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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 1025.PDF
MAY 23RD, 1946 FLIGHT 527 Civil Aircraft In France Some Impressions of the Types Being Produced by the French Industry The experimental jet-propelled S0-6000 prototype, shown above, will be powered with a German Jumo 004unit. The nose intake shape is interesting. Somewhat advanced inlayout, the S.U.C.10 four-seater on the left was shown at the Toussus leNoble light aircraft meeting. Below are general arrangement drawings ofthe SO-6000. THE French financial crisis, which has caused drasticreductions in the 1946 budget estimates, will havea serious effect on aircraft production in France. The contracts for most of the important types now in pro- duction have been cut. In the case of transport aircraft alone these cuts involve orders for 50 Goelands, 25 of the four-motor S.N.C.A. Languedoc 161s, 20 four-engined SE-210S and 80 of the SO-91 and SO-93 series. In all, the contracts for some 1,700 aircraft have been scrapped. Meanwhile, the first of the 22-ton Languedoc 161 trans- ports ordered for Air France (and seen last week in this country) has just completed a long-distance test flight before being handed over. Captained by an Air France pilot, M. Dufour, it returned to Paris on April 23rd, having flown some 12,430 miles to East Africa and back. Since it covered the last leg of the journey, from Dakar to Paris, at an average speed of 240 m.p.h., the Languedoc 161 promises to be a most useful interim transport. On the Continental day version provision is made to carry 33 pas- sengers and 2,400 lb of freight. A 161 fitted with Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasps is nearing completion and it is hoped, finally, to obtafh Bristol Hercules for installation in the type. The prototype of the ex-perimental jet-propelled SO-6000 is nearly readyand, all being well, it should be test-flying before the endof this month. It will be handled by M. Daniel Ras-tel, a pilot of the Alsace fighter group which foughtwith the R.A.F. during the war. This prototype was tohave been powered by a Rateau jet unit, designed inFrance, but, unfortunately, this will not be ready intime and a Junkers Jumo 004 will be used. Thesecond aircraft will have a Rolls-Royce Nene engine,the licence for which has been acquired by Hispano-Suiza. The designers of the SO-6000 expect the first First Air France aircraft to visit this countrysince the liberation, the Languedoc 161, seen at Nor'holt, cruises at 230 m.p.h. prototype to fly at about 530 m.p.h., so sub-sequent Nene-engined aircraft, with about three times the Jumo's thrust, should be wellworth watching. A French transport which should do muchtowards putting Air France back on the air map is the twin-engined S0-30R, which hasjust completed its test flights in Brittany. A second aircraft, fully equipped for transportoperation, is now being completed and should be ready by July when it will set out on a salestour of European capitals. Thirty SO-3ORS transports have already been ordered by Frenchairlines. This type, which has two 1,700 h.p. Gnome• et Rhone 14R engines, will carry 30 passengers at a cruising speed of 275 m.p.h. It is thus inmuch the same class as the Vickers Viking. The following details of its dimensions and perform-ance have been given : Span, 84ft; max speed,
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