Romano R.90

R.90
Romano R.83 of the Spanish Republican Air Force
Role	Fighter floatplane
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Chantiers aéronavals Étienne Romano
First flight	August 1935

The Romano R.90 was a prototype single-seat French floatplane fighter of the 1930s. A single example of the R.90 was built, but the type did form the basis of the Romano R.83 and Romano R.92 fighters which were built in secret for the Spanish Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.

In 1933, the French Navy issued a specification for a single-seat seaplane fighter capable of being operated from the catapults of its Cruisers and Battleships. To meet this requirement, the Chantiers aéronavals Étienne Romano designed a floatplane, the Romano R.90, with designs also being prepared by Loire, Bernard and Potez.

Unlike the other three designs, the R.90 was a biplane. It was of mixed construction, with a welded steel-tube fuselage and wooden, single-bay wings, with the upper wings being gulled into the top of the fuselage to give a better view for the pilot. Two floats were fitted. The proposed armament was four 7.5mm machine guns, two in the lower wing and two in the floats.

It made its maiden flight in August 1935, powered by a 720 hp (537 kW) Hispano-Suiza 9Vbrs radial engine. With this engine it reached a speed of 352 km/h (219 mph). In October that year it was re-engined with a 680 hp (507 kW) Hispano-Suiza 14Hbrs radial in a NACA cowling, increasing the speed and the floats were modified. It was re-engined again in October 1937 with a 900 hp (671 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs-1 V12 engine with a 20mm cannon firing through the propeller boss. Despite reaching 400 km/h (248 mph), faster than any of the other competitors, the R.90 was not ordered into production, 20 Loire 210s being purchased instead.

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