Wibault 7
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1920s |
| Founder | Michel Wibault |
| Products | Aircraft (including Wibault 7 fighter) |
The Wibault 7 was a French monoplane fighter developed in the 1920s by Société des Avions Michel Wibault. Different versions saw service with both French and Polish forces, while Chile produced the aircraft under license as the Vickers Wibault.
Development
Evolving from the preceding Wib.3 model, the Wibault 7 was a single-seat, high-wing parasol monoplane fighter classified as C.I. It was powered by a Gnome-Rhone 9Ad radial engine and featured an innovative all-metal construction technique patented by Michel Wibault. The initial prototype took to the skies in 1924, followed by two additional prototypes. Despite finishing third in a competition behind the Nieuport-Delage NiD 42 and Gourdou-Leseurre GL.32, an order for 25 units was placed in January 1927. Subsequently, 60 Wib.72 aircraft were manufactured for the Aéronautique Militaire, entering operational service in 1929. Chile licensed production to Vickers in England, where 26 units were built.
Although direct sales to Poland did not materialize, PZL acquired a license to produce the design locally. They constructed 25 aircraft equipped with Bristol Jupiter engines, designated as Wibault 70C1, for Polish forces. Some of these were later fitted with Wright Cyclone powerplants. The Wib.73 variant consisted of seven aircraft produced for Paraguay, while the French Navy operated navalized Wib.74 models that incorporated reinforced fuselages and arrestor hooks for carrier operations.
Variants
- Wib.7
- Initial prototype powered by a 480 hp (358 kW) Gnome-Rhone 9Ad radial engine; included two prototypes and a batch of 25 production aircraft.
- Wib.71
- Re-engined version with a Hispano 12 Jb engine but redesignated as Wib.9 prior to completion.
- Wib.72
- Reinforced production variant built for the French Air Force and Poland; total of 85 units produced.
- Wib.73
- Production model powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W engine, serving Poland and Paraguay; eleven constructed.
- Wib.74
- Naval adaptation for the French Navy featuring arrestor hooks and strengthened airframes; eighteen manufactured.
- Vickers Wibault Scout
- Licensed version fitted with Bristol Jupiter engines produced in Chile; twenty-six completed.
- Wibault 70C1
- Polish license-built variant equipped with Bristol Jupiter engines; twenty-five assembled by PZL.
Operators
- Paraguayan Air Force, which operated seven Wib.73s, with three still active at the onset of the Chaco War against Bolivia.
See also
Bibliography
- Angelucci, Enzo. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. San Diego: The Military Press, 1983.
- Bruner, Georges. "Fighters a la Francaise, Part One," Air Enthusiast, 1977.
- Cortet, Pierre. Multiple articles on Wibault variants and history in Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire, 1996-1997.
- Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994.
- Laureau, Patrick. "Passing Through England: From France to Chile," Avions, 1996.
- Luczak, Wojciech. "The Polish Wilbault 7s," Avions, 1996.
- Morareau, Lucien. "The Naval Wibault 7s," Avions, 1996.
- Morgała, Andrzej. Samoloty wojskowe w Polsce 1924–1939, Warsaw: Bellona, 2003.
- Sapienza, Antonio Luis. "Paraguayan and Brazilian Wibault 73 C.1s," Avions, 1996.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.