Renard R-36
Encyclopedia
The Renard R-36 was a Belgian all-metal fighter aircraft designed to replace the Fairey Firefly II within the Belgian Air Force
Belgian Air Force
The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Originally founded in 1909, it is one of the world's first air forces, and was a pioneer in aerial combat during the First World War...

. Designed to improve on the Renard Epervier
Renard Epervier
The Renard Epervier was a Belgian prototype single-seat all-metal fighter monoplane built by the brothers Renard for a government-sponsored design contest in 1928. The Epervier Type 2 was built and flown in 1928, being constructed by Belgian aircraft manufacturer Stampe et Vertongen...

, which was never adopted by the Belgian government, the prototype R-36 first flew on 5 November 1937. Following testing the R-36 was approved by the Belgian Air Force in late 1938, with 40 aircraft provisionally ordered, to be delivered in two years. However, on 17 January 1939 the prototype, OO-ARW, crashed near Nivelles
Nivelles
Nivelles is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the old communes of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monstreux....

, killing pilot Lt. Visconte Eric de Spoelberg. The official investigation was inconclusive, no evidence of material failure being discovered, with the most probable causes being radio equipment coming loose during a high-G manoeuver, jamming the controls, or the pilot becoming incapacitated. The airframe had accumulated 75:30 hours flight time. The order was then dropped in favour of licence production of the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...

 by SABCA.

Variants

R.36
Single-seat fighter powered by a 910hp (679kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs
Hispano-Suiza 12Y
The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was a French aircraft engine in the pre-WWII era. Developed from the earlier, and somewhat smaller, 12X, the 12Y became the primary 1,000 hp class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft, including the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and Dewoitine D.520...

 engine, one built.

R.37
Former unfinished R.36 evaluation aircraft completed with a 1100hp (823kW) Gnome-Rhône 14N-21 radial engine, one aircraft captured by German forces in May 1940.

R.38
Another former unfinished R.36 aircraft completed with a 1030hp (771kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin II, first flown on 4 August 1939 and had a top speed of 326 mph (525 km/h), one built evacuated to France but captured by German forces.

R.40
Former unfinished R.36 aircraft completed with a Merlin engine following French interest, not finished and components captured by German forces.

Specifications

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