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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1691.PDF
FLIGHT, 6 October 1949 455 The air-launched, ram-jet-powered Leduc 010 research aircraft. fait with this evolution ; few realized the degree of com- plexity attained in modern design and production, the high aircraft performance efficiency obtained, the degree of development of equipment and instruments, and, in par- ticular, the progress achieved with regard to endurance of medium- and high-powered engines. Finally, jet propul- sion had in the meantime been introduced and developed, first in Great Britain and then in the United States ; France had to her credit nothing but '' undercover'' research carried out with inadequate means. Two possibilities therefore presented themselves to those charged with giving the industry a new impetus: — (1) To admit the wideness of the gulf existing between national achievements and those of the Great Powers lead- ing in aeronautics, and to try to obtain licences for manu- facture of approved designs, or even to purchase foreign 4 aircraft and to prepare for the future by development workon the basis of the most advanced. (2) To maintain and increase the existing production potential and therefore to build a large series of available models while endeavouring to make good lost ground. The second solution was chosen, and an effort made to minimize the disadvantages by simultaneously continuing research and test work. So the assembly lines which were in action during the occupation were again set in motion, the production programme devised in 1941 and 1942 was resumed and even pre-war models were ordered in large numbers. At the end of the year 1945 the production programme was considerable: it allowed for more than 3,000 light air- craft, for the most part developed from the German Me 108 and from the Belgian Stampe ; 1,000 single-engine trainers ; 700 light twin-engine types; 200 fighters; and more than 500 transports, . ranging from 70-ton flying boats such as the Latecoere 631 and the S.E.200 to the three-engined Ju 52 and the four-engined Bloch 161. To-day we are able to measure the significance of this decision. The aircraft thus pro- duced proved to be of very uneven value. Some were the source of great disappointment; others, such as the veteran German Ju 52 and certain light aircraft, gave (and are still giving) excellent service. As regards engines, most of the pre- war models were readopted. To these were added some of German design, such as the two Argus low- and Another Nene-powered fighter: the S.O. 6020. Redesign is contemplated. medium-power models and the Jumo 213. It was thought that with the Renault 6Q (220 h.p.), the Argus 12 S (575 h.p.) and the S.N.E.C.M.A 14N (1,100 h.p.) and 14 R (1,600 h.p.), the whole range of low- and medium-powered engines was provided for. Above 1,600 h.p., designers were studying the question of coupling German engines to attain outputs of the order of 4,000 h.p. Future developments were taken into account by working on engine designs of great originality, this task being undertaken-by the tech- nical departments of S.N.E.C.M.A. As regards jet propulsion, after studying the available German models it was not difficult for the French techni- cians to convince the Air Minister of the necessity for acquiring the licence of the Rolls-Royce Nene. At the same time researches were continued on a very interesting German design, the axial-flow Oestrich. As it turned out, this policy was ultimately the cause of disappointments and many users now regret that no other licences were obtained. But when passing judgment it should be borne in mind that at the moment when these decisions were taken the war was still on and France was ardently desiring to make the greatest possible contribution in the final struggle at the side of her allies. She was sorely in need of aircraft and, as she was not yet in a position to build first-line types, she made every effort to supply transport, trainer and liaison machines. First Post-war Phase As was to be expected, the cessation of hostilities brought about a modification of the wartime programme. From January, 1946, onwards, orders had to be reduced, and the Air Ministry already envisaged a reform of the industry with a view to a concentration of the state-owned companies and development of reconversion activities. In the meantime, the number of employees had risen from 37,000 to almost 100,000, and machine tools had been purchased and considerable reconstruction work undertaken. The structure of the industry was determined. Between the four nationalized airframe factories (S.N.C.A.S.O., S.N.C.A.S.E., S.N.C.A.N., S.N.C.A.C), and the national engine works (S.N.E.C.M.A.) on the one hand, and the private companies (Breguet, Morane, His- pano, etc.) on the other, a system of rivalry was estab- lished and wages and production times standardized in the two private sectors. Further, the Air Ministry had at its disposal a state arsenal for carrying out certain special research, for building prototypes and for exploring production methods, while also the Ateliers Industriels de l'Air (A.I.A.) were particularly charged with carrying out repair work and, if need be, manufacturing spare parts. The whole system, however, soon proved too cumber- some for dealing with the needs of the civilian and military users. It was difficult to organize production in large series before thoroughly testing the prototypes and the types which were only just in course of construction. The commercial airlines—semi-nationaliaed (Air France) or private (charter companies)—found that they could still
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