Besson MB.35

MB.35 Passe Partout
General information
Type	observation floatplane
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Besson
Designer	Marcel Besson
Primary user	French Navy
Number built	2
History
First flight	1926 [1]
Variant	Besson MB.411

The Besson MB.35 Passe Partout was a French two-seat spotter and observation floatplane, designed by Besson. It was intended to serve on Surcouf a very large (for its day) submarine, stowed in a sealed hangar. ^[1] The first aircraft was destroyed during trials and the second was converted to the MB.41, prototype of the Besson MB.411, which did serve on Surcouf. ^[2]

Operators

  France

• French Navy

Specification (MB.35)

Besson MB.35 3-view drawing from L'Air December 1, 1926

Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928, ^[3] Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes, ^[1] Submarines with wings : the past, present and future of aircraft-carrying submarines ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) wings spread
• Wingspan: 9.85 m (32 ft 4 in) wings spread
• Width: 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) wings folded for submarine stowage
  
• Length folded: 6.5 m (21 ft)
• Height: 2.53 m (8 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 16.5 m² (178 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
• Gross weight: 765 kg (1,687 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Salmson 9AC 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 89 kW (120 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 160 km/h (99 mph, 86 kn)
• Range: 346 km (215 mi, 187 nmi)
• Ferry range: 644 km (400 mi, 348 nmi) with overload tank in rear cockpit
• Service ceiling: 4,800 m (15,700 ft)
• Wing loading: 47.5 kg/m² (9.7 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 0.1174 kW/kg (.0714 hp/lb)

References

1. Sharpe, Michael (2000). Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes. London: Friedman/Fairfax Books. p. 80. ISBN   1-58663-300-7.
2. Heinemann, with a foreword by Ed.; Treadwell, Terry C. (1985). Submarines with wings : the past, present and future of aircraft-carrying submarines. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 75–83, 113. ISBN   0851773699.
3. Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. pp. 113c –114c.

Bibliography

• Morareau, Lucien (March 2000). "Courrier des Lecteurs" [Readers' Letters]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (84): 2–3. ISSN   1243-8650.
• Passingham, Malcolm (February 2000). "Les hydravions embarqués sur sous-marins" [Submarine-carried Seaplanes]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (83): 7–17. ISSN   1243-8650.