts such as the Sud‑40 series.
Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 561
- First Flight
- 1937