Review: L'Amiot 143 – De L'Amiot 140 a L'Amiot 150 Jerome Ribeiro & Michel Ledet
Lela Presse focus on books covering mostly French equipment but also other nations. For the French, at least, they aim at definitive and are comprehensive and accurate. They are not cheap but for the cost you get everything you could desire in a military equipment book.
Published in the Lela Presse 'Collection Profils Avions', No.18 focuses exclusively on the Amiot 143 and its derivatives and predecessors. It ranks as the definitive work on the subject - never to be surpassed but written entirely in French. The book is a hardcover with an illustration based on a photograph of Amiot 143s lumbering into the air (like the Handley Page Harrow these things didn't take off but lumbered)
Lengthwise it comprises 382 pages and literally covers every possible detail you might wish to know about the Amiot 143. It starts with the genesis of the aircraft and the concept of the multiplace de combat (essential for understanding why the Amiot 143 came about) and how it was chosen from a range of competitors. Then it goes into the derivatives before switching back to the development of the 143 prototype. Topics covered include how the aircraft was built, its trials and its modifications all illustrated copiously with photographs and drawings. A full set of specially drawn plans is included in 1/72 and 1/48 including the variations in Amiot 143 length (Nos. 1-30 were shorter). Of interest is just how messed up the Heller 1/72 Amiot 143 is when compared with these plans. It is really, really bad.
Next it moves on to the individual squadron histories - every one with profiles of representative aircraft (not much variation here but still in magnificent detail). Full histories of the 'raids' (special long range air cruises) are also included and wartime histories all magnificently covered by photographs. For example, the Amiot 143 was used as a transport later in the war and all the flights carried out by these aircraft are covered. Each individual aircraft's history is also listed as are engine variations and armament differences. There is literally nothing left out.
Photographic reproduction is excellent and the book is printed on high quality paper which shows off both profiles and the plans to perfection. The book is sold out at the publishers but does appear on ebay and other sources. Shop around though as some of the prices (like all of these out of print French military books) can get very high. Every time I pick this work up I ask myself - 'they published this much on one interwar bomber'?
I know how that airplane won its fights - when the enemy saw it, they all turned away and got sick in their cockpits and it snuck through to the target while that was happening. 🙂
I rather thought they lost control laughing so much
Yeah, that too.
Indded not the prettiest aircraft designed, Christopher @christopher
Wonder what those engineers were thinking while developing a new 'advanced' bomber.
Nevertheless, it looks to be an interesting book, thanks for sharing.
They were designing a 'multiplace de combat' which would supposedly be able to fight anything that was thrown at it. The book goes into the theory in considerable detail - another of it's strengths.
"So ugly it's beautiful", I really love its awkward looks! What a design, but then again, at that time, who knew?
Thanks for this detailed presentation, Christopher. Another winning article!
Many thanks for the kind comments Spiros. The French always had a taste for 'technically innovative' solutions and the multiplace de combat aircraft were attempts to meet a specification that wasn't practical.
Many thanks for publishing this.
In France ( or In Britain for that matter. ) The publications and press on a variety of subjects is truly astounding, when one goes into a train station or Airport Newsstand one has an embarrassment of choices on a variety of subjects. In Paris Airport I counted no less that 7 different aircraft publication histories and technical issues . And as much and more on cars, motorcycles etc. All are extremely well researched and sell well.
In the US for example on enters a virtual Desert of choices in their Airports, and for Independent book stores that sell press …almost extinct.
I like this plane. It raided Berlin during the « Phony War « ugly but Good !
That's because in the US anything that can't get a guaranteed ROI of 10 percent each quarter is "not commercial," Bernard. Why do you think Hollywood produces nothing but dog kibble nowadays and tells you it's steak?
Indeed and unfortunate. Books must take the slack .
Thanks for the comments Bernard - there is a certain charm to French interwar bombers.