The Potez 53 is a French low-wing enclosed cockpit single-seat cantilever monoplane racing aircraft built by Groupe Potez to specifically compete in the 1933 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe race, which it won outright.Taylor 1989, p. 748."Coupe Deutsch" 24 May 1934, p.510.
Design and development It is powered by a supercharged 9-cylinder Potez 9B air-cooled radial engine driving a two-bladed fixed pitch propeller. The engine was specially designed for the competition, which limited displacement to .NACA Technical Memorandum no.724: The 1933 contest for the Deutsch de la Meurthe trophy The primary structure and covering was wood. The undercarriage retracted outwards into the undersides of the wings while the tailskid was fixed.
Two machines were entered for the 1933 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe.De Narbonne 2003. The first (racing no.10) was flown by Georges Détré, who won first place, covering the closed-circuit course with an average speed of .Taylor 1989, p. 749. The other (racing no.12) was flown by Gustave Lemoine, who retired after completing the fourth lap.
Following this success, a new machine designated the Potez 533 (or 53-3) was built with various improvements for the 1934 race, including an uprated engine delivering driving a Ratier variable-pitch propeller, slimmer and more streamlined fuselage and redesigned wings of increased area."The 1934 contest for the Deutsch de la Meurthe trophy", p.18. One of the two aircraft entered the previous years was refurbished as the Potez 532 (or 53-2), to act as a backup in the competition. The engine was uprated, its fuselage was slightly lengthened for aerodynamic reasons, the wing was further enlarged and additional flaps were installed between the fuselage and ailerons.
The two aircraft were flown by the same pilots as the previous year, but neither completed the 1934 race."Coupe Deutsch" 31 May 1934, p.531. Gustave Lemoine, who was flying the Potez 533 (racing no.3), completed ten circuits with an average speed before being forced to withdraw due to a problem with the variable-pitch propeller. Georges Détré, who was flying the older machine (racing no.1), completed only eight circuits before a broken oil pipe forced him to abandon the race.
Aircraft on display
The unmodified Potez 53 that won the 1933 race is preserved and on exhibit (pictured) at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace "Potez 53". in France.
Specifications (1933 Potez 53)
Notes
References