Lioré et Olivier LeO H-13

The Lioré et Olivier LéO H-13 was a French biplane two-engine flying boat of 1920s, built in passenger and military variants.

Development
The LeO H-13 was constructed by Lioré et Olivier in Levallois-Perret factory, for an order of the French Aeronavale airlines. The prototype was flown in July 1922. From 1923 there were built 23 passenger aircraft LeO H-13A. Next, there were developed military variants: reconnaissance-bomber LeO H-13B-3 and trainer LeO H-13E. They differed in fuselage configuration, because the H-13B-3 had an open cockpit for a pilot only behind a lower wing, while the H-13E had an open cockpit for a trainee and instructor seating side-by-side, in front of wings. Both had open machine gun nests in a fuselage nose and behind wings. The H-13E could be also used as a reconnaissance aircraft. From late 1923 there were built 20 H-13B-3 (nos. 1-20) and 10 H-13E (nos. 21-30).

Variants
Data from: - Lioré et Olivier
 * LéO H-13
 * Prototype


 * LeO H-13bis:
 * LéO H-13A
 * Passenger variant, 3 built


 * LéO H-13B-3
 * Reconnaissance-bomber variant, 20 built.


 * LéO H-13E
 * Trainer variant, 10 built.


 * LeO H-132:2 built,powered by 2x Hispano-Suiza 8Aa engines.
 * LeO H-133:4 built, powered by 2x 300 hp Renault 12F engines.
 * LeO H-134:2 built, powered by 1x 450 hp Lorraine 12Eb engines.
 * LeO H-135:7 built, powered by 2x 180 hp Hispano-Suiza 8Ab engines.
 * LeO H-136:12 built for Aeronavale
 * Leo H-14:Design studies for a 5-seat version of the H-13, not completed due to lack of interest from airlines.

Service
Passenger H-13A were used over the Mediterranean Sea.

In the French Navy, H-13 were quickly withdrawn for training purpose, because of weak structure and low manufacturing quality.

In 1924-1925 two H-13B3 and two H-13E were sold to Poland and used in Naval Aviation Unit (MDLot) in Puck from mid-1925. One of H-13E was used for a short time in a River Flotilla in Pińsk. The first H-13B-3 no. 1-1 was withdrawn in 1929, next two (nos. 1-2 and 1-3) in 1931, while the last H-13E, no. 1-4, crashed on 29 July 1931 over the land near Puck.

Description
Two-engine biplane flying boat of wooden construction. Wooden framed fuselage, plywood covered, rectangular in cross-section, with a flat bottom with a single step. Two-spar rectangular wings, covered with plywood (in front) and canvas. A lower wing attached to the fuselage, an upper wing above it, mounted on struts, with two engines between wings, driving tractor propellers. Two floats under a lower wing. Conventional braced empennage. Two 150 hp radial engines Hispano-Suiza 8E.

Armament: two twin 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns and 4 bombs up to 25 kg below a lower wing.

Operators

 * French Navy
 * Polish Navy
 * Polish Navy
 * Polish Navy