Loire-Nieuport LN-401 & 411 (1938)

09/07/2023 19:31 Loire-Nieuport LN-401 & 411 (1938)
ENCYCLOPÉDIE NAVALE
navires de guerre et guerre navale de l'antiquité à nos jours
1 5 M A I 2 0 2 2 PA R D R E A D N A U G H T Z
Loire Nieuport LN 40 (1938)

LN 401 Aéronautique Navale ; LN 411 Armée de l'Air : 152
construits au total
LN 401 N°8, AB-4, Berck, May 1940.
La « Stuka » française
France had no dive bomber for its naval aviation in the late 1930s, just as the
type became popular, being explored by all aviations and starting with
France’s neighbour, Germany. In 1936, a specification by the Air ministry
Pierre Cot was emitted for an improved version of the prototype Nieuport
Nid.140, now part of Loire and conducting giving Loire-Nieuport LN.40. The
serie was finalized as a gull-wing inline engine sturdy machine, tailored for
carrier service: The Béarn, and the future Joffre class. 152 were built in all,
LN 411,sur
Nous utilisons des cookies pour nous assurer que nous vous offrons la meilleure expérience wheeltrain down,Sireconstituted
notre site Web. vous continuezAB-4, June
à utiliser ce 1940
site, nous supposerons que
production resuming for the Vichy Air Force in 1941. None ever operated
vous en êtes satisfait.
from Béarn, the bulk bing used (and lost) in operations of May over France
and later in June over Italy. D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité
https://naval-encyclopedia.com/naval-aviation/ww2/france/loire-nieuport-ln40-401-411.php 1/18
About the Nieuport Ni 140
Vichy Air Force, LN 411, Hyeres AB Fall 1942
The Loire-Nieuport LN.140 prototype in 1934. Note the rear turret and
fixed undercarriage wih massive fairings
In the early thirties the old Nieuport company (founded 1911), started to
show interest in possibilities offered by dive bombing tactics which was
pioneered briefly by the Royal Air Force in 1917-18. The exercize stressed
excessive structural efforts and required special attention in construction.
However, beyond this, the precision offered by a dive bomber proved to be
promising, in particular in naval warfare, perhaps even more than for the air
force.
At the time, the Marine Nationale bolstered since 1928 a single aircraft The French aircraft carrier Béarn
carrier, the Béarn. In the 1930s, she was mostly given sturdy ad well-crafted
biplanes, the Levasseur Pl.5,7,9,10 types used for bombing, torpedo-
bombing and reconnaissance. Fighters were parasol types such as the
Wibault
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turn at the end of the 1930s by the Morane 226. The naval staff saw vouswith
en êtes satisfait.
interest what a dive bomber could do, seeing what the USN tried from its
D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité
own fleet CVs of the Lexington class.
Specifications were emitted in 1932 by the air ministry for a derivative of

the Loire 140. Between 1932 and 1936, Nieuport-Delage developed a two-
seat dive bomber called Nieuport Ni.140, for the Aéronautique Navale, the
semi-independent aviation arm of the French Navy. It was renamed Loire-
Nieuport LN.140 after Nieuport was absorbed by Loire, forming the Loire-
Nieuport company in 1933. The first of two prototypes, LN.140-01, was
flown on 12 March 1935. Unfortunately it crashed in July during a forced
landing and was never repaired. The second indeed, LN.140-02 was more
advanced already, but eventually development was abandoned after it
crashed also in July 1936.
Levasseur PL.101 (1933), standard recce/bomber onboard Béarn
The workload was shared (as the production) between Loire and Nieuport.
The team was led by the chief engineer Pillon, which from the started drew
a model characterized by a low-positioned wing, inverted gull, and fixed
landing gear and completely faired. It also had a two-seat tandem cockpit.
The construction of two prototypes at Issy-les-Moulineaux plant was

Nous utilisons des
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in 1934. pour
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onenous
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from site Web. Si
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August 1943 à utiliser ce site, nous supposerons que
vous the
Gustave Delage joined the company in 1914 and decided to leave en êtes satisfait.
company in 1934, the original suffix Ni was kept. The appearance

D'accord was
Nonquite Politique de confidentialité
close to the Junkers Ju 87 developed at the time, and such similarity had
German Government denouncing and accusing Pillon of plagiarism and

espionage during the German occupation. It was also the origin of the
“French Stuka” moniker.
LN 40 Prototype, rear view.

The Ni-01 140 early short tests assesses characteristics in March and by
July, started more arduous manoeuvers, which led ultimately to a crash
landing, being completely destroyed as the result. The second prototype in
Wing design bueprints
November already fixed some issues, tested many changes notably in the
overall wing design, tail, and fairing, now shorter. The crash happened when
the pilot was diving, trying to correct its alignment. He died in the attempt.
These two crashed at the time were enough to convince the French Navy
commission to reject the proposal. Despite this failure, the prototypes still
showed what they could achieve without looking at foreign models, and
with further development, could be developed as a modern, superb dive
bomber ready for mass production. The base tree that was developed led to
a “navalized” version called Loire-Nieuport LN-401 and a land one, the LN-
411, both aiming at production in small series, when upon precisely
production issue under the Popular Front, Nieuport was merged into the
state consortium SNCAO (Société Nationale des Constructions
Aéronautiques de l’Ouest) around Bréguet in Bouguenais, and Loire-
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Wing design site Web. Si vous continuez à utiliser ce site, nous supposerons que
bueprints
Nieuport based in St Nazaire, Normandy. Under its own name, the
consortium only managed to create the seaplane SNCAO 30 for the Navy,
D'accord
the fighter SNCAO 200, the naval (land-based) torpedo-bomber Non
SNCAO Politique de confidentialité
CAO.600 or the CAO.700. All were prototypes, their development dragging

until 1940. Meanwhile, both Bréguet and Loire-Nieuport produced their
own, more sucessful models.
Development of the LN-40 serie
Cockpit interior
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Ailerons drive scheme
The loire-Nieuport Ni 161 prototype, a related development fighter,

three prototypes built.
LN 40 general scheme, showing also the longitudinally pivot-folding

wings.
From the experience gained with the Ni-140 prototypes, Pillon’s team in
D'accord shipboard
1936 started development of a lighter, nimbler and single-seat Non Politique de confidentialité
dive bomber. It was designed with a semi-retractable undercarriage and had

revised tail and control surfaces. The first prototype was startet at the Issy
Les-Moulineaux plant near Paris, in 1937, designated LN 40 No. l. However it
only made its first trials at nearby Villacoublay in June 1938. Onboard was
SNCAO’s chief test pilot Pierre Nadot.
Flight trials revealed the need for additional vertical tail surface area, and
auxiliary balancing fins added to the tailplane. The prototype as modified
was ready to start its official trials in September 1938. Further trials went on
at the naval test center of Saint Raphael (south of France, Riviera) and after
they were successful, the prototype started a serie of always dangerous
dives in November. But this time it went well: In all, the prototype made 15
dives. Soon also, ten arrested landings were made onboad Béarn. Six
preserie LN 40s were ordered in 1937 already even as prototype trials were
not done. This first production batch was later standardiized as the LN 401.
An additional 36 were then ordered for the French Navy, in February 1939.
Deliveries started quickly, by mid-1939, since the tooling already was made
ready in 1938 for the preserie.
The land-based Armee de l’Air LN

411
Meanwhile, the Armée de I’Air followed the trials and was impressed
enough to pursue the development of the army model, already convinced by
reports coming from axis experience in the Spanish civil war, notably with
the Junkers 87A Stuka. The air ministry ordered 40 of the modified land-
based version called LN 411. They differed in having non-folding wing and
no arrester hook as well as other detail modifications. On October 1939,
after many trials, the French Air Force however concluded that the LN 411
performance were too inferior for successful operation and thus,Non
D'accord it was Politique de confidentialité
agreed with the French Navy that the next batch of 39 LN411 ordered were
taken over for it’s own branch. The only remaining model was kept and
converted as the prototype LN 42 (see later).
Design
LN 401 blueprint. Note a convetible floatplane version was also

studied for the Navy, with a belly main float plus two underwings, or
two main floats under the undercarriage fairings. It was never
developed further.
The LN 40 serie was an inverted gull wing monoplane. This arrangement

was chosen just for the reason its manually operated wing folding
mechanism could be situated at a convenient height for the operators. But it
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air flow assurer que nous vous
It had offrons la meilleure
a monocoque fuselage expérience sur notre site Web. Si vous continuez à utiliser ce site, nous supposerons que
vous
inspired by the experiental Ni-161 fighter. All fuel storage were housed en êtes satisfait.
in the
broad wing center section. D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité
The lower half of its rudder was divided vertically to be opened opened in
two segments at right angles. They acted as such as dive brakes. There was
also a crutch beneath the fuselage, which swung forward to ensure the
bomb cleared the propeller when released. The main undercarriage
structure retracted rearwards, and still remained semi-exposed when
retracted, with the wheels vertical.
The landing gear tubes and suspensions were protected by the front fairing
which, when folded up, blended with the wing. Empty weight was 2,243 kg,
fulluy loaded 2,835 kg respectively, and overall dimensions were a length of
9,75 m, for 3,5 m in height at the tip of the tail, for a span of 14 m and wing
area of 24,75 m2.
Engine & Performances

The LN 401 was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 12-cylinder (V12),
liquid-cooled engine, rated for 690 hp at 4,000 m (). It could reach a top
speed of 320 km/h at sea level, 380 km/h at 4,000 m. Maximum cruising
speed was 340 km/h, range 1,200 km which was largely enough for naval
operations behind the horizon (by comparison the Dauntless reached 1,794
km and was much faster).
Armament
Onboard armament as designed comprised a single engine-mounted 20-

mm Hispano-Suiza cannon (which was quite powerful at the time for a dive
bomber), plus and two, more standard wing-mounted 7,5-mm Darne
machine guns. Its bomb load was limited however, as the belly rack only
supported a single 225-kg of the BEA 1938 type or a single 150-kg Type 12.
This was mostly the fact of using a 700 hp engine, whereas the Dauntless
was almost twice as powerful, with a Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone of 1,200
hp. It could also carry more underwings for strafing attacks, ten 10 kg (22 lb)
on 15 kg (33 lb) bomblets.
Detailed specs D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité
Comparison between the LN 401 and 411. Apart the hook there is not
much to tell them apart but looking at their wings’ gull slip, fixed on the
latter case
Specs LN 411 (largest production=
Crew: One pilot
Fuselage
9.75 m (32 ft)
Lenght
Wingspan 14 m (45ft 11in)
Height 3.5 m (11ft 6in)

Empty weight: 2,135 kg (4,500 lb)
Gross weight: 2,835 kg (6,250 lb)
Hispano Suiza 12Xcr V12 engine, 510 kW (690

Powerplant:
hp)/4,000m
Propellers: 3-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Maximum
380 km/h (240 mph, 210 kn)
speed:
Cruise speed: 299 km/h (186 mph, 161 kn)
Endurance: 3½ hours
Range: 1,200 km (750 mi, 650 nmi)
Service ceiling: 9,500 m (31,200 ft)
Armament – 1x nose 20mm Hispano HS404, 2× wings 7.5

Guns mm (.303 in) Darne machine guns.
Armament – 1x 225 kg (496 lb)/165 kg (364 lb) bomb, 10×10

Bombs kg (22 lb)/15 kg (33 lb) bombs
Operations vous en êtes satisfait.
Les seize premiers LN 401 faisaient l'objet d'essais d'acceptation en

novembre 1939, lorsqu'ils furent délivrés aux escadrilles AB2 et AB4. Le
Béarn à l'époque était engagé dans le roulage vers la France d'avions de
combat achetés aux États-Unis via le Canada, et les LN 401 n'ont donc
jamais commencé l'entraînement aux opérations à bord. Au lieu de cela, ils
sont restés basés à terre pendant toute leur carrière. Escadrille AB4
convertie plus tard du LN 401 au LN 411, en avril 1940. Les anciens LN 401
étaient répartis entre l'Escadrille AB2, une unité de conversion créée à
Lanvéoc-Poulmic (Bretagne) et le reste stationné dans une réserve de
guerre à Cherbourg.
Au 10 mai 1940, AB2 et AB4 avaient 12 appareils chacun, le premier étant

relocalisé à Berck, Pas de Calais, et le second, toujours en formation, à
Cherbourg-Querqueville. AB2 fait ses premières sorties avec les LN 411
d'AB4 depuis Berck le 17 mai. Deux jours plus tard, dix sont perdus sur leurs
objectifs
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vous offrons avions au
la meilleure expérience sur notre site Web. Si vous continuez à utiliser ce site, nous supposerons que
carrefour de Berlaimont, tombant sur des éléments des 7e et 5evous Panzer
en êtes satisfait.
Divisions. Seuls dix repartirent et atteignirent Berck.
Ils avaient déjà été si gravement endommagés par des éclats d'obus que le
lendemain, seuls trois étaient utilisables pour monter une autre attaque, sur
le pont d'Origny (Oise). Là, la FLAK était moins intense et de plus ils sont
arrivés après un escadron de 11 Vought 156 de fabrication américaine de
l'AB1 Sqn. Ces derniers ont pris le poids de la Luftwaffe et étaient tous à
court, permettant aux LN 401 d'atteindre leur objectif et de larguer leurs
bombes. Et un seul a été perdu. Le 21 mai, un autre fut abattu, ne laissant
qu'un seul appareil, tout juste réparé, réellement en état de navigabilité.
A l'époque, les commandes des LN 401 et 411 étaient toujours passées et

avant le 29 mai 1940, quelque 152 appareils avaient été livrés au total. Seule
une petite partie a été achevée, mais entre la distribution et le manque de
pilotes, ils étaient juste garés, attendant leur sort. Entre ces nouvelles
machines et celles réparées, les deux escadrons ont été entièrement
reconstitués avec un total de 10 LN 401 et 411, le 22 mai. Les opérations ont
été suspendues car le personnel au sol a déjà été capturé dans la région de
Boulogne.
Les deux escadrons se sont déplacés vers Hyères, dans le sud de la France,
le 4 juin. Ils ont effectué des missions de reconnaissance le long des côtes
italiennes et, lorsque l'Italie a déclaré la guerre à la France, ont commencé
des missions de couverture aérienne au moins pour la marine française lors
de l'opération Vado , le bombardement de Gênes le 14 juin. Les 17 et 18 juin,
13 engins bombardent le port d'Imperia. Du 23 au 25, les deux escadrons,
comme la plupart des unités actives évacuées du nord, s'envolent vers
l'Afrique. Ceux-ci sont arrivés à Bone, en Algérie. Le 1er août, les deux Sqn.
ont été renommés 2AB et 4AB, et convertis plus tard en bombardiers
Martin 167, également évacués.
Crashed LN401 N°6 en mai 1940

Les LN 401 et 411 survivants ont été démontés pour un stockage à long
terme. En 1941, l'usine SNCASO de Châteauroux assemble sous contrôle
allemand 24 LN 401 et 411 à partir d'éléments récupérés, autorisés dans le
cadre de la défense aérienne en zone libre (armée de l'air de Vichy). En
novembre 1942, lorsqu'après l'opération Torch, les Allemands lancent leur
occupation de la France de Vichy (opération Paula), ceux entreposés à
Bizerte-Karouba sont détruits par un bombardement allié lors du
débarquement.
Les LN 402 et 42 améliorés

Un seul LN 402 a été testé par l'Armée de l'air avec un moteur Hispano-
Suiza 12Y31 de 860 ch. Il était encore incomplet à l'usine d'Issy Les-
Moulineaux
Nous encookies
utilisons des juin 1940 lors
pour de assurer
nous sa capture. Ensuite
que nous a été
vous développé
offrons le LN
la meilleure expérience sur notre site Web. Si vous continuez à utiliser ce site, nous supposerons que
401. Il avait le même fuselage que le LN 401-411 mais avec un vous moteuren êtes satisfait.
amélioré de 1 100 ch et des ailes redessinées pour faire face au flux d'air
plus rapide, avec une

envergure réduite (13 m) et
une surface d'aile de 21 m2.
Le prototype a été transporté

par chemin de fer jusqu'à
Istres, dans le sud de la France,
effectuant de courts trajets
sur l'aéroport, et quelques
sauts volants comme indiqué,
pour être ensuite caché dans
une ferme à Flayosque,
Draguignan, aux côtés du
prototype de transport
commercial SO 30N. Jamais
découvert par les Allemands,
après la libération le LN 42 est transporté à l'aéroport de Toussus-le-Noble
pour des essais officiels. Il a volé le 24 août 1945. Mais le programme n'est
pas allé plus loin car la technologie aéronautique a fait des pas de géant
entre les deux, et l'été suivant en 1946, il a été équipé d'une hélice Escher-
Wyss à pas réversible. Il vola avec lui le 28 octobre 1946. Cependant, à ce
stade, la nouvelle Armée de l'Air estima qu'il était désormais totalement
obsolète et décida de le faire mettre au rebut.
En savoir plus et sources
livres
Les Bombardiers en piqué Loire-Nieuport
Lucien Morareau, Les aéronefs de l'aviation maritime : 1910-1942, Paris,
ARDHAN, 2002 D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité
Enzo Angelucci et Paolo Matricardi, Les avions, t. 3 : La Seconde Guerre

mondiale
liens
aviastar.org
histaviation.com
Sur wikipedia FR
aviafrance.com
ww2aircraft.net
wardrawings.be
militaryfactory.com
avionslegendaires.net
forum.warthunder.com
aviadrix.blogspot
histoiredumonde.net
Sur fandavion.free.fr LN411
Sur fandavion.free.fr LN42
Sur projetssecrets.co.uk
Maquettes
Sur scalemates – Spécial Hobby | N° SH48058 | 1/48
Plus sur le même site
Loire-Nieuport LN.411 Azur 1/48, CMB 1/72 résine. C'est à peu près ça.
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(1939)
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Loire-Nieuport LN-401 &amp; 411 (1938)

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09/07/2023 19:31 Loire-Nieuport LN-401 & 411 (1938)

Loire Nieuport LN 40 (1938)

LN 401 N°8, AB-4, Berck, May 1940.

About the Nieuport Ni 140

Vichy Air Force, LN 411, Hyeres AB Fall 1942

Specifications were emitted in 1932 by the air ministry for a derivative of

Levasseur PL.101 (1933), standard recce/bomber onboard Béarn

The construction of two prototypes at Issy-les-Moulineaux plant was

company in 1934, the original suffix Ni was kept. The appearance

German Government denouncing and accusing Pillon of plagiarism and

LN 40 Prototype, rear view.

CAO.600 or the CAO.700. All were prototypes, their development dragging

Development of the LN-40 serie

D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

Ailerons drive scheme

The loire-Nieuport Ni 161 prototype, a related development fighter,

LN 40 general scheme, showing also the longitudinally pivot-folding

dive bomber. It was designed with a semi-retractable undercarriage and had

The land-based Armee de l’Air LN

LN 401 blueprint. Note a convetible floatplane version was also

The LN 40 serie was an inverted gull wing monoplane. This arrangement

Engine & Performances

D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

Onboard armament as designed comprised a single engine-mounted 20-

Detailed specs D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

Specs LN 411 (largest production=

Crew: One pilot

Wingspan 14 m (45ft 11in)

Height 3.5 m (11ft 6in)

Gross weight: 2,835 kg (6,250 lb)

Hispano Suiza 12Xcr V12 engine, 510 kW (690

Propellers: 3-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Cruise speed: 299 km/h (186 mph, 161 kn)

Range: 1,200 km (750 mi, 650 nmi)

Service ceiling: 9,500 m (31,200 ft)

Armament – 1x nose 20mm Hispano HS404, 2× wings 7.5

Armament – 1x 225 kg (496 lb)/165 kg (364 lb) bomb, 10×10

D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

Les seize premiers LN 401 faisaient l'objet d'essais d'acceptation en

Au 10 mai 1940, AB2 et AB4 avaient 12 appareils chacun, le premier étant

A l'époque, les commandes des LN 401 et 411 étaient toujours passées et

D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

Crashed LN401 N°6 en mai 1940

Les LN 402 et 42 améliorés

plus rapide, avec une

Le prototype a été transporté

En savoir plus et sources

Enzo Angelucci et Paolo Matricardi, Les avions, t. 3 : La Seconde Guerre

D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

D'accord Non Politique de confidentialité

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