French Flying 75mm
 

I recall from a magazine of the 1970s there was an article on the French Flying 75. IIRC it was an all metal trimotor monoplane fitted with a 75mm sideways firing cannon.

I did a search and see In 1932, French military designers installed a fixed side-firing Schneider P.D. 12 75 mm cannon in a four-engine Bordelaise A.B. 22 bomber.
That is not the one I remembered as in the photos it was a smaller three engined aircraft. had that corrugated exterior as used by the JU52.

Anyone familiar with this aircraft? Maybe my memory is faulty.

It may have been in one of those aircraft enthusiast magazines. I thought maybe SOF and found an archive and no joy.

Re: French Flying 75mm
 

It was the AB 22, evolution of the 4 engined AB 20.
You can see the protruding cannon on the port side of the plane.
Some trials were done, but after 5 shots, the plane became unserviceable, damages to the wing were too important.
https://i.ibb.co/34wksCf/scan0110.jpg
Regards
J Schreiber

Re: French Flying 75mm
 

Living and learning....always!

Thank you both to add a new thing about a "bird" I had never read or heard about previously....you both made my day!

OBS: Why would they put a 75mm gun firing to the sides? Was it (a 4 engined huge monster like that) a straffer??? Quite interesting subject you dig out there....and weird desing of this AB 22 or AB 20 machine...

Congratulations and IF a book arise, about the Flying Cannons, please keep us updated.

A.

Re: French Flying 75mm
 

Thanks and it is a high wing corrugated metal skin. My memory erred regarding the number of engines. Oh well. Thanks again

Re: French Flying 75mm
 

Felix,

Not at all, your memory is perfect...it is said down here that:

Initially the AB-20 was intended to have three engines like its predecessor, but during the design phase there was a military request for a bombardier's position and a gunner's cockpit in the nose, which required the removal of the centre engine and its replacement by two extra engines wing-mounted outboard of the centre section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAB_AB-20

http://dev.museesafran.com/wp-conten...12_0047441.pdf

https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarch...0-%200178.html

It was a huge monster...and weird design....

A.

Re: French Flying 75mm
 

Phew! Many thanks.