Latécoère 631
| Latécoère 631 | |
|---|---|
| Latécoère 631 in flight, 1947 | |
| General information | |
| Type | flying boat |
| Manufacturer | Latécoère |
| Designer | Pierre-Georges Latécoère |
| Number built | 10 (plus the prototype) |
| History | |
| First flight | 4 November 1942 |
The Latécoère 631 was a civil transatlantic flying boat built by Latécoère, the largest ever built up to its time. The boat had six piston engines, and was designed for passenger service. Ordered in the late 1930s, its first flight was in 1942; it went on to a limited amount of use up to 1950. However, the type was not a success, being unreliable and uneconomic to operate. It was withdrawn from service after a series of fatal accidents. Five of the eleven aircraft built were written off in accidents and one was lost during World War II.
The all-metal flying boat is remembered as a beautiful and ambitious design, built in the golden age of flying boat airliners, but also marred by tragedy.