The Bernard 70 was a 1920s design for a French single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft by the Société des Avions Bernard. It was not built but was developed into a racing monoplane designated the Bernard S-72, (later Bernard S-73). It was further developed into single-seat fighters, the Bernard 74-01 and Bernard 74-02, although only two of the fighters were built.
Design and development The Bernard S-72 was a wooden stressed skin constructed cantilever low-wing monoplane powered by a Gnome-Rhône 5Bc radial engine and had a fixed tailskid landing gear. Flown by Paillard, the Bernard S-72 participated in the 1930 Coupe Michelin race. On 29 June, he took off from Le Bourget, landed successively in Reims, Nancy, Strasbourg, Dijon and Clermont-Ferrand, but unfortunately had to retire near Lyon as a result of engine failure. The S-72 was re-engined with a Gnome-Rhône 7Kb and re-designated the Bernard S-73. The S-73 was then developed into the Bernard 74 single-seat fighter and retained the Titan-Major engine. Two prototypes were built with the first flying in February 1931, powered by a 280 hp (kw) Gnome-Rhône 7Kbs radial engine, the second was fitted with a Gnome-Rhône 7Kd engine and first flew on 21 October 1931. The first prototype 74 was re-engined with a Gnome-Rhône 9Kbrs radial engine and re-designated the Bernard 75 it was later used as a pilot-trainer. No further aircraft were built.
Variants
Bernard 70 Unbuilt design for a single-seat fighter. Bernard S-72 Single-seater racing monoplane powered by a Gnome-Rhône 5Bc radial engine, first flight in May 1930. Later converted to the Bernard S-73. Bernard S-73 The Bernard 72 re-engined with a Gnome-Rhône 7Kb radial engine, first flown in May 1930. Bernard 74-01 Single-seat fighter variant, powered by a Gnome-Rhône 7Kbs radial engine, first flown in February 1931, later converted to the Bernard 75. Bernard 74-02 A second prototype powered by a Gnome-Rhône 7Kd, first flown on 21 October 1931 Bernard 75 Prototype Bernard 74-01 fighter re-engined with a Gnome-Rhône 9Kbrs radial engine and later used as a pilot-trainer.
Specifications (Bernard 74.01)
References
Notes Orbis 1985, p. 638. Bernard S-72 - Course - Un siècle d'aviation française Bernard S-73 - Course - Un siècle d'aviation française Bernard 74 02 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française Bernard 75 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française
Bibliography
External links
Bernard S-72 Bernard S-73 Bernard 74-01 Bernard 74-02 Bernard 75