The Morane-Saulnier MS.147 and its derivatives, the MS.148 and MS.149 were a family of trainer aircraft produced in France in the late 1920s for civil and military use.
First flying in 1928, they were derived from other machines in Morane-Saulnier’s successful line of monoplane trainers, combining the wire-braced parasol wing of the MS.138 with the fuselage and undercarriage of the MS.130. The M.S.130 had been a training aircraft used by the French Navy, while the M.S.138 was used by the Armée de l’Air in the early 1930s.
The prototype M.S.147 made its maiden flight in 1928. It was powered by a 120hp Salmson 9Ac radial engine and had a top speed of 90mph. 109 were built, of which thirty were sold to Brazil, five to Greece, three to the Aéropostale company.
The M.S.147 was followed by a single M.S.148 and then by fifty-six M.S.149s produced for the French Navy. The M.S.149 first flying in 1929.
A total of 166 were built. The various subtypes saw service with the Aéronavale, Aéropostale, and a number of foreign air arms. They were largely withdrawn from French military service by 1935.
Operators were Aéronavale (56 × MS.149), Aéropostale (3 × MS.147P), Brazil (30 × MS.147), Hellenic Air Force (5 × MS.147), Guatemalan Air Force, Turkish Air Force, Venezuelan Air Force (MS.147).
The aircraft was used as a basic trainer during the early 1930s. Most had been withdrawn from service by 1935, although a small number remained in use as late as 1939.
Variants:
MS.147 production version 106 built Engine: Salmson 9Ac, 89 kW (120 hp) Propeller: 2-bladed fixed pitch Wingspan: 10.9 m (35 ft 9 in) Wing area: 19.3 m2 (208 sq ft) Length: 7 m (23 ft 0 in) Height: 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in) Empty weight: 584 kg (1,287 lb) Gross weight: 850 kg (1,874 lb) Maximum speed: 145 km/h (90 mph, 78 kn) Wing loading: 43.6 kg/m2 (8.9 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.1067 kW/kg (0.0649 hp/lb) Crew: 2
MS.147P mailplane version for Aéropostale 3 built
MS.148 Engine: Salmson 7Ac 1 built
MS.149 version for Aéronavale (56 built) Engine: Lorraine 5Pa, 100hp Top speed: 87mph
The Morane-Borel monoplane (sometimes referred to with the retronym Morane-Saulnier Type A or simply the Morane monoplane; company designation Bo.1) was an early French single-engine, single-seat aircraft.
Designed by Raymond Saulnier, the Monoplane was a mid-wing tractor configuration monoplane powered by a 50 hp Gnome Omega seven-cylinder rotary engine driving a two-bladed Chauvière Intégrale propeller. The fuselage was a rectangular-section wire-braced box girder, with the forward part covered in plywood and the rear part fabric covered: the rear section was left uncovered in some examples. The two-spar wings had elliptical ends and were braced by a pyramidal cabane in front of the pilot and an inverted V-strut underneath the fuselage, behind the undercarriage. Lateral control was effected by wing warping and the empennage consisted of a fixed horizontal stabiliser with tip-mounted full-chord elevators at either end and an aerodynamically balanced rudder, with no fixed vertical surface. In later examples the horizontal surfaces were modified, and consisted of a fixed surface with balanced elevators hinged to the trailing edge. The undercarriage consisted of a pair of short skids, each carried on a pair of struts, and a pair of wheels on a cross-axle bound to the skids by bungee cords, and a tailskid.
Manufactured by the Morane brothers and Gabriel Borel, the machine was flown by Eugen Wiencziers in the 11 June – 10 July 1911 Deutsche Rundflug, where he was the sixth biggest money winner, winning a total of 26,673 Mark out of the massive 442,606 Mark prize fund. The 1,854 km tour of northern Germany started and finished in Berlin-Johannisthal and visited twelve other towns. It was won by Benno König in an Albatros, and 8 of the 24 entrants completed the course.
The Monoplane achieved fame when Jules Védrines flew one to victory in the 1911 Paris-to-Madrid air race, the only competitor to finish the four-day course. Later in the year he came second in the Circuit of Britain, flying an aircraft powered by a 70 hp Gnome.
Emile Taddéoli in ~1911/13
Another was flown by André Frey in the Paris-Rome race in 1911, finishing third. Emile Taddéoli was another owner of a Morane monoplane.
A two-seat version was later produced, with the fuselage lengthened to 7.0 m (23 ft) and wingspan increased to 10 m (34 ft).
A two-seat version, powered by an 80 hp Gnome was entered for the 1912 British Military Aeroplane Competition.
Operators included the Argentine Air Force, Brazilian Naval Aviation, Romanian Air Corps, and the Royal Naval Air Service.
A Morane-Borel, acquired from Earl Daugherty, ended up as a display relic, at the Tallmantz Movieland of the Air (aka Intl Museum of Flight at Orange Co CA Airport) in the 1960s. Modified to some unknown extent—perhaps just renamed—as the Mathis-Mestach Exhibition Monoplane c.1911.
Mathis-Mestach Exhibition Monoplane
As of 2007 a single example remained extant, undergoing conservation work at the Canada Aviation Museum.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.880, an all-metal low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear, designed for a French Government competition seeking a popular everyman’s aircraft. It was first called the Ral¬lye 800, powered by a 90 horse Continental, at a price of US$5,750. It first flew on 10 June 1959 and was then produced in a number of variants.
The first French mass-produced all-metal light touring aircraft. The landing gear is a fixed tricycle, the cockpit has a large sliding canopy. Rectangular wings use a laminar flow airfoil. The entire leading edge is fitted with an automatically operating slats, each wing interconnected to prevent dissymmetry of lift. These open at slow speed and close at high speed. Wing flaps are manually controlled. Ailerons are fitted with automatic tabs. The Super Rallye and Rallye Commodore four seats and the Rallye Club two-three seats,
MS.890M
Engines have included: Continental O-200-A, 100 hp Continental O-300-A or -B, 145 hp Potez 4 E 20, 105 hp Potez 4 E 30, 115 hp
In 1965 the company became a subsidiary of Sud-Aviation, which in 1966 created its SOCATA lightplane subsidiary that became part of Aérospatiale. In 1979 the SOCATA product line was redesignated, and the Rallye series was renamed. Thus, the Rallye 110ST two-seat trainer with the 82-kW (110-hp) O-235-L2A engine, became the Galopin; the Rallye 180T glider tug with the 134-kW (180-hp) O-360-A3A became the Galerien, and the Rallye 235GT high-performance STOL four-seater with the O-540 became the Gabier with options of tricycle or tailwheel landing gear. These major models were complemented by other variants with Franklin or Rolls-Royce/Continental engines.
All models share basically the same airframe: corrosion-proofed monocoque fuselage, slotted Fowler flaps and automatic full-span leading edge slats.
MS.890M
The Rallye 235 was equipped with a non-steerable nose¬wheel. The automatic full span leading edge slats are a key to Rallye performance. They are out at takeoff; later on, they stow themselves. The slats promote smooth flow over the wing at low speeds and help maintain lateral con¬trol by giving the ailerons some breeze with which to work. They are not effective in lower¬ing stall speed, but they do increase the stall¬ing angle of attack, which combines with more effective lateral control to make operat¬ing the airplane with minimum margins more comfortable.
Almost 30 civil-standard Rallyes of various models were delivered for military use as trainers and liaison aircraft. R.235 Guerrier Based on the successful Rallye touring aircraft, the armed Guerrier can carry up to 340kg of stores on four underwing Alkan 663 pylons. Weapons options include machine-gun pods, rocket pods, light bombs, and flares. Also available is a surveillance pack containing a TV camera and transmitter for relaying images direct to ground units. Side-by-side seating and dual controls allow the aircraft to be used as a trainer, and a stretcher can be carried for casevac missions.
Customers (1987): Guerrier El Salvador 6, Rwanda 2, Senegal 4.
In France SOCATA flew the pro¬totype of an agricultural version of the Rallye on 16 May 1977. Designated Rallye 235 CA Agricole, it was avail¬able with a variety of dusting/ spraying equipment that could be removed easily for the aircraft to fly as a two seat lightplane when the spraying season was over.
Certification of the MS 880B and MS 885 came under Direction Generale L’Aviation Civile France 13, and the MS 893E and Rallye 235E under Direction Generale L’Aviation Civile France 22.
All the Rallyes were built, flown and certificated by French au¬thorities in Tarbes, France. Those destined for the U.S. are disassembled, their engines are pick¬led, and the airplanes are packaged, two to a ship container, and floated to Wilmington, North Carolina or Norfolk, Virginia. Rallye Air¬craft Corporation, an Aerospatiale subsidiary reassemble, finish and paint the airplanes. Each must then be cer¬tificated by the FAA.
Rallye Aircraft has taken a tricycle gear airplane and moved the third wheel from front to back. The new taildragger is the Rallye 235C, which, except for its landing gear and stick control, is a copy of the Rallye 235GT, a four place, canopy top touring machine pulled by 235 hp Lycoming. But the need for short landings usually comes in conjunction with rough, unpaved landing sites. The older Rallye, with its nose gear and small diameter mains, is only marginally suitable off pavement, whereas the 235C, with conventional wheel placement and large 8.00 x 6 main tires is more suitable. Control sticks are centered before each front seat, and the 235C has two throttles.
Waco Aircraft [2] was founded in 1966 to build SF.260 (as Waco Meteor), and Socata Rallye Commodore (as Waco Minerva).
Waco Minerva 220
French production of the Rallye series stopped in the 1970s and PZL took it over (as the PZL-110), along with all production licences.
180GT Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A, 180 hp Wingspan: 31 ft 6.25 in / 9.61 m Length: 23 ft 9 in / 7.24 m Empty wt: 1257 lb / 570 kg MTOW: 2315 lb / 1050 kg Fuel cap: 48 Imp. Gal Max ldg wt: 2305 lb Max cruise 75% 5000ft/1525m: 139 mph / 121 kt / 224 kph T/O roll: 445 ft Ldg roll: 410 ft Stall: 57 mph/ 50 kt ROC: 787 fpm / 240 m/min Service ceiling: 11,150 ft / 3400 m Range: 512 nm / 590 mi / 950 km Max X-wind: 20 kt Cabin length: 7 ft 4 in / 2.25 m Cabin width: 3 ft 8.5 in / 1.13 m Seats: 4
Rallye 125 1972 Engine: Lycoming O-235-F2A, 125 hp Seats: 4
Rallye 220 GT Engine: Franklin 6A-350-C1, 220 hp
Rallye 235C Engine: Lycoming O 540 B4B5, 235 hp TBO: 2,000 hrs Prop: 2 blade, constant speed Length: 24 ft Wingspan: 32 ft Wing area: 132 sq.ft Height: 7 ft 7 in Max takeoff weight: 2,645 lbs Standard empty weight: 1,466 lbs Max useful load: 1,179 lbs Wing loading: 20 lb/sq.ft Power loading: 11.3 lb/hp Max usable fuel: 65 USG/390 lb Max rate of climb, sea level: 970 fpm Max rate of climb, 8,000 feet: 4155 fpm Max operating attitude: 14,800 ft Max speed (sea level): 148 kts Cruise, 65 % power at 8,000 ft: 125 kts Fuel flow at 65 % power: 12.9USG/hr Endurance at 65% power, no res: 5 hrs Stalling speed, clean: 59 kts Stalling speed, flaps down: 54 kts Max ramp weight: 2645 lbs Turbulent air penetration speed: 113 kts
R.235 Guerrier
R.235GT Gabier Engine: Lycoming O 540 B4B5, 235 hp TBO: 2,000 hrs Prop: 2 blade, constant speed, 80 in. dia. Length: 23 ft. 9 in Height: 9 ft. 2 in Wingspan: 31 ft. 11 in Wing area: 132 sq. ft Wing loading: 20 lb/sq.ft Power loading: 11.2 lb/hp Seats: 4 Empty wt: 1,568 lb Useful load: 1,072 lbs Payload with full fuel: 622 lbs Gross wt: 2,640 lbs Usable fuel cap: 71 USG/426 lbs Maximum rate of climb: 970 fpm Service ceiling: 14,800 ft Maximum speed: 148 kts Max cruise, 75 % pwr at 6,000 ft: 131 kts Econ cruise 65 % pwr at 10,000 ft: 127 kts Duration at max cruise: 5.4 hrs Duration at econ cruise: 6.2 hrs Stalling speed, clean: 59 kts Stalling speed, full flaps: 56 kts T/O roll: 490 ft Ldg roll: 425 ft Max X-wind: 25 kt
Development of the Morane-Saulnier M.S.733 Alcyon (Kingfisher) basic trainer began with the M.S.730.01 prototype, which flew for the first time on 11 August 1949. With the original 134kW Mathis 8G.20 inverted V-8 engine replaced by a 179kW Argus As 10, the prototype flew again in November that year as the M.S.731.
Two M.S.732 prototypes were flight tested in early 1951, each of them powered by a Potez 6D.30 engine and having the previous cantilever fixed landing gear replaced by a new design in which the main units retracted. The first example of the definitive version flew on 16 April 1951 as the M.S.733.01; five pre-production aircraft followed and series aircraft totalled 200; 40 for the French navy, 15 for Cambodia, and the balance for service with the Armee de I’Air as the Alcyon, 70 of them being fitted with machine-gun armament for use as gunnery trainers. In 1956 some of the gunnery trainers were converted for counter-insurgency duties, with machine-gun and anti-personnel bomb armament, for use against the nationalist rebels in Algeria. These aircraft were redesignated M.S.733A, of which a number were sold later to Morocco.
MS.733 Engine: 1 x Potez 6D.30 inverted inline, 179kW/ 237 hp Max take-off weight: 1670 kg / 3682 lb Empty weight: 1260 kg / 2778 lb Wingspan: 11.28 m / 37 ft 0 in Length: 9.32 m / 30 ft 7 in Height: 2.42 m / 7 ft 11 in Wing area: 21.90 sq.m / 235.73 sq ft Max. speed: 260 km/h / 162 mph Ceiling: 4800 m / 15750 ft Range: 497 nm / 920 km / 572 miles Wing loading: 15.58 lb/sq.ft / 76.00 kg/sq.m Crew: 2 Payload: 1-2 Pax
First twin-engine design by this company since World War I, the Morane-Saulnier M.S.700 of 1948 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear, the cabin accommodating five in either an executive transport or air taxi role.
Powered by two Potez 4D-33 inline engines, each of 119kW, the M.S.700 had a maximum speed of 290km/h. It was followed by the M.S.701 with two 134kW Mathis 8G-20s, the larger, six-seat M.S.703 with two 179kW Argus As 10Cs, and the M.S.704, similar to the M.S.703 but with two 164kW Potez 4D-31s. The M.S.703 had a maximum speed of 300km/h, being flown for the first time in 1951. None of the variants was built in quantity, only four being entered on the French civil register.
Immediately after the end of World War II, the management of Morane-Saulnier thought about creating a light aircraft for amateur pilots. The design of such a machine was supposed to be extremely simple, to allow pilots to assemble it with minimal technical training. As a result, at the end of 1945, the MS.660 project appeared, based on the development of M. Dupont. The MS.660 was intended to be sold just in the form of plans, or pre-fabricated for self-construction.
The prototype (F-WBGA) flew for the first time on the 17th of February 1946, powered by a Train 4E01 engine with 50 hp. The second prototype, with more rounded shapes, a different landing gear and 60 hp Aster engine, was further modified later to become the MS.662.
On April 22 1946, MS.660 was officially presented at the exhibition of light aircraft organized by the French Ministry of Aviation. The angular and clumsy machine with average flight data did not arouse any interest among customers. In 1947, Morane-Saulnier made another attempt with a seriously redesigned MS.661, but it also ended in failure.
MS-660 Engine: Train 4E01, 50 hp Wingspan: 7.20 m Length: 4.60 m Height: 2.20 m Empty weight: 232 kg MTOW: 360 kg Maximum speed: 160 kph Cruising speed: 127 kph Ceiling: 4500 m Range: 500 km Crew: 1
The prototype Morane-Saulnier M.S.560 single-seat low-wing aerobatic monoplane was built in 1946. It had retractable landing gear, a rearward-sliding cockpit canopy and its powerplant, comprising a 56kW Train 6D-01 engine, gave a maximum speed of 235km/h. Three variants followed, namely the M.S.561 and the M.S.563 of 1947 each with a 75kW Mathis G.4 engine, and the M.S.562 with a 75kW Cirrus Minor.
MS.561 Engine: 100 hp Mathis G-4Z Wingspan: 28 ft Length: 23 ft 8.5 in Height: 7 ft 2.5 in Empty weight: 1138 lb Loaded weight: 1490 lb Max speed: 155 mph at SL Max speed: 145 mph at 9840 ft ROC: 680 fpm Range: 680 mi Service ceiling: 16,400 ft
Developed under the Vichy regime by Morane-Saulnier chief designer Gauthier, the Morane-Saulnier M.S.470.01 Vanneau two-seat advanced trainer prototype made its first flight on 22 December 1944. Successful tests led to a decision by the Armee de I’Air to buy the Vanneau (Plover) to train its new generation of pilots, and three prototypes of the revised M.S.472 were ordered, M.S.472.01 flying on 12 December 1945.
In configuration the M.S.470 was an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane with pupil and instructor housed under a long glazed canopy. The main landing gear legs retracted inwards to lie partially exposed in the fuselage underside, a feature which was intended to reduce damage in the event of ‘wheels-up’ landings. The M.S.472 replaced the 515kW Hispano-Suiza 12X engine of the M.S.470 with a 522kW Gnome-Rhone 14M radial. The M.S.472 first flew on 12 February 1945.
M.S.472
230 Series M.S.472s were delivered from December 1946 onwards, and 69 series M.S.474 aircraft, modified for carrier operations, were delivered to the Aeronavale from December 1947, an M.S.472 having been temporarily converted to serve as the prototype M.S.474 in February of that year.
MS.472
Total production of the M.S.472 Vanneau II was 230 and of the M.S.474 Vanneau IV 70. Another series version was the M.S.475 Vanneau V, the prototype making its maiden flight on 8 August 1947. Production deliveries of the 200 series aircraft to the Armee de I’Air began in March 1950, the M.S.475 differed only in detail from its predecessors except for installation of a 634kW Hispano-Suiza 12Y-45 V-12 engine.
MS.475
The M.S.475 proved superior to its predecessors in manoeuvrability, speed and rate of turn, incorporating a wing of improved design, but a more radical modification with an increase in wing surface area was incorporated in one production machine, which was then re-designated M.S.476.01. Another M.S.475 was re-engined with an SNECMA Renault 12S-02 of 433kW and became the M.S.477.01, flown in November 1950. The M.S.478.01 project, to be powered by an Italian Isotta Fraschini Delta engine, was not built, and the last experimental development of the Vanneau was M.S.472 no. 295 modified as the M.S.479.01 to take an SNECMA 14X Super Mars engine of 611kW. It began its flight test programme in March 1952, but development was soon abandoned. The Vanneau II, IV and V remained in service at training bases of the Armee de I’Air and Aeronavale into the late 1960s.
M.S.470 Engine: Hispano 12X, 720 hp
M.S.472 Engine: Gnome-Rhone 14N-9, 700 hp Wingspan: 34 ft 11 in Length: 28 ft 3 in Height: 11 ft 10.5 in Empty weight: 3717 lb Loaded weight: 5290 lb Max speed: 290 mph Cruise: 258 mph Range: 950 mi Armament: 2 x 7.5mm mg Seats: 2
M.S.475 Engine: 1 x Hispano-Suiza 12Y 45 V-2, 641kW Max take-off weight: 3125 kg / 6889 lb Empty weight: 2351 kg / 5183 lb Wingspan: 10.65 m / 34 ft 11 in Length: 9.05 m / 29 ft 8 in Height: 3.62 m / 11 ft 11 in Wing area: 17.30 sq.m / 186.22 sq ft Max. speed: 445 km/h / 277 mph Ceiling: 8500 m / 27900 ft Range: 1500 km / 932 miles Armament: 2 x MAC 1934 7.5mm wing-mounted machine-guns, light bombs
On 27 January 1937, a new requirement was issued by the Service Technique Aéronautique and one of the fighters designed to conform with its requirements was the MS 450. Featuring a dural monocoque fuselage and Plymax-skinned metal wings, the MS 450 was powered by an Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 engine affording 1,050 hp for take-off and carried an armament of one 20-mm engine-mounted cannon and two wing-mounted 7,5-mm machine guns. The first of three prototypes of the MS 450 was flown on 14 April 1939, but a month earlier, an initial production order had been placed for the competitive Dewoitine D 520, and although the MS 450 test programme was continued the second prototype being completed in November 1939 its failure to display any marked advantage prevented the placing of a production order for the Armée de l’Air. Development of the basic design was continued, however, culminating in the MS 540 which was built in Switzerland by the Dornier-Werke AG (Doflug) as the D-3802A.
Engine: Hispano-Suiza 12Y51, 1,050 hp Span, 34 ft 9 5/8 in (10,62 m) Length, 28 ft 11¼ in (8,82 m) Height, 9 ft ¼ in (2,75 m) Wing area, 184.07 sq ft (17,10 sq.m) Max speed, 348 mph (560 km/h) at 16,405 ft (5 000 m) Range, 466 mls (750 km) Loaded weight, 5,813 lb (2 637 kg)
Drawing heavily on components of the M.S.405 fighter, the Morane-Saulnier design team put forward an advanced trainer under the designation Morane-Saulnier M.S.430, the prototype flying for the first time on 3 March 1937. A cantilever low-wing monoplane with inward-retracting landing gear, the M.S.430 located its pupil and instructor in tandem cockpits beneath a continuous glazed canopy, and power was provided by a 291kW. Salmson 9Ag radial engine. Tests continued into 1939, and a single-seat version was evaluated with the designation M.S.408A version with a Gnome-Rhone 7Kfs radial, designated M.S.433, was never completed. The M.S.435.01 took off for the first time on 6 December 1939. Powered by a 410kW Gnome-Rhone 9Kdrs engine, it had a redesigned fuselage of increased cross-section. An order for 60 series machines had been received from the French air ministry six months earlier, but priority in production went to the M.S.406 fighter, with the result that no series M.S.435 P.2 category (two-seat advanced trainer) aircraft were delivered before the French collapse in June 1940.
M.S.435.01 Wingspan: 10.71 m / 35 ft 2 in Max. speed: 395 km/h / 245 mph
