Loire 46
French single-seater fighter aircraft
title: "Loire 46" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1930s-french-fighter-aircraft", "loire-aircraft", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "high-wing-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1934", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear"] description: "French single-seater fighter aircraft" topic_path: "geography/france" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loire_46" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary French single-seater fighter aircraft ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Loire 46 |
| image | Loire 46.jpg |
| type | Trainer/fighter |
| manufacturer | Loire Aviation |
| first_flight | 1 September 1934 |
| introduction | 1936 |
| retired | 1940 |
| status | retired |
| primary_user | Armee de l'Air |
| number_built | 61 |
| :: |
|name = Loire 46 |logo = |image = Loire 46.jpg |caption = |type = Trainer/fighter |manufacturer = Loire Aviation |designer = |first_flight = 1 September 1934 |introduction = 1936 |retired = 1940 |status = retired |primary_user = Armee de l'Air |more_users = |produced = |number_built = 61 |unit cost = |developed_from = |variants =
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Loire_46-Spanish_Republican_AF-Madrid.jpg" caption="Loire 46 of the [[Spanish Republican Air Force"] ::
The Loire 46 was a French single-seater fighter aircraft of the 1930s. A high-winged monoplane designed and built by Loire Aviation, it was purchased by the French Air Force. It was also supplied to the Spanish Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War, but was almost out of service by the outbreak of World War II.
Design and development
The Loire 46 was an improved modification of two previous Loire fighters—the Loire 43 and 45. Although improved, it resembled the earlier machines retaining their gull mono-wing configuration, open cockpit, and fixed landing gear. The first of five prototype Loire 46s flew in September 1934. It demonstrated excellent handling characteristics and 60 production aircraft were ordered by the Armée de l'Air.
Operational history
The initial machines arrived at fighter Escadrilles in August 1936. In September 1936, the five prototype Loire 46s were sent to the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War.
By the beginning of World War II, the Loire 46's gull wing configuration was recognized as obsolete and most of these fighters had been relegated to Armée de l'Air training schools, where they were used as advanced trainers. However, one fighter Escadrille was still equipped with the Loire 46 during the early weeks of the war. Their performance against modern German fighters was predictable.
Variants
;Loire 46.01 :First Loire 46 prototype. ;Loire 46 :Single-seat fighter/trainer aircraft.
Operators
;
Specifications (Loire 46)
|ref=The Complete Book of Fighters |prime units?=met General characteristics
|crew=1 |length m=7.88 |length note= |span m=11.83 |span note= |height m=4.13 |height note= |wing area sqm=19.5 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=1450 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=2100 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs |eng1 type=14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine |eng1 kw=694 |eng1 note= |prop blade number=3 |prop name=metal variable-pitch propeller |prop dia m= |prop dia note= Performance
|max speed kmh=370 |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed note= |range km=750 |range note= |combat range km= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m=11750 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ms=12 |climb rate note= |time to altitude=3000 m in 3 minutes 18 seconds |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= Armament
|guns=4 × fixed forward-firing 7.5 mm (0.295 inch) MAC 1934 wing-mounted machine-guns
References
Bibliography
References
- Taylor and Alexander 1969, pp. 106–107.
- Green and Swanborough 1994, p. 353.
- Donald 1997, p. 588.
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