Besson H-3
Role	Touring flying-boat Type of aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Marcel Besson
First flight	1920
Number built	1

The Besson H-3 was a French civil touring triplane flying boat designed by the Marcel Besson company of Boulogne.^[1] One aircraft was built and the type did not enter production.^[1]

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.^[1] 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.^[1] 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.^[1]

Specifications (H-3)

Data from ^[1]

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 m² (333.6 sq ft) the MB-12 had a wing area of 32.20 m² (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)