Farman NC.470

NC.470

National origin: France
Manufacturer: SNCAC
First flight: 1937
Primary user: French Navy
Number built: 35

The Farman NC.470 (also known as the Centre N.C-470 when Farman was nationalised to form SNCAC) was a French twin engined floatplane designed as a crew trainer for the French Navy. It was used in small numbers for both its intended role as a trainer and as a coastal reconnaissance aircraft at the start of World War II.

Development and design

In 1935, the Farman Aviation Works designed as a private venture the F-470, a twin engined floatplane intended to be used as a crew trainer by the French Navy. A production order for ten aircraft was placed on 8 March 1936, it being intended that these aircraft would use spare floats left over from now retired Farman F.168 torpedo bombers.

In 1936, Farman was nationalised, and merged with Hanriot to form the Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre or SNCAC. The prototype, now redesignated NC-470, first flew, with a temporary wheeled undercarriage, on 27 December 1937.

The NC.470 was a twin engined high winged monoplane of mixed metal and wood construction, with two radial engines mounted on low mounted stub wings. It had a slab sided fuselage, housing the crew of two pilots in a tandem cockpit, a navigator/bombardier in the nose and a radio operator, flight engineer and gunner in the rear fuselage. The aircraft was designed to carry an armament of a single Darne machine gun on an open dorsal cockpit, together with up to 200 kg (440 lb) of bombs.

The first order for 10 NC.470s was completed by mid-1939, together with a single example of the NC.471, powered by a different model of Gnome et Rhx´ne radial engine. Further orders brought production of the NC.470 to a total of 34.

Operational history

While intended as a crew trainer, a shortage of coastal reconnaissance aircraft resulted in NC.470s being drafted into this role, with three NC-470s and the sole NC-471 being used together with three CAMS 55 flying boats to equip Escadrille 3S4 at Berre in August 1939. The NC-470 was also used by the aircrew training school at Hourtin. Fourteen aircraft were captured by Germany during the occupation of Southern France in November 1942.

Variants

NC.470 Main production aircraft. Powered by two 358 kW (480 hp) Gnome-Rhx´ne 9Akx radial engines. 34 built. NC.471 Revised version, powered by 373 kW (500 hp) Gnome-Rhx´ne 9Kgr engine. One built. NC.472 Proposed version powered by 447 kW (600 hp) Pratt & Whitney Wasp. Unbuilt.

Operators

France

French Navy

Specifications (NC.471)

Data from War Planes of the Second World War Volume Six

General characteristics

Crew: 6
Length: 16.10 m (52 ft 9â…ž in)
Wingspan: 24.45 m (80 ft 2½ in)
Height: 4.85 m (15 ft 11 in)
Wing area: 95.0 m² (1,022.6 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,717 kg (8,179 lb)
Loaded weight: 6,013 kg (13,228 lb)
Powerplant: 2x— Gnome-Rhx´ne 9Kgr 9 cylinder radial engine, 373 kW (500 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 230 km/h (124 knots, 143 mph)
Cruise speed: 190 km/h (103 knots, 118 mph)
Range: 1,140 km (616 nm, 708 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
Wing loading: 63.3 kg/m² (12.9 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.12 kW/kg (0.076 hp/lb)
Endurance: 6 hours
Climb to 2000 m (6,600 ft): 9 min 40 sec

Armament

Guns: 1 x— 7.5 mm Darne machine gun
Bombs: 4 x— 50 kg (110 lb) bombs

Bibliography

Donald, David (editor). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK:Blitz, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Five Flying Boats. London:Macdonald,1968. ISBN 356 01449 5.
Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Six Floatplanes. London:Macdonald, 1962.

Farman NC.470 Pictures and Farman NC.470 for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia