Lioré et Olivier
| Company type | Private (before nationalization) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Founder | Fernand Lioré, Henri Olivier |
| Defunct | 1937 |
| Fate | Nationalized and merged to form SNCASE |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Military bombers, maritime patrol planes, flying boat airliners |
Lioré-et-Olivier was a French aircraft manufacturing company established in 1912 by Fernand Lioré and Henri Olivier.
History
The Société de Constructions Aéronautiques d'hydravions Lioré-et-Olivier maintained three manufacturing sites located in Argenteuil, Clichy, and Rochefort. In 1936, the company was nationalized and subsequently merged with Chantiers aéronavals Étienne Romano, Potez, CAMS, and SPCA to create the Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du Sud-Est (SNCASE) on February 1, 1937. Following this merger, the Rochefort facility was reassigned to SNCASO.
Aircraft designs
- Lioré et Olivier LeO 1: Licensed production of the Sopwith 1½ Strutter.
- LeO 3 & LeO 4: Fighter and reconnaissance aircraft projects initiated in 1917.
- LeO 5: Armored biplane designed for heavy ground attack with three crew members (1919).
- LeO H-6: Sesquiplane flying boat accommodating four passengers (1919).
- LeO 7: Bomber escort biplane derived from the LeO 5 design (1922); operational versions served in both the French Air Force and Naval Aviation.
- LeO 8 & LeO 9: Reconnaissance/night fighter and low-wing monoplane fighter models developed in 1923.
- LeO H.10: Prototype two-seat reconnaissance floatplane introduced in 1923.
- LeO 12 series: Night bomber prototypes that were also adapted into airliner variants.
- LeO H-13 series: Biplane flying boats featuring various engine configurations; produced versions served Aeronavale.
- LeO H-15 & H-18 series: Passenger flying boats including postal service adaptations manufactured between 1926 and 1928.
- LeO H-190 series: Flying boat airliners with diverse variants such as military amphibians, trainers, ambulances, mailplanes, and civilian transports.
- LeO 20 series: Night bombers with floatplane and four-engine editions; multiple upgraded models were developed.
- LeO 21 series: Biplane airliners and military transports based on the LeO 20 platform; included ambulance and avion-bar configurations.
- LeO H-22 & H-23 series: Flying boat mailplanes and amphibious reconnaissance aircraft.
- LeO H-24 series: Flying boat airliners featuring revisions and proposed naval variants; a high-speed intercontinental flying boat project was discontinued following Air Union’s merger into Air France.
- LeO H-246: Transport flying boat introduced in 1939.
- LeO 25 series: Bomber evolved from the LeO 20 design with landplane and seaplane versions, including record-breaking and Aeronavale-specific models.
- LeO H-27 & H-28: Flying boat mailplane and seaplane initiatives.
- Experimental biplanes LeO 40 & LeO 41 developed in 1932.
- LeO H-42 & H-43: Maritime patrol sesquiplane flying boats and shipborne reconnaissance seaplanes with enhanced variants.
- LeO 45 & LeO 451: Prototype and production night bombers respectively.
- LeO H-47 & H-470: Flying boat airliner and maritime patrol aircraft featuring improvements.
- LeO 48: Experimental mid-wing aircraft created in 1941.
- LeO H-49 (SNCASE SE.200): Large transatlantic flying boat airliner that evolved into the SNCASE SE.200 model.
- LeO 50 (SNCASE SE.100): Two-seat heavy fighter manufactured as SNCASE SE.100.
- LeO 300 series: Prototype night bombers equipped with upgraded engines.
- LeO H-440 series: High-wing, long-range maritime monoplane flying boat project including a civilian variant.
This diverse lineup underscores Lioré-et-Olivier’s concentration on military bombers, maritime patrol planes, and flying boat airliners, establishing its significant role within France’s aerospace and defense sectors before its incorporation into SNCASE.