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Potez 25
Potez 25
General information
Type	Reconnaissance; Bomber; Fighter
Manufacturer	Potez; PWS
Primary users	French Air Force Polish Air Force
Number built	4,000 (2,500 in France)
History
Introduction date	1925
First flight	1924
Retired	1940s
Developed from	Potez 23
Variants	Potez 26, Potez 27

Potez 25 (also written as Potez XXV) was a French twin-seat, single-engine sesquiplane designed during the 1920s. A multi-purpose fighter-bomber, it was designed as a line aircraft and used in a variety of roles, including fighter and escort missions, tactical bombing and reconnaissance missions. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Potez 25 was the standard multi-purpose aircraft of over 20 air forces, including French and Polish. It was also popular among private operators, notably mail transport companies.

The aircraft was further developed into the 25M, a standard parasol-wing monoplane, which never entered production.

Design and development

In 1923, the Avions Henry Potez aircraft works started production of a successful Potez 15 reconnaissance biplane. Basing on experience gathered during the construction of that aircraft, Henry Potez started working on a new design of a heavier and faster multi-purpose aircraft. Designated Potez XXV or 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 biplane, Potez introduced a sesquiplane, with the lower wing significantly smaller. It was built in two main military variants: Potez 25A2 reconnaissance aircraft and Potez 25B2 bomber-reconnaissance aircraft.

In May 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 aircraft abroad, in a post-World War I market filled with hundreds of cheap demobilized aircraft, the Potez 25 was entered into a large number of races. Among the best-known achievements was a European rally (7,400 km/4,598 mi) and a Mediterranean rally (6,500 km/4,039 mi), both won by pilots flying the Potez. In 1920s, the Potez 25 was also used in a well-advertised Paris-Tehran rally (13,080 km/8,127 mi). In June 1930, Henri Guillaumet crashed with his Potez 25 in the Andes during an air mail flight. He survived after trekking through the mountains and was found after one week of searching.

Such achievements added to aircraft's popularity and made it one of the most successful French aircraft of the epoch. It was bought by a number of air forces, including those of France, Switzerland, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Greece, Spain, Japan, Yugoslavia, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Turkey and the USSR. After the USSR acquired two aircraft for testing, they decided against further purchases, finding it comparable to the native Polikarpov R-5. Altogether, approximately 2,500 aircraft were built in France.

Already in 1925, Poland bought a licence 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 aircraft were built in a number of versions for long- and short-range reconnaissance and daylight 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.

In Romania, Potez 25 was produced by IAR. Several other countries manufactured Potez 25s under licence.

Variants

Potez 25: One prototype aircraft, powered by a 336 kW (451 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Ga W-12 engine.^[1]

Potez 25 A.2: Two-seat observation version, powered by a 388 kW (520 hp) Salmson 18Cmb or Lorraine 12Eb engine.
Potez 25.5: Production version, powered by a 373 kW (500 hp) Renault 12Jb, 100 built.
Potez 25.8: A reconnaissance-bomber powered by a single 370 kW (500 hp) Farman 12Wc W-12 engine, several dozen of which were built.^[2]
Potez 25.12: Reconnaissance aircraft, approximately 280 built, powered by 390 kW (520 hp) Salmson 18Cmb 18 cyl. 9-bank in-line radial engines, (9 pairs of cylinders one behind the other, not staggered).^[3]
Potez 25.23: A single P-25.12, (n°71), modified for a tour of europe from 14 to 22 September 1928.^[4]
Potez 25.35: Two-seat target-tug version.
Potez 25.36: Two-seat monoplane version
Potez 25.44: A reconnaissance-bomber powered by a single 370 kW (500 hp) Renault 12Jb V-12 engine, 74 of which were built.^[5]
Potez 25.47: A single liaison two-seater built especially for the Ministère de l'Air powered by a 450 kW (600 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Lb V-12 engine.^[6]
Potez 25.55: Two-seat training version. 40 built.
Potez 25 ET.2: Two-seat intermediate training version, powered by a 373 kW (500 hp) Salmson 18Ab radial engine.
Potez 25 Farman: Two-seat observation version for the French Air Force, powered by a 373 kW (500 hp) Farman 12We. Also known as the Potez 25/4. 12 built.
Potez 25GR: Long-range version, powered by 340 kW (450 hp) Lorraine 12Eb W-12 engines.^[7]
Potez 25 'Jupiter': Export version, powered by a 313 kW (420 hp) Gnome-Rhône 9Ac Jupiter radial. Built under licence by Ikarbus in Yugoslavia and OGMA in Portugal, exported to Estonia and Switzerland.^[7]
Potez 25H: Two floatplane prototypes, each one was powered by Gnome-Rhône 9A Jupiter radials.
Potez 25 Hispano-Suiza: VIP transport version, powered by a 447 kW (599 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Lb.
Potez 25M: one Hispano-Suiza powered aircraft was converted into a parasol-wing monoplane.

Potez 25-O: Specially strengthened and modified version, built for a non-stop North-Atlantic crossing. The aircraft was powered by a Jupiter radial, fitted with jettisonable landing gear and a strengthened landing skid. Only two were built.
Potez 25TOE: Major production version, 795 built, powered by 340 kW (450 hp) Lorraine 12Eb W-12 engines.^[8]

Potez 25 engine test bed: A single Potez 25 was used to test a Clerget 14F-01 14-cylinder, two-row radial diesel engine. This aircraft, complete with diesel engine was probably the aircraft exported to Japan which became the Potez CXP1 of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS).

Operators

Afghanistan

Afghan Air Force

Belgium

Belgian Air Force

Brazil

Brazilian Air Force

China

Independent State of Croatia

Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske captured 42 from the Royal Yugoslav Air Force.

Ethiopia

Ethiopian Air Force acquired 3 aircraft.^[12]^{[failed verification]}

Estonia

Estonian Air Force operated Potez 25 Jupiter up to 1940.

Finland

Finnish Air Force purchased one Potez 25 A.2 in 1927 and evaluated until 1936.

France

Vichy France

Vichy French Air Force

Free France

Free French Air Force

Greece

Hellenic Air Force^[14]

Guatemala

Guatemalan Air Force

Japan

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service – Purchased as Potez CXP.

Paraguay

Paraguayan Air Force operated a total of 14 aircraft, six Potez 25 A.2 and eight Potez 25 TOE during the Chaco War against Bolivia.

Poland

Polish Air Force operated 16 aircraft bought in France and another 300 aircraft manufactured in Poland.

Portugal

Portuguese Air Force^[15]

Romania

Royal Romanian Air Force

Spanish Republic Potez 25 of the Spanish Republican Air Force

Spanish Republican Air Force

Switzerland

Swiss Air Force

Soviet Union

Soviet Air Force – Two aircraft used for tests and trials.^[16]

Turkey

Turkish Air Force

Uruguay

Uruguayan Air Force

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Yugoslav Royal Air Force operated 200 aircraft manufactured in Yugoslavia.

Civil operators

France

Aéropostale
Caudron Flying School
Compagnie Francaise d'Aviation
Hanriot Airline and Hanriot Flying School

Specifications (Potez 25)

Data from Aviafrance : Potez 25^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 9.14 m (30 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 14.14 m (46 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 46.46 m² (500.1 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,370 kg (3,020 lb)
Gross weight: 2,494 kg (5,498 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Gnome & Rhône 9Ac 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 240 kW (320 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 230 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)

Armament

Guns: 2x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Vickers machine gun, with 1x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Lewis guns flexibly mounted in the rear cockpit
Bombs: 200 kg (441 lb) of bombs

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Parmentier, Bruno (3 December 2000). "Potez 25". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Parmentier, Bruno (7 July 2011). "Potez 25.8". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Parmentier, Bruno (24 March 2008). "Potez 25.12". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Parmentier, Bruno (24 March 2008). "Potez 25.23". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Parmentier, Bruno (24 March 2008). "Potez 25.44". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Parmentier, Bruno (24 March 2008). "Potez 25.47". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ ^a ^b Parmentier, Bruno (25 November 2007). "Potez 25 G.R." Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Parmentier, Bruno (24 March 2008). "Potez 25 TOE". Aviafrance (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Andersson 2009, p. 279.
^ Andersson 2009, pp. 68, 275.
^ Andersson 2009, pp. 85–86, 279.
^ Borja, Elizabeth (27 February 2021). "The Dream of Abyssinia: Two Black Aviators and Ethiopia". National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
^ Morareau 1991, p. 19
^ "Greek Potez". www.ww2incolor.com. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
^ Niccoli 1998, p. 23.
^ Kotelnikov, Kulikov & Cony 2001, pp. 54–55

Bibliography

Andersson, Leonart (2008). A history of Chinese aviation:encyclopedia of aircraft and aviation in China until 1949. Taipei: AHS of ROC. ISBN 978-9572853337.
Benichou, Michel (September 1979). "Potez 25 (2): la prolifique famille du biplan vainqueur des Andes faisait les beaux jours de notre armée de l'Air" [Potez 25, Part 2: The Prolific Family of the Biplane Vanquisher of the Andes was the Heyday of our Air Force]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 118. pp. 48–52. ISSN 0757-4169.
Cortet, Pierre (1996). Le Potez 25 (in French). Boulogne sur Mer: Lela Presse. ISBN 978-2950948502.
Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". Air Enthusiast, No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. ISSN 0143-5450.
Heinonen, Timo (1992). Thulinista Hornetiin – 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita (in Finnish). Tikkakoski: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo. ISBN 951-9568824.
Joux, Joseph de (August 1979). "Potez 25 sur les Andes (1)" [The Potez 25 over the Andes, Part 1]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 117. pp. 46–51. ISSN 0757-4169.
Kotelnikov, V.; Kulikov, V. & Cony, C. (December 2001). "Les avions français en URSS, 1921–1941" [French Aircraft in the USSR, 1921–1941]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French). No. 105. pp. 50–56. ISSN 1243-8650.
Morareau, Lucien (December 1991). "Les Potez 25 de la Marine". Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 265. pp. 18–23.
Niccoli, Riccardo (January–February 1998). "Atlantic Sentinels: The Portuguese Air Force Since 1912". Air Enthusiast. No. 73. pp. 20–35. ISSN 0143-5450.
Young, Edward M. (1984). "France's Forgotten Air War". Air Enthusiast. No. 25. pp. 22–33. ISSN 0143-5450.