Couzinet 70

70 Arc-en-Ciel
The Arc-en-Ciel at Fernando de Noronha, Brazil on 14 June 1934
Role	Long-range commercial monoplane
Manufacturer	Société des Avions René Couzinet
First flight	11 February 1932
Introduction	1934
Primary user	Aéropostale
Produced	3

The Couzinet 70 was a 1930s French three-engined commercial monoplane built by Société des Avions René Couzinet founded by René Couzinet.

Design and developments

The Couzinet 70 Arc-en-Ciel III (en Rainbow) was developed from the 1920s Couzinet 10 Arc-en-Ciel and Couzinet 30. The Couzinet 70 was developed originally as a mail plane for use of Aéropostale's South Atlantic service. The aircraft was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear. The aircraft was powered by three Hispano-Suiza 12Nb inline piston engines. The two wing mounted engines could be accessed in flight through tunnels in the wing. After route-proving in 1933 the aircraft was modified and re-designated the Couzinet 71 and entered service with Aéropostale in May 1934.

Variants

10 Arc en Ciel

The original prototype four place bomber, later converted to the Couzinet 27

27 Arc en Ciel II

Converted from the Couzinet 10 but crashing on 8 August 1928

70 Arc en Ciel III

Three-engined Hispano-Suiza 12Nb powered prototype, one built and converted to a Couzinet 71

71

Prototype modified for service as a mailplane, with lengthened nose and strut-braced tailplane.

Operators

France

• Aéropostale

Spain

• Spanish Republican Air Force - Couzinet 101

Specifications (70/71)

General characteristics

• Crew: Four

Performance

References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)