Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246
Illustrative image; it may differ from the actual aircraft.The Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246 was a large French four-engined commercial flying boat, designed to a 1935 specification for Air France's Mediterranean routes and built, after the nationalisation of the industry, by SNCASE (Sud-Est). The prototype first flew from the Étang de Berre on 30 September 1937; it carried 26 passengers on four 720 hp Hispano-Suiza engines. Seven were built including the prototype: Air France put them into service on its Marignane–Algiers route in October 1939, one served with the French Navy and three of the Air France aircraft were seized by the Germans in 1942. The two survivors flew with Air France until September 1946.
Specifications
Figures for the H-246.1 variant, the most representative of the family
The type first flew in 1937 (89 years ago) · About 7 units built · Production ended in 1940
Figures for the type, not for this particular aircraft: each variant and each configuration changes something. They are shown in both systems used in aviation.
The story of the type
Development and design
The LeO H-246 was designed by the French aircraft manufacturer Lioré-et-Olivier to meet a 1935 specification for a commercial flying boat for use on the Mediterranean routes of Air France. It was a four-engined parasol monoplane of mixed construction and powered by four 720 hp (537 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Xir liquid cooled V12 engines. All four engines were mounted in streamlined nacelles ahead of the leading edge of the wing. It had a duralumin hull which was of similar layout to that of Lioré et Olivier's H-47; it had seats for 26 passengers, and a crew of four.
The prototype H-246.01 (Lioré et Olivier's factories had been nationalised at the end of 1936, so the aircraft was built by Sud-Est) made its maiden flight from the Étang de Berre on 30 September 1937. Air France placed an order for six H-246.1 aircraft in January 1938, with the prototype also being brought up to production standard for commercial service.
Operational history
The refurbished prototype and the first production aircraft were being readied for commercial service when the Second World War broke out in September 1939. The French Navy drew up plans to requisition the H-246s as maritime patrol aircraft, but Air France still needed them, and the Navy agreed to take over only four of the aircraft. This allowed Air France to commence operations with the prototype on the Marseille–Algiers route on 14 October 1939.
The third production aircraft was completed for the Navy in June 1940, with a glazed position in the nose for a bombardier/navigator, bomb racks below the wings and four 7.5 mm Darne machine guns as defensive armament. It entered service with Escadrille 9E on 25 August 1940, the only aircraft of the type actually to be operated by the French Navy, with the remaining aircraft going to Air France.
In November 1942, the Allies landed in French North Africa and, in response, German forces occupied Vichy France. They seized the single French Navy H-246, along with three Air France aircraft. Two more Air France aircraft were at Algiers at the time and so escaped seizure by the Germans. (The prototype H.246 had been withdrawn from use in 1941).
The German Luftwaffe took over the three seized ex-Air France aircraft, fitting them with five MG 15 machine guns as defensive armament and carrying up to 21 soldiers or 14 stretchers. The aircraft were used for various tasks, including transport in Finland. The ex-French Navy H-246 was destroyed at Lyon by Allied attacks in the spring of 1944. After the war, the two surviving H-246s were used by Air France to restart the Marseille–Algiers service, continuing in use until September 1946.
Variants
The prototype, registered F-AOUJ, first flew on 30 September 1937 with four 720 hp Hispano-Suiza 12X engines. After its hull was damaged during rough-water trials it was strengthened and brought up to production standard; it began Air France's H-246 operations on the Marignane–Algiers route on 14 October 1939 and was withdrawn in 1941.
Six production aircraft ordered by Air France in January 1938 (F-AREI to F-AREN), seating 26 passengers and flying from Marignane to Algiers and other Mediterranean ports. The third, F-AREK, was completed in June 1940 as a military aircraft for the French Navy, with a glazed nose position, bomb racks and four machine guns. Three of the Air France aircraft were taken over by the Luftwaffe in 1942, and the two that escaped flew on until September 1946.
Overview and history adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · technical figures from the manufacturer’s published specifications and standard aviation references
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This page was last updated on October 11, 2026
APA
Vuelopedia. (2026, October 11). Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246
MLA
“Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246.” Vuelopedia, Fundación Poderia, 11 Oct. 2026, vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Vuelopedia. “Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246.” Fundación Poderia. Last modified October 11, 2026. https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246.
Harvard
Vuelopedia (2026) Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246. Available at: https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{vuelopedia_en_model_leoh246,
author = {{Vuelopedia}},
title = {{Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246}},
publisher = {Fundación Poderia},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-11},
url = {https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246},
howpublished = {\url{https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246}},
urldate = {2026-10-18},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18}
}Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/leoh246 |title=Lioré et Olivier LeO H-246 |website=Vuelopedia |publisher=Fundación Poderia |date=2026-10-11 |access-date=2026-10-18 |language=en}}