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Bréguet 790 Nautilus

The Bréguet 790 Nautilus was a prototype French three-seat coastal patrol flying-boat designed and built by Bréguet Aviation to meet a requirement from the French navy.

The Nautilus had a high-set monoplane wing on a single-step hull, the wing being fabric covered and the hull all-metal.

The aircraft was powered by a 720 hp (537 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Xirs V-12 piston engine strut-mounted above the hull, driving a pusher propeller.

The first of two prototypes flew in 1939 and performed well enough that a production order for 75 was placed.

The order was reduced to 45 in May 1940 in order to free production capacity for more urgently needed combat aircraft, but none were built following the German invasion.

Variants

Bréguet 790

Basic three-seat coastal reconnaissance aircraft, powered by 540 kW (720 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Xirs engine.

Two prototypes built.

Specifications

Crew

Three

Length

13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)

Wingspan

17.00 m (55 ft 9 in)

Height

4.00 m (13 ft 1 in)

Wing area

33.00 m2 (355.2 sq ft)

Empty weight

2,700 kg (5,952 lb)

Max take-off weight

3,600 kg (7,937 lb)

Powerplant

1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Xirs inline piston engine,

540 kW (720 hp)

Propellers

3-bladed

Performance

Maximum speed

310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn)

Cruise speed

150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)

Range

900 km (560 mi, 490 nmi)

Endurance

6 hr at 90 mph (140 km/h)

Service ceiling

6,000 m (20,000 ft)

Rate of climb

7.30 m/s (1,437 ft/min) 

Armament

Guns

1× 7.5 mm Darne machine gun in dorsal position

Bombs

2× 75 kg (165 lb) bombs underwing

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