| Astra 1916 bomber | |
|---|---|
| Role | BomberType of aircraft |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra |
| Number built | 1 |
The Astra 1916 bomber was a large 3-engined biplane, with two fuselages and a central nacelle. Power was supplied by three 220 hp (160 kW) Renault 12Eb water-cooled V-12 piston engines, two tractor engines in the noses of the fuselages and a pusher engine at the rear of the central nacelle. The flight crew of two sat in individual cockpits in the central nacelle and a gunner were housed in a cockpit, aft of the wings, in each fuselage. Designed for a 1916 concours puissant the performance of the aircraft was unsatisfactory and further development was abandoned.
Specifications
Data from French aircraft of the First World War
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Length: 14.2 m (46 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan: 25.5 m (83 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 140 m (1,500 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 2,300 kg (5,071 lb)
- Gross weight: 3,500 kg (7,716 lb)
- Powerplant: 3 × Renault 12Eb water-cooled V-12 piston engines, 160 kW (220 hp) each
- Propellers: 2-bladed tractor and pusher propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 125 km/h (78 mph, 67 kn)
- Service ceiling: 3,800 m (12,500 ft)
- Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 24 minutes
Armament
- Guns: 3 machine-guns in the forward cockpit of the central nacelle and one each in the gunners cockpits of the laft and right fuselages.
References
- ^ Davilla, Dr. James J.; Soltan, Arthur M. French aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press. pp. 37–46. ISBN 1891268090.
| Aviation in World War I | |
|---|---|
| People and aircraft | |
| Campaigns and battles | |
| Entente Powers air services |
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| Central Powers air services | |