The Letord Let.5 was probably the most numerous of a family of 3-seat reconnaissance bombers, designed and built in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

from 1916, originally to an A3 (reconnaissance aircraft 3-seat) specification from the STAé (''Service Technique d'Aéronautique'').

Design and development

In early 1916 the contemporary reconnaissance aircraft of the

Aéronautique Militaire The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Arm ...

, such as the

Caudron G.6 The Caudron G.6 was a French reconnaissance aircraft of World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the ...

Morane-Saulnier T The Morane-Saulnier T (or Morane-Saulnier MoS.25 A.3) was a French biplane reconnaissance aircraft in 1916 and produced in small numbers during World War I. Design and development The Morane-Saulnier T was a large, five-bay biplane of conventi ...

and Salmson-Moineau SM.1 were proving to be less than sparkling in operations and testing. To provide a suitable replacement The STAé, its Director Colonel Dorand and Établissements Letord, formulated the A3 specification and co-operated in the design of the only respondent, the Letord Let.1. The Letord A3 reconnaissance bomber family, the Let.1 to Let.7, were essentially similar biplanes with, variously unequal span or equal span wings, with prominent and characteristic negative stagger on their wings, powered by two tractor engines in nacelles mounted short struts or directly on the lower wings and had a fixed tailskid undercarriage. Some aircraft were equipped with a strut-mounted nosewheel to protect the aircraft and its crew from "nosing-over" accidents while landing. The pilot sat in an open cockpit under the upper wing trailing edge, with a gunner in an open position immediately aft, and a third crew-member in an open position in the nose where he could act as gunner, observer, and bomb-aimer. Aircraft were completed, variously, with equal span 4-bay wings or unequal span 3-bay wings with longer span upper wings braced by an A-frame king-post and wires. All the Letord reconnaissance bombers shared similar plywood covered wooden structure fuselages and wooden structure wings and conventional tail-unit.

Operational history

The Letord reconnaissance bombers saw widespread service throughout the

, from mid 1917, with 121 operational on the Western Front by November 1917. Most were no longer in front-line use by the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

in November 1918.

Variants

French Aircraft of the First World War Q66791

;Let.1 A.3 :initial reconnaissance version, powered by two

Hispano-Suiza 8A The Hispano-Suiza 8 was a water-cooled V8 SOHC aero engine introduced by Hispano-Suiza in 1914, and was the most commonly used liquid-cooled engine in the aircraft of the Entente Powers during the First World War. The original Hispano-Suiza 8A ...

engines and having a three bay wing. ;Let.2 A.3 :reconnaissance aircraft similar to Let.1, but powered by two

Hispano-Suiza 8Ba The Hispano-Suiza 8 was a water-cooled V8 SOHC aero engine introduced by Hispano-Suiza in 1914, and was the most commonly used liquid-cooled engine in the aircraft of the Entente Powers during the First World War. The original Hispano-Suiza 8A ...

engines and also having a three bay wing. ;Let.3 Bn.3 :night bomber, powered by two

engines and having a four bay wing. ;Let.4 A.3 :reconnaissance aircraft also used as a bomber, powered by two Lorraine-Dietrich 8A engines and having a three bay wing. ;Let.5 A.3 :reconnaissance aircraft powered by two Lorraine-Dietrich 8B engines, having a three bay wing and missing the nosewheel. ;Let.6 Ca.3 :fighter based on the Let.3, armed with a cannon, powered by two

Hispano-Suiza 8Be The Hispano-Suiza 8 was a water-cooled V8 SOHC aero engine introduced by Hispano-Suiza in 1914, and was the most commonly used liquid-cooled engine in the aircraft of the Entente Powers during the First World War. The original Hispano-Suiza 8A ...

engines and fitted with a four bay wing. ;Let.7 Bn.3 :night bomber, powered by two Lorraine-Dietrich 8B engines and fitted with a four bay wing of increased span.

Operators

; *

Specifications (Let.5)

References

Bibliography

External links

* * * * {{Letord aircraft 1910s French military reconnaissance aircraft 1910s French bomber aircraft Letord aircraft Biplanes with negative stagger Aircraft first flown in 1916 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft