Morane-Saulnier N

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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
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

Imperial Russian Air Force
.

Description

RFC Morane-Saulnier N

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

propeller arc. The later I and V types used a .303-in Vickers machine gun
.

A large metal "casserolle" spinner, appearing much like those used on the Deperdussin Monocoque pre-war racer of 1912, 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.

Morane-Saulnier manufactured 49 aircraft but the model was quickly rendered obsolete by the pace of aircraft development at that time.

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

French Morane-Saulnier N in 1916
 France
  • Aeronautique Militaire
 Russian Empire
  • Imperial Russian Air Force
Ukrainian People's Republic
 United Kingdom

Specifications (Type N)

Data from War Planes of the First World War :Volume Five [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 5.83 m (19 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.15 m (26 ft 9 in)
  • Height: 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
  • Wing area: 11 m2 (120 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 288 kg (635 lb)
  • Gross weight: 444 kg (979 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9C 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary engine, 60 kW (80 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 144 km/h (89 mph, 78 kn)
  • Range: 225 km (140 mi, 121 nmi)
  • Endurance: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) [citation needed]
  • Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 10 minutes

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

  • Fokker Eindecker

References

  1. ^ Bruce 1972, p. 86.

Bibliography

  • Bruce, J.M. (1996). Morane-Saulnier Types N, I, V. Windsock Datafile 58. Hertfordshire, UK: Albatros Publications. .
  • Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Fighters: Volume Five. London: Macdonald, 1972. .
  • Bruce, Jack. "The Bullets and the Guns".
  • Davilla, Dr. James J.; Soltan, Arthur (1997). French Aircraft of the First World War. Mountain View, CA: Flying Machines Press. .