The Lioré et Olivier LeO H-43 was a reconnaissance seaplane produced in France in the 1930s.[1] It was a strut-braced, mid-wing monoplane of largely conventional design, provided with an observation balcony underneath the fuselage.[2] It was designed to be launched by catapult from warships and, after a first flight in 1934, trials were conducted on board Commandant Teste.
Development was prolonged and the prototype underwent much modification before an order for 20 machines was placed by the Aéronavale. Even after this, a major redesign to the forward fuselage was specified as part of the production order. As a result, the first test flight of the production version did not take place until 13 July 1939, by which time the H-43 was already obsolete.[1]
The twenty examples purchased briefly equipped two squadrons from February 1940, but all were withdrawn with the Fall of France.
France