Morane-Saulnier N
| Type N | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| RFC Morane-Saulnier Type N Bullet, fitted with the immense "casserole" spinner | |
| Role | fighter |
| Manufacturer | Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier |
| First flight | 22 July 1914 |
| Introduction | 1915 |
| Primary users | Aéronautique Militaire Royal Flying Corps Imperial Russian Air Service |
| Number built | 49 |
| Variants | Morane-Saulnier I Morane-Saulnier V |
The Morane-Saulnier N, also known as the Morane-Saulnier Type N, was a French monoplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Designed and manufactured by Morane-Saulnier, the Type N entered service in April 1915 with the Aéronautique Militaire designated as the MS.5 C.1. It also equipped four squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps, in which it was nicknamed the Bullet, and was operated in limited numbers by the 19th Squadron of the Imperial Russian Air Force.
Contents
Description
While the Type N was a clean, streamlined aircraft, it was not easy to fly due to a combination of stiff lateral control caused by using wing warping instead of ailerons, sensitive pitch and yaw controls caused by using an all flying tail, and very high landing speed for the period. The Type N mounted a single unsynchronized forward-firing 7.9 mm Hotchkiss machine gun which used the deflector wedges first used on the Morane-Saulnier Type L, in order to fire through the propeller arc. The later I and V types used a .303-in Vickers machine gun.
A large metal "casserolle" spinner was designed to streamline the aircraft but caused the engines to overheat. In 1915, the spinners were removed and the overheating problems disappeared with little loss in performance.
49 aircraft were built but it was quickly rendered obsolete by the pace of aircraft development.
Variants
- Morane-Saulnier Type N
- Single-seat fighter-scout monoplane.
- Morane-Saulnier Type Nm
- The Type Nm had a modified tail unit. Built in small numbers.
- Morane-Saulnier I
- more powerful version with 110 Le Rhône 9J.
- Morane-Saulnier V
- Longer range version of I.
Operators
- Ukrainian Air Force - Three aircraft.
Specifications (Type N)
Data from War Planes of the First World War, Volume Five.[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: One (pilot)
- Length: 5.83 m (19 ft 1½ in)
- Wingspan: 8.15 m (26 ft 8⅝ in)
- Height: 2.25 m (7 ft 4½ in)
- Wing area: 11 m² (118.4 ft²)
- Empty weight: 288 kg (633 lb)
- Loaded weight: 444 kg (976 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9C air-cooled rotary engine, 60 kW (80 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 144 km/h (90 mph) at ground level
- Service ceiling: 4,000 m [2] (13,123 ft)
- Endurance: 1 hr 30 min
- Climb to 2,000 m (6,560 ft): 10 min
Armament
- Guns: 1 x .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun or .31 in (7.9 mm) Hotchkiss
See also
- Related development
- Morane-Saulnier L
- Circa Reproductions Morane Saulnier N, a modern reproduction
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
Citations
- ↑ Bruce 1972, p. 86.
- ↑ "Morane-Saulnier type N." EADS N.V., 26 May 2008. Retrieved: 14 June 2008.
Bibliography
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- Bruce, J.M. "The Bullets and the Guns". Air Enthusiast. Issue Nine, February–May 1979. Bromley, Kent: Pilot Press,
1979, pp. 61–75.
- Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Fighters: Volume Five. London: Macdonald, 1972. ISBN 978-0-356-03779-0.
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External links
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