Besson H-3
# Besson H-3

The Besson H-3 was a French civil touring triplane flying boat designed by the Marcel Besson company of Boulogne. One aircraft was built and the type did not enter production.

## Design and development

The H-3 was designed as a civil touring flying boat and had single-bay equal-span wings and room for two in a side-by-side configuration cockpit, it was fitted with dual-controls. Initially powered by a 45 kW (60 hp) le Rhône 9Z rotary, the H-3 was found to be under-powered and re-engined with a 97 kW (130 hp) Clerget 9B rotary, (from Société Clerget-Blin et Cie), driving a tractor propeller. The aircraft did not enter production and the sole H-3 was re-designated MB-12 in 1922 when it was modified with an enlarged central wing.

## Specifications (H-3)

Data from

General characteristics

* Crew: 2
* Wingspan: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
* Mid wingspan: 11 m (36 ft 1 in) after modification to MB-12
* Height: 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in)
* Wing area: 30.99 $m^2$ (333.6 sq ft) the MB-12 had a wing area of 32.20 $m^2$ (346.6 sq ft)
* Empty weight: 590 kg (1,301 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 875 kg (1,929 lb)
* Powerplant: 1 × Clerget 9B rotary piston engine, 97 kW (130 hp)
* Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch wooden tractor propeller

Performance

* Maximum speed: 155 km/h (96 mph, 84 kn)
* Range: 450 km (280 mi, 240 nmi)
* Service ceiling: 3,200 m (10,500 ft)
