Potez 56

The Potez 56 was a 1930s French executive transport monoplane built by Potez and later used as a military crew trainer and liaison aircraft.

Development
Designed by Louis Coroller, the Potez 56 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane of mainly wood construction. It had a single fin and rudder and was powered by two Potez 9Ab radial engines. It had a retractable conventional landing gear, and room for a crew of two and six passengers. The prototype first flew on 18 June 1934, and production commenced for the civil market. The military soon became interested in the aircraft and ordered versions for twin-engined training, liaison duties and as a target tug. The most unusual version was the Potez 565, modified with an arrester hook for use on the aircraft carrier Béarn.

Operators

 * LAN Chile
 * French Air Force
 * French Navy
 * Potez Aéro Service
 * Régie Air Afrique
 * LARES (Liniile Aeriene Române Exploatate de Stat)
 * SARTA (Societatea Anonimă Română de Transporturi Aeriene
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * Spanish Republican Air Force, from LAPE
 * SARTA (Societatea Anonimă Română de Transporturi Aeriene
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * Spanish Republican Air Force, from LAPE

Variants

 * Potez 56
 * Prototype, one built.


 * Potez 56E:A single prototype of a 3-seat shipboard reconnaissance aircraft, powered by 2x 185 hp Potez 9Ab radial engines
 * Potez 56-T.3:3-seat trainer, powered by 2x 240 hp Potez 9E radial engines. Alternative designation of the Potez 566
 * Potez 560
 * Civil production aircraft, 16 built.


 * Potez 561
 * Modified version with improved performance, 3 built.


 * Potez 565
 * One aircraft with streamlined fuselage and fitted with arrester hook for aircraft carrier use.


 * Potez 566
 * Military version fitted with a manual-operated dorsal turret and a ventral nacelle for an observer, three built, also known as the Potez 56-T.3.


 * Potez 567
 * Naval version for use as a target tug, 22 built.


 * Potez 568
 * French Air Force crew-training version, 26 built, also known as the Potez 568 P.3.