


143
Country | France |
Manufacturer | Avions Amiot |
Primary Role | Medium Bomber |
Maiden Flight | 1 January 1931 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseFélix Amiot's 140 design was rather dated having first flown in 1931, but because the French lacked a replacement for a medium bomber, the manufacturing of the production model, 143M, continued until Mar 1937. The 143M bombers had a heavy two-tiered structure, making them slow and unmaneuverable. However, pilots who had experience with these aircraft generally like them for their sturdy construction. Between the German invasion of Poland in Sep 1939 and the invasion of France in May 1940, the 143M bombers were used in mostly night attacks on German lines of communications. They collectively dropped a total of 523 tons of bombs before the French surrender. After the fall of France, 78 143M bombers remained in Vichy-French service until they were replaced in Jul 1941. After being replaced, some of them became trainers and others were converted to transports. The converted transports were used by both Allied and German personnel as they were captured or commandeered.
ww2dbaseA total of 154, including prototypes, were built.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.
Last Major Revision: Mar 2007
SPECIFICATIONS
143M
Machinery | Two Gnome et RhĂ´ne 14Kirs/jrs engines rated at 870hp each |
Armament | 4x or 6x7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns, 1,600kg of bombs |
Crew | 5 |
Span | 24.53 m |
Length | 18.24 m |
Height | 5.70 m |
Wing Area | 100.00 m² |
Weight, Empty | 6,100 kg |
Weight, Loaded | 9,700 kg |
Speed, Maximum | 310 km/h |
Service Ceiling | 7,900 m |
Range, Normal | 1,200 km |
Range, Maximum | 2,000 km |
Photographs
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