Wibault 280
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1930 |
| Headquarters | France |
The Wibault 280-T was a French-built monoplane trimotor airliner produced by the manufacturer Wibault. The largest configuration of this aircraft accommodated up to 12 passengers. Its development was financially backed by the Penhoët shipyards, which resulted in the alternative designation 'Penhoët Wibault'.
Development
With primary funding from the Penhoët shipyards located in St Nazaire, the prototype known as the Penhoët Wibault 280-T conducted its maiden flight in November 1930 at Villacoublay. Initially equipped with three 300 hp (224 kW) Hispano-Wright 9Qa radial engines, these powerplants were soon replaced by three Gnome-Rhône 7Kb engines, leading to its reclassification as the Wibault 281-T.
A second unit was constructed to the 281 specification but was subsequently converted into the Wibault 282-T, featuring three 350 hp (261 kW) Gnome-Rhône 7Kd engines and seating capacity for 12 passengers. A total of seven additional 282 models were manufactured. Some of these aircraft were operated by Air Union on the Paris-London Voile d'Or ("Golden Clipper") route during 1933. By 1934, Air France took delivery of ten Wibault 283-T variants, which incorporated enhanced fuel tanks and an altered tail design; several earlier 282s were also upgraded to this specification. A number of these commercial planes were later converted for use as military transports.
Design
The Wibault 280 series was a trimotor airliner featuring a cantilever low-wing monoplane design constructed entirely from metal. Its fuselage was divided into three modular sections sized for rail transportation. The forward segment contained the central engine compartment, firewall, and baggage storage area; the middle section housed a two-pilot cockpit with side-by-side adjustable seating and passenger cabins designed to accommodate up to ten individuals with generous headroom. Passenger comfort was enhanced through adjustable ventilation and large windows positioned beside each seat. The rear compartment included a cargo hold accessible through an external door, along with radio equipment installation; the tailpost supported the empennage.
The tail assembly comprised an adjustable horizontal stabilizer equipped with a two-part unbalanced elevator and a vertical fin bearing an unbalanced rudder. These surfaces, together with the passenger cabin walls and external fuselage panels, were covered in sheet metal. The fuselage structure utilized multiple T-section longerons for reinforcement.
Originally powered by three air-cooled Hispano-Wright 9Qa radial engines generating a combined output of 936 hp, the design allowed for alternative powerplants such as the Gnome-Rhône 7Kd. The nose-mounted central engine was complemented by two wing-mounted engines affixed to the leading edges, each driving metal variable-pitch propellers manufactured by Ratier and fitted with muffler exhaust systems. Fuel was stored in two wing tanks holding a total of 1,200 liters (317 gallons), equipped with a jettison system enabling fuel release during emergencies in flight.
The low-positioned wing was supported by two I-section duralumin spars, facilitating easy ground access for inspection and maintenance while providing crash protection for occupants. The wing consisted of a rectangular center section supporting the fuselage, engines, and landing gear, flanked by two tapered outer panels that increased dihedral angle. Narrow ailerons mounted on ball bearings were installed on the trailing edges of these outer sections. Both spars were braced to distribute structural loads effectively; duralumin ribs were strengthened with riveted stiffeners and covered by sheet metal skin panels.
The landing gear featured independent flexible trihedral assemblies with discontinuous elbow-type axles connected to oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers supplied by Messier. The wheels were equipped with brakes to shorten landing distances, while a lightweight cast alloy skid mounted beneath the tailpost served as a tail support during ground operations.
Accidents and incidents
- On 9 May 1934, the Air France Wibault 282-T registered F-AMHP crashed into the English Channel near Dungeness, Kent, United Kingdom, resulting in the loss of all six individuals aboard.
- On 19 May 1934, an Air France aircraft known as the Golden Clipper made a forced landing close to Croydon Airport in Surrey, UK, due to running out of fuel. Of the ten passengers and crew on board, only one sustained injuries.
- On 24 December 1937, the Wibault-Penhoët 283.T12 with registration F-AMYD was involved in a fatal accident near Zhůří, Czechoslovakia. A navigational mistake led the aircraft approximately 120 km off its intended route from Prague. In poor visibility conditions characterized by fog and snow, two pilots and one passenger lost their lives.
Variants
- Penhoët Wibault 280-T
- This was the initial prototype powered by three Hispano-Wright 9Qa radial engines; only one unit was constructed and subsequently modified first to the 281 model and then to the 282 version.
- Wibault 281-T
- Featuring three Gnome-Rhône 7Kd radial engines, this prototype included one newly built aircraft and another converted from the 280-T; both were later upgraded to the 282-T standard.
- Wibault 282-T
- Designed as a production model accommodating ten passengers, this variant utilized Gnome-Rhône 7Kd engines equipped with cowlings on the wing-mounted powerplants. Six units were newly manufactured alongside two prototypes converted to this configuration.
- Wibault 283-T
- Produced specifically for Air France, this version was fitted with three Gnome-Rhône 7Kd engines featuring NACA cowlings, expanded fuel tanks, increased maximum weights, and a redesigned tail assembly; a total of ten aircraft were built.
In popular Culture
The Wibault series 280 is featured in L'Oreille cassée, a late-1930s story from Les aventures de Tintin. The episode involves a treasure hunt set in an imaginary South American country. The aircraft is depicted with a glossy black and bright yellow paint scheme, adorned with Air France’s winged seahorse emblem—colloquially called "the shrimp" by airline personnel. It is shown boarding antagonists Ramon Bada and Alonzo Perez at Le Bourget Airport, illustrating the era’s transatlantic combined express service that connected flights to Le Havre or Bordeaux with ocean liner travel to America.
Operators
Bibliography
- Esperou, Robert. "Les trimoteurs Wibault: Seconde partie." Le Fana de l'Aviation, July 1985, pp.41–45.
- Esperou, Robert. "Les trimoteurs Wibault (troisième partie)." Le Fana de l'Aviation, August 1985, pp.24–27.
- Lacaze, Henri. Les avions Louis Breguet Paris, vol.2: le règne du monoplan, 2016.
- Stroud, John. European Transport Aircraft since 1910, Putnam, 1966.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Studio Editions, 1989.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985), Orbis Publishing.
- "The Wibault 280 T.10 commercial airplane (French): an all-metal, cantilever, low-wing monoplane." National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, March 1931.
External links
- "Wings Over Four Continents" Popular Mechanics, December 1935 – photographic content on pages 866–867