Potez 15

The Potez 15 was a French two‑seat biplane developed by the Potez company in the early 1920s as a versatile platform for sport, training and reconnaissance. Designed by Henry Potez and first flown in 1923, it evolved from the earlier Potez 14 and incorporated a stronger mixed wood‑and‑metal structure, a rectangular‑type fuselage and equal‑span wings with marked stagger. Power was supplied by a 260 hp Lorraine‑Dengler or a 300 hp Hispano‑Suiza 8Fb V‑8 engine, giving it a maximum speed of about 200 km/h and a service ceiling near 6 000 m. The aircraft featured dual controls, a spacious cockpit for pilot and observer, and could be equipped with light armament such as a single forward‑firing machine gun and a rear defensive gun for military variants. Its robust undercarriage and forgiving handling made it popular with French flying clubs and the Army’s training schools, where it remained in service until the late 1930s. Although not produced in large numbers, the Potez 15 demonstrated the transition from World War I designs to more modern, multi‑role aircraft, influencing later Potez models and contributing to France’s interwar aviation development and enduring legacy.

Potez

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