Béarn's internal arrangement divided fighters, reconnaissance machines, and torpedo bombers according to the size and weight limits of separate lifts. That made a mixed air group more difficult to move and manage. Torpedo-capable PL.10 derivatives offered a French version of the torpedo-spotter-reconnaissance idea, combining observation and attack duties in one airframe. The PL.10's 600-horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine gave it about 120 knots, a 14,800-foot ceiling, and a range near 326 nautical miles, showing that the flexible concept retained useful performance. Fewer specialized types could simplify aircraft handling and make the limited carrier group more flexible. The experiments also show France responding to British exercise experience while choosing enclosed cockpits and other nationally distinctive solutions.
Notable Point · 34:20-36:49
A multirole PL.10 could simplify Béarn's divided air group
Torpedo-capable PL.10 derivatives promised to combine spotting, reconnaissance, and attack roles within the constraints imposed by Béarn's separate lifts.