How many Potez 54s did the Republic actually receive?

Short answer

Between 20 and 21 aircraft of the 540, 542 and 543 versions, purchased by the Air Forces of the Spanish Republic; the first delivery, of six aircraft, arrived in August 1936. Spanish Republican pilots nicknamed them the "Flying Coffin" and their use was described as a total fiasco.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

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A short order

The Air Forces of the Spanish Republic purchased between 20 and 21 aircraft of the 540, 542 and 543 versions. The first delivery, of six aircraft, took place in August 1936. In total, 192 Potez 540s were built. Its combat debut came in the Spanish Civil War, where it was used by the Spanish loyalist side.

The "Flying Coffin"

It was a poor design, already obsolete two years after its introduction, which against the higher-performance German and Italian aircraft of the same period proved a failure in Spanish skies during the Civil War. Spanish Republican pilots nicknamed it the "Flying Coffin". The aircraft purchased by the Republic turned out to be clearly inferior to the more modern German aircraft. Its use was described as a total fiasco.