Morane-Saulnier MS.603
The Morane-Saulnier MS.603 was a French-built two-seat light aircraft of the late 1940s.
| Morane-Saulnier MS.603 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The MS.603 at Saint-Cyr-l'École near Paris in May 1957 when operated by the Aero Club de Courbevoie | |
| Role | club aircraft |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Morane Saulnier |
| First flight | 1947 |
| Status | stored in a museum in France |
| Primary user | aero clubs |
| Number built | 3 |
| Developed from | MS.600 |
Design and development
The MS.603 was one of three aircraft constructed in the MS.600 series which were built to compete in an officially-sponsored 1947 contest for a light two-seat side-by-side club aircraft to be powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) engine.
The initial MS.600, powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Mathis G-4F piston engine, was a fixed gear, low-winged monoplane of mixed construction, with a single fin and the tailplane set just above the fuselage and a clear perspex canopy over a side-by-side cockpit for two persons. All three aircraft, MS.600, MS.602 and MS.603, were ready for flight in 1947 with the MS.600 flying on 4 June 1947.[1]
A parallel development, the MS.602, powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Minie 4DA piston engine, was similar in most respects to the MS.600 and flew on 24 June 1947.[2]
A more powerful derivative emerged as the MS.603, powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage.[3] The tailplane was also moved to a high set position on the fin and supported by struts.
Operational history
Initially registered F-WCZU in the experimental series, and re-registered F-PHQY in the amateur-operated series, the MS.602 was owned by Messieurs Gambi and Chanson and based at Saint-Cyr-l'École airfield to the west of Paris.[4] By 1983, the aircraft had been withdrawn from service and scrapped.
The sole MS.603, construction No. 1, was initially registered F-WCZT and later re-registered F-PHJC. It was flown for many years by the Aero Club de Courbevoie. By 1963 it was operated by M. Jean Forster, based at Guyancourt airfield,[5] but was withdrawn from use by 2006 when it was stored at the Musee de l'Aviation du Mas Palegry - (Mas Palegry Aviation Museum) near Perpignan.[6]
Variants
- MS.600
- The initial prototype powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Mathis G-4F piston engine. One built.
- MS.602
- The derivative intended for production. The MS.602 was powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Minié 4.DA.28 piston engine, but otherwise similar to the MS.600. One built.
- MS.603
- The final derivative with tricycle undercarriage was powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and had a revised tail unit. One built.
Specifications (MS.603)
Data from Green, 1965
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 1 passenger
- Length: 7.46 m (24 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 9.6 m (31 ft 5 in)
- Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 14.5 m2 (156 sq ft)
- Gross weight: 664.5 kg (1,465 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Hirth HM 504A-2 four-cylinder piston, 74.6 kW (100 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 190 km/h (118 mph, 103 kn)
- Cruise speed: 162.5 km/h (101 mph, 88 kn)
Notes
- Simpson, 2005, p.17
- Simpson, 2005, p.17
- Green, 1965 p.55
- Butler, 1964, p.110
- Butler, 1964, p. 118
- Ogden, 2006, p.149
References
- Butler, P.H. (1964). French Civil Aircraft Register. Merseyside Society of Aviation Enthusiasts.
- Green, William (1965). The Aircraft of the World. Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
- Ogden, Bob (2006). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-375-7.
- Simpson, Rod (2005). The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-222-5.
Further reading
- Lacaze, Henri & Lherbert, Claude (2013). Morane Saulnier: ses avions, ses projets [Morane Saulnier: Their Aircraft and Projects] (in French). Outreau, France: Lela Presse. ISBN 978-2-914017-70-1.