Wibault 360

The Wibault 360 was a 1930s French five-passenger airliner designed and built by the Wibault company.^[1]

Design and development

The Wibault 360 was a low-wing monoplane powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Salmson 9Ab radial engine and equipped with conventional landing gear.^[1] The design was based on the earlier three-engined Wibault 283 but the 360 was smaller and had an enclosed cabin for a pilot and five passengers.^[1] The prototype, designated the 360T5, first flew in August 1931.^[1] A number of variants were built with different engines, the last of the series was the Wib.366 designed to compete in the 1934 London to Melbourne air race.^[1]

Variants

360T5

Prototype with a 230 hp (172 kW) Salmson 9Ab radial engine, one built.^[1]

362

Variant powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Gnome-Rhône 7Kb engine, two built in 1933.^[1]

365

Six-seat variant powered by a 500 hp (373 kW) Gnome-Rhône 9Kbrs radial engine, one built in 1933.^[1]

366

Variant for the MacRobertson Air Race powered by a 500 hp (373 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine, it had a cruising speed of 250 km/h (155 mph),^[1] it did not take part in the race.

367

The Wibault 365 modified with a retractable landing gear.^[1]

Specifications (360 T.5)

Data from Air Transport: The Wibault Penhoet 360 T.5 Monoplane^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 4 passengers
• Length: 11.18 m (36 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 16.97 m (55 ft 8 in)
• Height: 2.94 m (9 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 31.8 m² (342 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,272 kg (2,804 lb)
• Gross weight: 1,900 kg (4,189 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Salmson radial engine, 170 kW (230 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 203 km/h (126 mph; 110 kn) at sea level
• Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wibault aircraft.

Notes

Bibliography