Morane-Saulnier MS-700 Pétrel

MS-700 Pétrel
Role	Twin-engined liaison transport
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Morane-Saulnier
First flight	8 January 1949
Number built	3

The Morane-Saulnier MS-700 Pétrel (English: Petrel) was a French four-seat cabin-monoplane designed and built by Morane-Saulnier, only three prototypes were built.^[1]

Design and development

The MS-700 was a twin-engined, low-wing, cabin-monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by two 160 hp (119 kW) Potez 4D-33 four-cylinder, inverted inline piston engines.^[1] The prototype, with French test registration F-WFDC, first flew on 8 January 1949.^[1] The aircraft was intended as a light liaison aircraft and the second prototype made a demonstration tour of Africa at the end of 1950.^[1] The second prototype was re-engined with two Mathis G8-20 engines and re-designated MS-701.^[1] On 3 January 1951 a third prototype first flew, it was a MS-703 with a longer fuselage for six-seats and two 179 kW (240 hp) Salmson 8.AS.OO engines.^[1] After being used by the company for a number of years the first prototype was due to be modified in the late 1950s to the same standards as the MS-703 but with 220 hp (164 kW) Potez engines but it was not converted and instead was withdrawn from use.^[1] Only the three prototypes were built and the type did not enter production.^[1]

Variants

MS-700-01: First prototype of the Four-seat MS-700 variant, powered by two 119 kW (160 hp) Potez 4D-33 engines. First flown on 8 January 1949 the MS-700-01 (regn. F-WFDC) was withdrawn from use in June 1959.^[1]
MS-700-02: Second prototype of the MS-700 series, powered by two 160 kW (220 hp) Potez 4D-31 engines, converted to MS-701 standard (regn. F-BFDE).^[1]
MS-701: Second prototype, MS-700-02, re-engined with two 134 kW (180 hp) Mathis G8-20 engines.^[1]
MS-702: No details.
MS-703-01: Six-seat variant powered by two 179 kW (240 hp) Salmson 8.AS.00 / Argus As 10 engines, one built. The MS-703-01 was first flown on 3 January 1951.^[1]
MS-704: Proposed modification of the first prototype to MS-703 standard with two 164 kW (220 hp) Potez engines, not converted.^[1]

Specification (MS-700-01)

Data from French Postwar Transport Aircraft^[1]

General characteristics

Capacity: four-seats, payload 255 kg (562 lb)
Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 14.2 m (46 ft 7 in)
Height: 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 26.5 m² (285 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,645 kg (3,627 lb)
Gross weight: 2,220 kg (4,894 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Potez 4D-33 four-cylinder, inverted inline piston engines, 120 kW (160 hp) each
Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

Maximum speed: 290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn) at 1,500 m (4,900 ft)
Cruise speed: 260 km/h (160 mph, 140 kn) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Range: 1,200 km (750 mi, 650 nmi) with max payload
Service ceiling: 6,200 m (20,300 ft)
Wing loading: 83.77 kg/m² (17.16 lb/sq ft)
Take-off distance: 430 m (1,410 ft) to clear 20 m (66 ft)

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Chillon/Dubois/Wegg 1980, p. 150

Bibliography

Chillon, Jacques; Dubois, Jean-Pierre & Wegg, John (1980). French Post-War Transport Aircraft. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain. ISBN 0-85130-078-2.