Sud-Est SE-2300

The Sud-Est SE-2300 or S.N.C.A.S.E. SE-2300 was a two/three seat low wing, single engine touring aircraft, built just after World War II in France. The SE-2310 was a tricycle undercarriage variant. Neither type went into production.

Design and development

Pierre Satre, who later was chief designer of the Concorde, began the SE-2300 design during World War II and it first flew on 26 October 1945.^[1] It was a conventionally laid out, all metal, two seat, single engine cantilever monoplane, with tapered low wings having 4° of dihedral built around inverted U-section main and auxiliary spars. The wings had a centre section integral with the fuselage and two outer panels, all covered with electrically welded skin. There were plain flaps, with a maximum deflection of 40°.^[2]

The fuselage of the SE-2300 was constructed from four pre-formed panels welded together. A 140 hp (104 kW) Renault Bengali 4 four cylinder, inverted, air-cooled inline engine, fed from a fuselage tank, drove a two blade propeller. The over-wing cabin seated two side-by-side with dual controls. Behind these seats was space for a third (optional in the SE-2300 and standard in the SE-2310 variant) and baggage. There were access doors and rear view transparencies on both sides. At the rear, the tailplane was mounted at mid-fuselage and the fin and deep rudder were straight tapered except near the keel and almost triangular above the fuselage.^[2]

The first and only SE-2300 had a fixed conventional undercarriage with oleo-pneumatic springing, faired main legs and wheels and a swivelling tailwheel.^[2] The two SE-2310s had tricycle undercarriages, the first unfaired^[2] but the second with faired legs and spats.^[3]

Operational history

With a four seat version, the SE-2311 under development but unbuilt, the three seat SE-3010 was entered into a 1946 French Transport Ministry contest for a four seat tourist aircraft in February 1946. It was not successful, the award going to the Nord 1200 Norécrin and development of the SE-2300 series was abandoned. The last example remained in use until at least 1956 as a company hack.^[1]

Variants

SE-2300

Original version, two or three seats, conventional undercarriage.^[2]

SE-2310

Three seats, tricycle undercarriage.^[2] Two built, the second with faired undercarriage legs and wheels.^[1][3]

Specifications (SE-2300)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1948^[2]

General characteristics

• Capacity: Two or three
• Length: 7.40 m (24 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 10.13 m (33 ft 3 in)
• Height: 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 15.0 m² (161 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 685 kg (1,510 lb) equipped
• Gross weight: 1,015 kg (2,238 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Renault Bengali 4Pei 4-cylinder inverted air-cooled inline engine, 140 kW (190 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed, 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) diameter wooden

Performance

• Maximum speed: 235 km/h (146 mph; 127 kn)
• Cruising speed: 212 km/h (132 mph; 114 kn)
• Range: 900 km (559 mi; 486 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,650 m (15,256 ft)
• Wing loading: 67 kg/m² (14 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 0.10 kW/kg (0.063 hp/lb)
• Landing speed: 75 km/h (47 mph; 40 kn)
• Landing distance: 300 m (985 ft) from 8 m (26 ft) with flaps down

References

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