Les Mureaux 117

The ANF Les Mureaux 110 and its derivatives were a family of French reconnaissance aircraft developed in the 1930s. They were all-metal, parasol-wing monoplanes that seated the pilot and observer in tandem open cockpits. The aircraft were widely used in the Battle of France, but were all scrapped soon thereafter.

The ANF Les Mureaux 110 originated with a French air ministry requirement for an aircraft to replace the Breguet 19 in Armée de l'Air service in the "R2" reconnaissance role. Two slightly different variants, the 110 and 111 were presented to the air force for evaluation, and were soon ordered into production.

The first mass-production version was the 113 in 1933, of which 49 examples were purchased. This was supplanted in production by the 115 in 1935 and the 117 later than year. Both these series were given light bombing capability as well.

The 113 entered service initially with the Armée de l'Air's reconnaissance Groupes, followed by the observation Groupes, and finally replacing the venerable Potez 25s in the Groupes Aériens Régionaux reserve units. It was followed into service by the 117 and 115. From 1934 to 35, 40 of the original 113s were converted into night fighters and used to replace the Breguet 19s still in service with France's two nightfighter Groupes.

By the outbreak of World War II, the 115 equipped nine Groupes Aériens d'Observation, and the 117 nine more. By April 1940, 11 aircraft had been lost in action, leaving 228 on strength at the commencement of the Blitzkrieg in May. By the time of the French armistice with Germany on June 25, only 62 remained, some of these in North Africa.

Operators: French Air Force
General characteristics
Crew: two, pilot and observer
Length: 9.95 m (32 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 15.4 m (50 ft 6 in)
Height: 3.81 m (12 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 34.9 m2 (375 ft2)
Empty weight: 1,757 kg (3,874 lb)
Gross weight: 2,885 kg (6,360 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs, 640 kW (860 hp)
Maximum speed: 340 km/h (210 mph)
Range: 1,000 km (620 miles)
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,800 ft)
Armament: 1 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.9 cannon firing through propeller hub
2 × fixed, forward firing 7.5 mm MAC 34 machine guns
2 × flexible 7.5 mm MAC 34 machine guns for observer
200 kg (440 lb) of bombs