Loire 70

The Loire 70 was a French three‑engine flying boat developed by Loire Aviation in the early 1930s to meet a naval requirement for a long‑range maritime patrol aircraft. First flying in June 1933, the prototype featured a high‑mounted wing and twin outrigger floats, while the central engine was housed in the nose. A total of nine production aircraft were built for the Aéronautique Navale, entering service in 1935. Powered by three 650 hp Gnome‑Rhône 14K radial engines, the Loire 70 could reach 210 km/h and had an endurance of more than twelve hours, allowing extensive reconnaissance over the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Its spacious hull accommodated a crew of five, a bomb load of up to 500 kg, and a suite of cameras and radio equipment that made it an effective tool for anti‑submarine warfare. Although quickly outclassed by newer monoplane designs, the Loire 70 played a crucial role during the early years of World War II, conducting patrols from bases in Brest and Dakar and providing valuable experience that informed later French flying‑boat projects such as the Bloch MB.162. The aircraft remains a notable example of interwar naval aviation innovation.

Loire Aviation

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