Potez 25
In 1923 the Avions Henri Potez aircraft works started production of a successful Potez XV reconnaissance bi-plane. Basing on experience gathered during the construction of that plane, Henri Potez started working on a new design of a heavier and faster multi-purpose plane. Designated Potez 25, the prototype was built already in 1924. The main differences included a larger, more powerful engine and a new wing design. Instead of a classic bi-plane, Potez introduced a sesquiplane, with the lower wing significantly smaller. It was built in two main military variants : Potez 25 A2 reconnaissance plane and Potez 25 B2 bomber-reconnaissance plane.
In May of 1925 the prototype was tested at the Service Technique d'Aeronautique Institute and was found a promising construction both for its manoeuvrability, speed and durability. Following the tests, the prototype entered serial production. To promote the new plane abroad, in a post-World War I markets filled with hundreds of cheap demobilized planes, the Potez 25 was sent onto a large number of raids. Among the best-known achievements was a European rally (7400 kilometres) and a Mediterranean rally (6500 kilometres), both won by pilots flying the Potez. In 1920's the Potez 25 was also used in a well-advertised Paris-Tehran rally (13,080 kilometres). In June 1930 Henri Guillaumet crashed with his Potez 25 in the Andes during an air mail flight. He survived an incredible march through the mountains and was found after one week of searching.
Such achievements added to plane's popularity and made it one of the most successful French planes of the epoch. It was bought by a number of air forces, including those of France, Belgium, Brasil, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Spain, Japan, Yugoslavia, Poland and Portugal, as well as Romania, Turkey and the USSR. Altogether, roughly 2500 planes were built in France.
Already in 1925 Poland bought a license for Potez 25 and started to manufacture them in Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów (PWS, 150 built) and Plage i Laśkiewicz aircraft works (150 built). In 1928 the first Polish-built Potez 25 were tested by the Technical Aviation Development Institute in Warsaw and the design was slightly modified to better fit the needs of the Polish air forces. Among the notable differences were the introduction of leading edge slots. The production in Poland ceased in 1932. Altogether, 300 planes were built in a number of versions for far reconnaissance, close reconnaissance, armed reconnaissance and day tactical bombing. As the original Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engine was unavailable in Poland, it was replaced in 47 aircraft with a more powerful PZL Bristol Jupiter VIIF radial engine, starting from 1936.
Several other countries manufactured the Potez 25 under licence.
Operators
- Republic of China.
- Ethiopia.
- Estonia : (Potez 25 Jupiter), was used in Estonian Air Force up to 1940.
- Finland : The Finnish Air Force purchased one Potez 25 A2 to try out its flying qualities in 1927. The aircraft was flown more than 700 hours, but no deal was made. It was used until 1936.
- France(and Free France).
- Greece.
- Paraguay.
- Poland : 16 bought, 300 manufactured in Poland.
- Portugal.
- Romania.
- Switzerland.
- Soviet Union.
- United States.
- Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
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