Shortly after the initiation of M.S.223 flight testing, the entire Jockey fighter concept was adjudged a failure and, with the inhibitions imposed by the chasseur leger programme removed, Morane-Saulnier developed a larger and heavier fighter, the M.S.224, which entered flight test in 1931. Based on experience with the preceding prototypes, the M.S.224 retained the mixed structure (dural spars and wooden ribs) of the earlier aircraft for the wing, mating this with a metal-and fabric covered dural fuselage, the ovoid cross section of which was widened to the near-circular. Wing area was increased by 1.00sq.m to 17.00sq.m, and loaded weight was raised to 1400kg. Powered by a Gnome-Rhone 9Asb, the M.S.224 attained 303km/h during trials.

A modified version, the M.S.225, was adopted by the Aviation Militaire (to become the Armee de l’Air in 1934) as an interim fighter pending availability of more advanced aircraft meanwhile called for by the 1931 C1 programme. The M.S.225 differed from the M.S.224 primarily in having a fully-cowled Gnome-Rhone 9Kdrs engine of 500hp. Armed with two 7.7mm guns, 74 M.S.225s were delivered during 1933-34. Of these, 55 were supplied to the Aviation Militaire (one being fitted with a 690hp Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs engine with a 20mm cannon mounted between the cylinder banks and flown as a test-bed under the designation M.S.227), 16 to the Marine Nationale and three were exported to China. The last M.S.225 fighters were phased out of first-line service during 1938.

Gallery

M.S.225
Max take-off weight: 1590 kg / 3505 lb
Empty weight: 1154 kg / 2544 lb
Wingspan: 10.56 m / 34 ft 8 in
Length: 7.25 m / 23 ft 9 in
Height: 3.26 m / 10 ft 8 in
Wing area: 17.20 sq.m / 185.14 sq ft
Max. speed: 334 km/h / 208 mph
Range: 700 km / 435 miles
Ceiling: 9500 m

Retaining the basic airframe of the M.S.121, the M.S.221, which appeared in 1928 as a replacement contender in the Jockey programme, carried a similar twin-7.7mm gun armament, but was powered by the Gnome-Rhone 9Ae Jupiter nine-cylinder radial rated at 600hp, and weighed 46kg less. Both lighter and more powerful than competing Jockey entries, the M.S.221 was nevertheless at a disadvantage in level speed, which proved appreciably lower than those of other contenders. One of the two prototypes of the M.S.221 was accordingly fitted with a turbo-supercharged G-R 9As Jupiter developing its full 600hp at 3800m. At the same time, an attempt was made to reduce aerodynamic drag by redesigning the wing bracing. Redesignated M.S.222, this prototype was 25kg heavier, but climbed to 7000m in 12 min.

The maximum speed of 267km/h at 3650m remained inadequate, however, and in a further attempt to reduce drag, the cross-axle type undercarriage was replaced by one of split-axle type, the modified aircraft flying in 1930 as the M.S.223.

Orders for the MS.233 came from 14 countries between 1934 and 1940.

In the meantime, Morane-Saulnier had initiated a more fundamental redesign of the fighter as the M.S.224, and, in consequence, further development of the M.S.223 was discontinued.

Gallery

M.S.221
Max take-off weight: 1230 kg / 2712 lb
Empty weight: 915 kg / 2017 lb
Wingspan: 9.80 m / 32 ft 2 in
Height: 2.98 m / 9 ft 9 in
Wing area: 16.00 sq.m / 172.22 sq ft
Max. speed: 268 km/h / 167 mph

The Morane-Saulnier MS.129 and its derivatives in the MS.130 series were a family of military trainer aircraft produced in France in the 1920s. They were conventional, parasol-wing monoplanes with open cockpits in tandem and fixed tailskid undercarriage. The initial version, the MS.129, was produced in small numbers for the Romanian Air Force and civil users, but the major production version was the MS.130, which equipped the French Navy and a number of foreign air arms.

The second MS.130 prototype won the 1929 Coupe Michelin, flown by Michel Detroyat with an average speed of 190 km/h (120 mph)

The MS.130 was further developed as the MS.230, and at least two MS.130s were later rebuilt to this new standard.

Operators of the MS.140 were Aéronavale and Aéronautique Militaire, Brazilian Air Force and Varig (15), Belgium (2), China, Guatemala, and Turkey. Romania operated MS.129, and the Portuguese Air Force operated 1 x MS.130 and 4 x MS.133.

Variants:

MS.129
initial production version
Engine: Hispano-Suiza 8Ab

MS.130
major production version
Engine: Salmson 9AB, 170 kW (230 hp)
Wingspan: 10.70 m (35 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 19.7 m2 (212 sq ft)
Length: 6.97 m (22 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in)
Empty weight: 793 kg (1,740 lb)
Gross weight: 1,149 kg (2,528 lb)
Maximum speed: 208 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
Range: 510 km (320 mi, 280 nmi)
Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
Crew: Two, pilot and instructor
146 built

MS.130 Coupe Michelin
single aircraft for Coupe Michelin 1929

MS.131
MS.130 converted for US military attaché in Paris
Engine: 230 hp (170 kW) Lorraine 7Me
I converted

MS.132
for French Navy
Engine: Salmson 7Ac
5 built

MS.133
Engine conversion
Engine: Gnome-Rhône 5Kc
3 from MS.129, 1 from MS.130

MS.134
conversion of MS.130
Engine: Clerget 9B