On May 24, 1918, the French military department submitted a request for an S-class aircraft: a two-seat, twin-engine armored attack aircraft. A total of three projects were presented for this category: the Liore-et-Oliver S2, the Hochart S2, and the Canton S.2.
Canton S.2: Design and Powerplant
The Canton S.2 was a two-bay biplane featuring wings of unequal span; ailerons were located on the upper wing, while horn balances were fitted to the rudder and elevators. Due to its significant weight and the proposed armor, two 230-horsepower Canton-Unne engines were installed.
The engines, equipped with pulling propellers, were housed in armored engine nacelles, which also contained the radiators and fuel tanks. The crew cabins, like the engines, were covered with relatively thin 4mm armor.
Armament and Payload Capacity
It was proposed to install four machine guns on a flexible mount for firing forward and downward. Additionally, another machine gun was positioned on a turret in the rear cabin, suggesting the presence of a gunner-observer, although the original specifications only stipulated a two-member crew. Furthermore, the Canton S.2 could carry 15 x 10-kilogram bombs.
Performance Challenges and Military Rejection
The aircraft was rejected by the military with the official reasoning of “insufficient armor protection.” In reality, the main reason was that the attack aircraft was excessively heavy. According to test pilot Adjutant Lau’s testimony, it was clear that after the armor was installed, the aircraft could only take off after a lengthy run.
While attempting to gain altitude, the aircraft successively clipped a hangar at the edge of the airfield and then a power line. Even after reducing its weight by 200 kg, the attack aircraft’s ceiling was only 30 meters. The military simply did not need an aircraft that could barely climb above the treeline. Further development of this project, as well as the more successful LeO 5, was halted. No preserved photographs of this aircraft are known to exist; it is most likely that none survived, and the image often shown is merely a reconstruction of its appearance.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | S.2 |
| Maximum takeoff weight, kg | 2775 |
| Engine type | 2 Canton-Unne Piston engines |
| Power, hp | 2 x 230 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 180 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 150 |
| Service ceiling, m | 5000 |
| Crew | 2-3 crew |
| Armament | five 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns and 150 kg of bombs |
Image gallery of the Canton S.2
