Very large Wibault flying boat project - 1930-1931

Schneiderman

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I have half a story to tell and hope that someone on the forum can provide the other part.

Vickers Aviation had a licence agreement with Wibault to build their aircraft in the UK and to exploit their metal fabrication patents. At the end of 1928 Vickers acquired Supermarine Aircraft. In early 1930 Supermarine must have been requested to contribute to a proposed Wibault flying boat, it is not clear whether this was to design a hull, aid Wibault to design one, or to comment on Wibault’s work. I have seen four Supermarine blueprints titled Wibault Flying Boat.

1) A full Supermarine drawing dated 21st July 1930. This is for a very large flying boat that matches Wibault flying surfaces to a hull that is near-identical to Supermarine’s intermediate Type 179 ‘Giant’ project, the drawings for which are dated 15th July 1930. Over-wing nacelles for tractor and pusher engines, as in the Type 179. Probably 4 engines. Loaded weight 70,000lbs.
2) A preliminary sketch drawing, undated but no earlier than mid-1931, which suggests (Supermarine calculation) a wing span of ~60m. Completely new hull design that is not Supermarine style. Engines sketched (by Supermarine) as broad-arrow type, so maybe Hispano Suiza 18Sb
3) A drawing, undated, but numbered immediately after 2) above. Base drawing is by Wibault and annotated in French. Titled Type 410Th. New hull with sponsons. Engines are now mounted on the leading, or trailing, edges of the wing (only the thrust axis is shown). No scale but appears to be a wind tunnel model with a hull length of 654mm
4) A drawing, undated, but numbered immediately after 3) above. Base drawing is by Wibault and annotated in French. Titled Type 440Th. New hull, neither sponsons nor wing floats shown. Four engines mounted on the leading edge of the wing, probably radials. Labelled as full scale and is a wind tunnel model with a hull length of 698mm

So from 1930 Wibault were investigating designs for a very large flying boat in the DoX/Supermarine 'Giant' class. Can anyone fill in the gaps in the story from the French side?
 
OK, no answers yet.
I suspect that the initial designs, with what look like 4 Hispano Suiza 18Sb engines, may be related to the same spec as the Latecoere 520. Does that make sense?
 
Maybe you are right my dear Schneiderman,

but for Latecoere 520,it was appeared in 1930 and the program still under development
until 1932,just wait TU magazine,in during two months they will reach to "W" letter in
aircraft designations.
 
Sure, we could wait. On the other hand the author may not know of these projects and be grateful for the information. Perhaps he reads this forum (he should)
 
Hi,

and I try to track the transatlantic competitions in 1927,1928 and 1930,no mention for
Wibault Projects,or in 1933/34 contest ?.
 
I think the person that could help you is Gerard Bousquet, he is the specialist concerning inter-war french flyingboats. His last book : Les Paquebots volants : Les hydravions transocéaniques français - Editions Lariviere. He is also the author of several articles on the same subject, published in le Fana. I did some drawings illustrating these , that was years ago, have no way to contact him.
But maybe via Le Fana ?
 
Schneiderman said:
Thanks, its worth a try

Thank you Galgot,

and for my dear Schneiderman,I have all issues from Le Fana,from No.1 to No.586,just
tell me what was them ?.
 
My dear Schneiderman,

please do you have a drawings to them ?.

And for this book; Les Paquebots volants : Les hydravions transocéaniques français,of course
I have it,but was no mentioned to Wibault !.
 
hesham said:
......just wait TU magazine,in during two months they will reach to "W" letter in
aircraft designations.


Do you have this magazine now, and if so was there any mention of Wibault flying boats? Thanks
 
Schneiderman said:
Do you have this magazine now, and if so was there any mention of Wibault flying boats? Thanks

No my dear Schneiderman,

unfortunately,the last issue is about "Starck" Aircraft,they don't finish letter "S" yet.
 
These are the flying boat designs I mentioned. They are in order of design date, oldest at the top. Top one is dated 1930, the others are slightly later, probably 1931. The last two have Wibault project/drawing numbers. Wibault flying boats.jpg
 
Wow,amazing drawing my dear Schneiderman,

but there is no sign in Gallica site ?.
 
No, nothing published. We need to find an expert in Wibault design projects
 
In this month,the TU magazine will spoke about Wibault as I think,but I hope they will find those
designs ?.
 
My dear Schneiderman,

unfortunately,the TU magazine ended the articles about Wibault without mention anything
about those great stuff ?!.
 
Hi Hesham. That's a bit disappointing but at least it means I have found some genuine unknown projects
 
Of course my dear,you got a treasure,

and is there any chance to track it from UK,maybe anther source mentioned them also ?.
 
My dear Schneiderman,

please and after your permission,I will put those aircraft in my book,and thanks.
 

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