Gourdou-Leseurre GL-812 HY

The Gourdou-Leseurre GL-812 HY was a 3-seat reconnaissance floatplane, built by Gourdou-Leseurre.

Development
The protoype, called L-2, was built in 1926-27. It has a steel tube fuselage, and rectangular wooden wing. The tail was two fins, one above and one below the fuselage. The entire plane was fabric covered, except the 283 kW (380 hp) Jupiter engine was left uncowled. The prototype was flown to Copenhagen, and demonstrated to several countries.

Six prototype L-3s were constructed. They had a larger 313 kW (420 hp) Jupiter, steel spars instead of wood, and stronger struts. This allowed for shipboard catapult launching. After successfully testing the L-3, the French navy ordered 14 aircraft, to be called GL-810 HY. The first production 810 HY flew on 23 September 1930, taking off from the Seine at Les Mureaux.

In 1931, 20 GL-811 HYs were ordered, and operated from the seaplane carrier Commandant Teste.

In 1933-34 29 GL-812 HYs and 13 GL-813 HYs were ordered.

Variants

 * Gourdou-Leseurre L-2
 * The initial prototype of the catapult launched floatplane observation aircraft.


 * Gourdou-Leseurre L-3
 * Six prototype development aircraft with revised structure.


 * Gourdou-Leseurre GL-810 HY
 * Initial production - 14 produced for Aeronautique Navale


 * Gourdou-Leseurre GL-811 HY
 * Developed version - 20 built from 1931


 * Gourdou-Leseurre GL-812 HY
 * 29 built 1933-34


 * Gourdou-Leseurre GL-813 HY
 * 13 built

Operators

 * French Navy
 * French Navy

Units using this aircraft

 * Escadrille 7S2 (Commandant Teste)
 * Escadrille 7S3 (spread among various cruisers)
 * Escadrilles 1S1, 2S1, 2S4, 3S1, 3S2, 3S3, 3S6, 8S2, 8S5.

While most planes had been retired by 1939, that August the remaining planes were brought together to re-equip the recently re-activated and mobilized Escadrilles 1S2 and 3S3 at Cherbourg and Berre, respectively. These units performed coastal anti-submarine patrols.