Wibault 2
| Company type | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Heavy night bomber biplane |
The Wibault 2 (also known as Wib 2 or Wib 2 BN.2) was a French-designed, single-engine biplane developed in the early 1920s intended primarily as a heavy night bomber. A thirteen-passenger variant was also planned. Ultimately, only one example was constructed.
Design and development
Identified by the BN.2 designation for its two-seat night bombing function, the Wib 2 incorporated an all-metal airframe that minimized weight while allowing a substantial useful load, sufficient to accommodate the envisioned passenger version. A distinctive feature was the rearward placement of the wings on the fuselage, which aimed to distribute weight evenly along a longer longitudinal axis rather than across the wingspan, thereby improving load stability. In the bomber layout, the pilot's cockpit was situated close to the tail section with the gunner positioned directly behind.
The aircraft exhibited an unusually large wingspan for a single-bay biplane, with the upper wing being shorter than the lower one. Both wings had rectangular plans without any stagger or dihedral angles and were braced by inward-leaning interplane struts and cross-wires attached to the fuselage. The upper wing was mounted above the fuselage on Cabane struts. The wing structure utilized thick, high-lift airfoil sections built around deep single spars made from Duralumin sheets, with ribs formed from cross-braced metal tubing. Only the lower wing was equipped with ailerons.
The fuselage featured a metal frame covered in fabric and supported a straight-edged, wire-braced tailplane with divided elevators mounted on top. The vertical stabilizer was broad and low with a curved leading edge, while the rudder was deep and included aerodynamic balancing. Propulsion came from a water-cooled V-12 Renault 12 M engine housed within a streamlined cowling, turning a two-blade propeller. Small radiators extended from each side of the engine cowling. The fixed conventional landing gear consisted of main wheels connected by a rigid axle supported by V-shaped struts and included a tailskid.
The Wib 2 made its maiden flight on 29 October 1921; however, production did not extend beyond this single prototype bomber version.