Morane-Saulnier M.S.760

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The M.S.760 was a French Armée de l'Air (Air Force) fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier After World War II, France was in need of a Jet trainer. Defeated in the 1953 French Navy’s contest by the Fouga Magister, the MS.755 Fleuret was resurrected as the MS.760 Paris IR (designed by René Gauthier), a four-seat military high-speed communications aircraft and advanced trainer. It was used extensively by the French, Dutch and other European military between 1959 and 1997. In 1955, a short lived venture with Beech Aircraft to market the Paris as an Executive Business Jet in the US market was soon eclipsed by Lear’s hot-rod Model 23.

1 Design and development
2 Specifications
3 Operational history
4 Missions
5 Survivors
6 Operators

[edit] Design and development

On July 26, 1954, the prototype MS.760A Paris took off on its maiden flight with Jean Cliquet at the helm. With its T shaped vertical stabilizer, low wing, and two Turboméca Marboré 400kg turbines internally mounted side by side in the aft fuselage, the Paris offered a platform characterized by inherent stability. The aircraft had four seats, two in the front and two in the back and a retractable tricycle landing gear.

[edit] Specifications

Speed (max cruise): 350 knots
Initial rate of climb: 1550 fpm
Stall landing configuration: 91 knots
Landing distance: 4000 ft
Over 50 foot obstacle: 6200 ft
Maximum range: 1000 nm
Maximum with IFR reserves: 850 nm
Certified ceiling: 25,000 ft
Empty: 4841 lbs
Fuel Capacity: 486 gals usable
Useful Load: 3809 lbs
Take-off thrust at Sea level : 1058 lbs (each engine)
Length: 34 ft 2 in
Wingspan: 33 ft 3in
Height: 8 ft 6 in

[edit] Operational history

On July 18, 1956 the French government requisitioned 50 aircraft, including 14 for the Navy, from Tarbes based manufacturer Morane-Saulnier. The first plane was delivered on February 9, 1959 to Naval Air Station (N.A.S.) Dugny-Le Bourget, before going to the C.E.P.A. (Aeronautical Practical Experiment Center) in 1959-60, to undergo flight tests necessary to develop training programs and materials. It was also purchased by several countries such as Brazil and Argentina (48 planes were licensed built by Fabrica Militar de Aviones in Argentina). The MS-760B Paris II with various systems improvements and integral fuel tanks in the leading edges of the wing, first flew on December 12, 1960.

In 1961, production plants started rolling out the Paris II, fitted with two Marboré IV 480kg engines, wingtip fuel tanks, air conditioning and a bigger luggage compartment. On February 24, 1964, a six passenger version, designated MS.760C Paris III made its first flight, but was never ordered. Production of the Paris II ceased, and production of the Paris III never started. Some 165 aircraft (Paris I and Paris II) were produced for the French Air Force (36 planes) Navy (14 planes) and the air forces of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

The 14 "Moranes" (the plane's nickname in the French Navy) were assigned to flight 11.S from February 9, 1959 onwards. The last plane, No. 88, was delivered on July 27, 1961. In 1965, MS.760 No. 48 was briefly assigned to flight 3.S based at N.A.S Hyères, which already flew the MD.312 Flamant, the MS.733 Alcyon, the MH.1521M Broussard, the SO.30P Bretagne and the Br.1050 Alizé. The Morane subsequently crashed on January 4, 1968 at Rennes. From 1970 onwards, all the 12 planes left were assigned to flight 2.S based at N.A.S. Lann-Bihoué. In May 1972 they were sent to the S.R.L. On September 1st 1981 this unit became flight 57.S (flight which had been shut down since the closing of N.A.S. Port-Lyautey on January 15, 1962).

Eight MS.760 Paris were on the unit's flightline, next to three Dassault Falcon 10 MER. After 40 years of good and faithful service, the venerable workhorses were retired in October 1997 at N.A.S. Landivisiau. The last eight planes were numbers 32, 40, 41, 42, 47, 85, 87 and 88.

In 2007, after 48 years of continuous service, the Argentine Air Force retired their last Paris [1]

[edit] Missions

Their missions were :

Super-Étendard and Crusader pilot IFR and all weather training.
Advanced training for new pilots and proficiency training for other pilots.
A.L.P.A. (Admiral commanding the carriers and Naval Aviation) and 1st and 2nd Aerial Regions laisons.

[edit] Survivors

No08 & N0 009 Dave Bennett a collector in Colorado
No31 and No33 are preserved at the Rochefort Museum of Naval Aviation Traditions.
No32 is owned by "Armor Aéro Passion" association
No40 by the Le Bourget Air and Space Museum
No42 by the Tristan Corbière Technical High School
No46 by the Savigny-les-Beaume museum
No85 by the " Les Ailes de l'Aéro " association
No87 and No88 were sold to private American owners