MF-12

The Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk MF12 (another designation: Hover MF12) was a Norwegian prototype low-wing training seaplane with a fixed float landing gear from the interwar period. The prototype flight took place in July 1939. The drive was provided by a single engine Jacobs L-4M with a maximum power of 225 hp. The length of the aircraft was 9.73 meters with a wingspan of 13.6 meters. The machine did not have a permanent on-board armament. The MF12 was developed as a successor to the Hover MF8 aircraft that were obsolete at the end of the 1930s. Compared to its predecessor, it was a low-wing (not a biplane), it was also powered by a different power unit, had more refined aerodynamics and significantly better performance. Interestingly, the cockpit was almost exactly copied from the MF11. During the tests, the machine showed good maneuverability, it was relatively easy to pilot, but it showed some problems during take-off and landing. For these reasons, it did not enter mass production immediately, and the dispute over its entry into service lasted until the German invasion of Norway in April 1940. In total, only one machine of this type was built.