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The Amiot 354 was the latest in a series of fast, twin-engined bombers which fought with the Armée de l'Air in limited numbers during the Battle of France.

Development

Derived from the Amiot 341 mail-carrier, the Amiot 340 prototype was involved in a propaganda misinformation flight to Berlin in August of 1938 to convince the Germans that the French employed modern bombers. Though 130 machines were ordered by the French government that year, production delays and ordered modifications ensured that September 1939 saw no delivered aircraft. Eventually, the ordered number of this very modern craft reached 830 though ultimately only eighty machines were received by the Air Ministry.

The Amiot 351/354 mounted 1 x 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun in nose and ventral positions and 1x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS 404 cannon or 1 x 7.5 mm Darne machine gun in the dorsal position.

Operational history

In May 1940, the Amiot 351/354 was in the process of equipping just two bomber groupes: GB 1/21 and GB II/21 based at Avignon. Though 200 were in the final stages of construction, only 35 were ready for flight. This situation was exacerbated by the fact that the Amiot 351/354 was constructed in three separate factories, two of which were later bombed by the Germans. On May 16, 1940, the several Amiot 351/354 carried out armed reconnaissance missions over Maastricht in the Netherlands--the first combat mission conducted by planes of this type.

By June, the Amiot 351/354 was also delivered for GB I/34 and GB II/34, neither ever flying them in combat. At that time, all Amiot 351/354 were based on the northern front. Three had been lost in combat, 10 in training accidents. All aircraft were ordered to evacuate to Africa on June 17, 37 surviving the trip. As their numbers were too few to effectively engage the Italians, they planes were sent back to Metropolitan France and their groupes disbanded in August 1940.

Five Amiot 351/354 continued to be used as a mail carrier after the Battle of France.

Four Amiot 351/354 were commandeered by the Luftwaffe as transports, two found service in the 1./KG200 special service geschwader.

Engines taken for use with the Messerschmitt Me 323.

Variants

Amiot 351: 2x 950 hp (708 kW) Gnome-et-Rhône 14N 38/39, twin tail (17)(This number may be low) Amiot 350: Re-engined Amiot 351 with two Hispano-Suiza 12Y 28/29 engines (1) Amiot 352: 2x 820 hp (1100 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Y 50/51 engines (1) Amiot 353: 2x 1030 hp (820 kW) Roll-Royce Merlin III engines (1) Amiot 354: 2x 1070 hp (798 kW) Gnome-et-Rhône 14N 48/49 (45) (This number is probably low) Amiot 355: 2x 895 hp (1,200-hp) Gnome-et-Rhone 14R 2/3 engines (1) Amiot 356: 2x Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines (1)

Amiot 357: High altitude prototype with pressurized cabin (1)

Amiot 370: Racer developed specifically for (later cancelled) Paris-New York race (1)

The Amiot 351/354 saw service with the Armée de l'Air (80?)

Total production (including prototypes): (86?)

Operators

• France
  • Armee de l'Air
• Germany
  • Luftwaffe

Specifications (Amiot 354)

General characteristics

• Crew: four (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Bombardier)
• Length: 14.5 m (47 ft 6.75 in)
• Wingspan: 22.75 m (74 ft 10.75 in)
• Height: 4.06 m (13 ft 4.5 in)
• Wing area: 67 m² (721.18 ft&sup2)
• Empty: 4,270 kg (9,394 lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 11,285 kg (24,827 lb)
• Powerplant: 2x Gnome-et-Rhône 14N48/49, 780 kW (1044 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 480 km/h (298 mph)
• Range: 3,500 km (2,100 miles)
• Ferry Range: km ( miles)

Armament

• 2 to 3 x 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns and 0 to 1 x 20 mm cannon
• 800 to 1250 kg (1,760 to 2,750 lb) of bombs

References

• Breffort, Dominique & Jouineau, André. French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942
• Weal, Elke C., Weal, John A., Barker, Richard F. Combat Aircraft of World War Two

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft: Dornier Do 17 - Douglas DB-7 - Martin Maryland

Designation sequence:

See also:

• List of aircraft of the Armée de l'Air, World War II

• French bomber aircraft 1930-1939