Latécoère 26

Latécoère 26
Role	Mail-carrying monoplane
Manufacturer	Latécoère
First flight	1926
Primary user	Aéropostale
Number built	90

The Latécoère 26 was a French monoplane mail plane designed and built by Latécoère.

Development[]

The Latécoère 26 was designed in the 1920s as a mail carrier, based on the earlier Latécoère 25 with a longer fuselage, and first flew in 1926. It had a parasol wing with a fixed tailskid landing gear. The main landing gear was both robust and wide-track, to enable the aircraft to land on unprepared surfaces. It was powered by a single nose-mounted piston engine, and had room for only two passengers and an open cockpit for the pilot.

Operational history[]

Most of the aircraft were operated by Aéropostale on North and West African mail routes; two aircraft were sold in Argentina.

Variants[]

Laté 26

Initial production variant.

Laté 26-2-R

Introduced in 1927 it had a radio compartment.

Laté 26-3

Added fuel tank in wing centre-section.

Laté 26-3-R

With a balanced rudder.

Laté 26-6

Added a co-pilots cockpit in tandem behind the pilot, different landing gear and increased fuel capacity.

Laté 26-6/2

Re-engined with a 500hp (373kW) Renault engine and reduced wing area and tail surfaces.

Operators[]

 Argentina

 France

• Aéropostale

Specifications (26-2-R)[]

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2293.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 2 passengers and 5 m³ (176.57 ft³) of mail.
• Length: 17.4 m (57 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 17.40 m (57 ft 1 in)
• Height: 3.90 m (12 ft 1.5 in)
• Wing area: 48.60 m² (523.14 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,590 kg (3,505 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,364 kg (7,416 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × V-12 piston engine , 336 kW (450 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 188 km/h (117 mph, 102 kn)
• Range: 680 km (423 mi, 368 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,750 m (15,585 ft)

See also[]

• Mail plane

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Latécoère 26.

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2293.