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. A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... Aircraft of the French Armée de lAir during the Battle of France in 1940. ... In World War II, Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ...

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. 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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. In 1934 the Manufacture dArmes de Chatellerault (MAC) began the development of the MAC 1934 machine gun to replace the Darne 7. ... Produced from 1922 to 1939, this not particularly reliable gas operated machine gun equipped French aircraft until 1935 when it was replaced by the MAC 1934 except in naval aircraft. ...

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. 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Maastricht (Limburgish and city dialect: Mestreech; French: Maestricht) is a municipality, and capital of the province of Limburg. ...

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. 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Five Amiot 351/354 continued to be used as a mail carrier after the Battle of France. In World War II, Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ...

Four Amiot 351/354 were commandeered by the Luftwaffe as transports, two found service in the 1./KG200 special service geschwader. The   Luftwaffe? (German: air force, IPA: [luftvafÉ™]) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ...

Engines taken for use with the Messerschmitt Me 323. The Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant was a German transport aircraft of the Second World War. ...

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 (1100kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Y 50/51 engines (1) Amiot 353: 2x 1030 hp (820kW) 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?)

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

In 1934 the Manufacture dArmes de Chatellerault (MAC) began the development of the MAC 1934 machine gun to replace the Darne 7. ...

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 The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Bleistift (pencil) by its pilots, was a World War II light bomber produced by Dornier that was used for a short time by the Luftwaffe. ... This article is about the aircraft. ...

Designation sequence:

See also:

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

Aircraft of the French Armée de lAir during the Battle of France in 1940. ...