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MORANE-SAULNIER MS 406

Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key
Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2011 ©Nigel Key

ROLE
Fighter.

FIRST FLIGHT
8 August 1935.

The Morane-Saulnier MS 406 was the most numerous French Fighter aircraft of World War II.

A prototype, designated MS 405, was a low wing monoplane, an enclosed cockpit and retractable undercarriage.

The aircraft was constructed from duralumin tubing with a thin sheet of duralumin bonded to a sheet of plywood forming the skin.

The aircraft was powered by the Hispano-Suiza 12Y grs engine with a variable pitch propeller.

After flight testing of the MS 405, the wing structure was changed to save weight and the radiator was made retractable and located underneath the fuselage. The engine was change to the HS 12Y-31 and the aircraft was then designated the MS 406.

The aircraft was armed with a 20mm cannon with 60 rounds which fired through the spinner and two 7.5mm MAC 1934 machine guns with 300 rounds, one in each wing.

At altitudes above 20,000 ft (6,000 m) the guns had a tendency to freeze and so heaters were added to the guns for high-altitude use.

PRODUCTION
The Morane-Saulnier MS 406 was produced from 1938, with 1,176 built.

ENGINE
Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31, producing 860 hp..

ARMAMENT
1 x Hispano 20mm cannon
2 x MAC 7.5mm machine guns

The MS 406 entered service with the French Air Force in early 1939 and was their first ‘modern’ fighter, although underpowered and weakly armed when compared to aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Me 109.

During the invasion of France in May 1940 around 400 of the aircraft were lost to air combat, ground fire, air raids and being destroyed by the French military preventing them falling into enemy hands.

Never-the-less, the French MS 406 squadrons achieved 191 confirmed kills and 83 probable victories.

By the end of WWII, the majority of the MS 406’s became obsolete with its final use being as an advance trainer aircraft in Finland until 1952.

Crew - 1
Length - 26ft 9in (8.17m)
Wingspan - 34ft 10in (10.62m)
Height - 9ft 4in (2.84m)
Empty Weight - 4,189lb (1,900kg)
Max. Weight - 6,000lb (2,722kg)
Max. Speed - 303 mph (486 km/h)
Range - 466 miles (750 km)


PHOTOGRAPHS

Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2013 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2013 Duxford 2013 Duxford 2013
Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2011 Duxford 2011 Duxford 2011
Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2010 - pic by Nigel Key Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2010 - pic by Nigel Key Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Duxford 2011 - pic by Nigel Key
Duxford 2010 Duxford 2010 Duxford 2011


Photos copyright of ©Nigel Key




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