Lioré et Olivier 300

The Lioré et Olivier 300 (abbreviated to LeO 300) was a 1930s French prototype night bomber. Only one was built when the programme was abandoned.

Design and development

The LeO 300 was designed to meet a French requirement for a BN.5 category night bomber. It was a high-wing cantilever monoplane with a crew of five. The prototype first flew in September 1933, powered by four 500 hp (373 kW) Renault 12Jb engines mounted in tandem pairs on the wings. The LeO 300 was superseded by the LeO 301 with more powerful engines but with the withdrawal of the requirement it was abandoned in final assembly and work on the programme was stopped.

Variants

LeO 300

Prototype four-engine night bomber, one built.

Leo 301

Improved variant with more powerful engines, not completed.

Specifications

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 5
• Length: 23.98 m (78 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 38 m (124 ft 8 in)
• Height: 6 m (19 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 185 m² (1,990 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 7,600 kg (16,755 lb)
• Gross weight: 14,800 kg (32,628 lb)
• Powerplant: 4 × Renault 12Jb V-12 water-cooled piston engines, 370 kW (500 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph; 113 kn)
• Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

References

Notes

Bibliography