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<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
{{Infobox aircraft
|name=G.L. 40
|name=G.L. 40
|image=Georges Levy G.L. 40.jpg
|image=F-CFBA in San Sebastian, 1920.jpg
|caption=
|caption=
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
|type=amphibious aircraft
|type=amphibious aircraft
|manufacturer=Georges Levy
|manufacturer=[[Hydravions Georges Lévy]]
|designer=Blanchard and Le Pen
|designer=Blanchard and Le Pen
|first flight=1917
|first_flight=1917
|introduced=September 1917
|introduction=November 1917
|retired=
|retired=
|status=
|status=
|primary user=[[French Air Force]]
|primary_user=[[French Air Force]]
|more users=[[Finnish Air Force]]
|more_users=[[Finnish Air Force]]
|produced=
|produced=
|number_built=
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}}
'''Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2''' was a three-seated [[France|French]], amphibious [[biplane]] aircraft that was designed in 1917. The aircraft was designed by Blanchard and Le Pen and therefore the aircraft was also known as the '''Levy-Le Pen'''. Le Pen was Maurice Jules-Marie Le Pen born in Lorient, Morbihan, France in 1889; he was killed in a car crash in 1919. It was claimed to be the best French amphibious aircraft of World War I, but that is probably due to the low scale production of such aircraft in France at that time.<ref>Taylor and Alexander 1969, pp. 104-105.</ref>
|}
'''Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2''' was a three-seated [[France|French]], amphibious [[biplane]] aircraft that was designed in 1917. The aircraft was designed by Blanchard and Le Pen and therefore the aircraft was also known as the '''Levy-Le Pen'''. Le Pen was Maurice Jules-Marie Le Pen born in Lorient, Morbihan, France in 1889. Le Pen was killed in a car crash in 1919. It was claimed to be the best French amphibious aircraft of World War I, but that is probably due to the low scale production of such aircraft in France at that time.<ref>Taylor and Alexander 1969, pp. 104-105.</ref>


The [[Finnish Air Force]] purchased 12 Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2s, but they weren't pleased with them. Three aircraft were lost in accidents that claimed lives — and it was given the nickname "the flying coffin" in the 1920s.
The [[Finnish Air Force]] purchased 12 Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2s, but they weren't pleased with them. Three aircraft were lost in accidents that claimed lives — and it was given the nickname "the flying coffin" in the 1920s{{cn|date=April 2018}}.

In 1920, the Belgian government started an airline in the then [[Belgian Congo]]: [[Ligne Aérienne du Roi Albert]] (LARA) operated six Levy-Lepen hydroplanes along the Congo River from Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) upstream to Stanleyville (now Kisangani), a distance of 1725 kilometres. The flights started in June 1921 and were discontinued one or two years later.


==Operators==
==Operators==
;{{FIN}}: [[Finnish Air Force]] - 12 aircraft
;{{FIN}}: [[Finnish Air Force]] - 12 aircraft, withdrawn from use by 1923.
;{{FRA}}: [[French Navy]] - in service from November 1917, app. 100 built, also by Farman. Used in France, Algeria, Greece, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.
;{{FRA}}: [[French Navy]]
;{{POR}}:
;{{POR}}:
*[[Portuguese Naval Aviation]]
*[[Portuguese Naval Aviation]] - 2 aircraft used from 1918 to 1920
;{{PER}}
;{{PER}}
*[[Peruvian Air Force]]
*[[Peruvian Air Force]] - app. 3 delivered
*[[Peruvian Navy]]
*[[Peruvian Navy]]
;{{BEL}}: A Levy Lepen was used in the Belgian Congo by the [[Ligne Aerienne du Roi Albert]].
;{{BEL}}: 6 Levy Lepen were used in the Belgian Congo by the [[Ligne Aerienne du Roi Albert]].
;{{USA}}
*[[United States Navy]] - 12 used for patrols from Le Croisic in France, two taken to US after the war.


==Specifications (G.L. 40 HB2)==
==Specifications (G.L. 40 HB2)==
{{aircraft specifications


{{Aircraft specs
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|ref=Thulinista Hornetiin – 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita<ref>{{cite book | title=Thulinista Hornetiin – 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita | publisher=Tikkakoski: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo | last=Heinonen | first=Timo | year=1992 | language=Finnish | isbn=951-95688-2-4}}</ref>

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|max speed alt= 78 knots, 90 mph

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==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* Heinonen, Timo. ''Thulinista Hornetiin - 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita.'' Tikkakoski, Finland: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo, 1992. ISBN 951-95688-2-4.
* Taylor, John W. R. and Jean Alexander. ''Combat Aircraft of the World.'' New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-71810-564-8.
{{Refend}}


==See also==
==See also==
Line 118: Line 133:


}}
}}
{{aviation lists}}


==References==
[[Category:French fighter aircraft 1910–1919]]

===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* Heinonen, Timo. ''Thulinista Hornetiin - 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita.'' Tikkakoski, Finland: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo, 1992. {{ISBN|951-95688-2-4}}.
* Taylor, John W. R. and Jean Alexander. ''Combat Aircraft of the World.'' New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. {{ISBN|0-71810-564-8}}.
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Hirschauer |editor1-first=Louis |editor2-last=Dollfus |editor2-first=Charles |title=L'Année Aéronautique: 1920-1921 |date=1921 |publisher=Dunod |location=Paris |page=41 |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65534129/f53.item}}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat}}
[[Category:1910s French fighter aircraft]]
[[Category:Biplanes]]
[[Category:Biplanes]]
[[Category:Georges Levy aircraft|GL40]]
[[Category:Georges Levy aircraft|GL40]]
[[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1917]]

Latest revision as of 01:50, 12 September 2024

G.L. 40
General information
Typeamphibious aircraft
ManufacturerHydravions Georges Lévy
Designer
Blanchard and Le Pen
Primary usersFrench Air Force
History
Introduction dateNovember 1917
First flight1917

Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2 was a three-seated French, amphibious biplane aircraft that was designed in 1917. The aircraft was designed by Blanchard and Le Pen and therefore the aircraft was also known as the Levy-Le Pen. Le Pen was Maurice Jules-Marie Le Pen born in Lorient, Morbihan, France in 1889; he was killed in a car crash in 1919. It was claimed to be the best French amphibious aircraft of World War I, but that is probably due to the low scale production of such aircraft in France at that time.[1]

The Finnish Air Force purchased 12 Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2s, but they weren't pleased with them. Three aircraft were lost in accidents that claimed lives — and it was given the nickname "the flying coffin" in the 1920s[citation needed].

In 1920, the Belgian government started an airline in the then Belgian Congo: Ligne Aérienne du Roi Albert (LARA) operated six Levy-Lepen hydroplanes along the Congo River from Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) upstream to Stanleyville (now Kisangani), a distance of 1725 kilometres. The flights started in June 1921 and were discontinued one or two years later.

Operators

[edit]
 Finland
Finnish Air Force - 12 aircraft, withdrawn from use by 1923.
 France
French Navy - in service from November 1917, app. 100 built, also by Farman. Used in France, Algeria, Greece, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.
 Portugal
 Peru
 Belgium
6 Levy Lepen were used in the Belgian Congo by the Ligne Aerienne du Roi Albert.
 United States
  • United States Navy - 12 used for patrols from Le Croisic in France, two taken to US after the war.

Specifications (G.L. 40 HB2)

[edit]

Data from Thulinista Hornetiin – 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita[2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 3
  • Length: 12.4 m (40 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 18.5 m (60 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
  • Wing area: 68.75 m2 (740.0 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,450 kg (3,197 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 2,350 kg (5,181 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12Fe V-12 water-cooled piston engine, 224 kW (300 hp)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 145 km/h (90 mph, 78 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 115 km/h (71 mph, 62 kn)
  • Range: 400 km (250 mi, 220 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 3,505 m (11,499 ft)

Armament

  • Guns: 1 × machine gun
  • Bombs: 200 kg (440 lb) of bombs

See also

[edit]

Related lists

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Taylor and Alexander 1969, pp. 104-105.
  2. ^ Heinonen, Timo (1992). Thulinista Hornetiin – 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita (in Finnish). Tikkakoski: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo. ISBN 951-95688-2-4.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Heinonen, Timo. Thulinista Hornetiin - 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita. Tikkakoski, Finland: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo, 1992. ISBN 951-95688-2-4.
  • Taylor, John W. R. and Jean Alexander. Combat Aircraft of the World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-71810-564-8.
  • Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1921). L'Année Aéronautique: 1920-1921. Paris: Dunod. p. 41.
[edit]
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