Morane-Saulnier_MS.603 Knowpia

Morane-Saulnier MS.603
	The MS.603 at Saint-Cyr-l'École near Paris in May 1957 when operated by the Aero Club de Courbevoie
Role	club aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Morane Saulnier
First flight	1947
Status	stored in a museum in France
Primary user	aero clubs
Number built	3
Developed from	MS.600

The Morane-Saulnier MS.603 was a French-built two-seat light aircraft of the late 1940s.

Design and development edit

The MS.603 was one of three aircraft constructed in the MS.600 series which were built to compete in an officially-sponsored 1947 contest for a light two-seat side-by-side club aircraft to be powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) engine.

The initial MS.600, powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Mathis G-4F piston engine, was a fixed gear, low-winged monoplane of mixed construction, with a single fin and the tailplane set just above the fuselage and a clear perspex canopy over a side-by-side cockpit for two persons. All three aircraft, MS.600, MS.602 and MS.603, were ready for flight in 1947 with the MS.600 flying on 4 June 1947.^[1]

A parallel development, the MS.602, powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Minie 4DA piston engine, was similar in most respects to the MS.600 and flew on 24 June 1947.^[2]

A more powerful derivative emerged as the MS.603, powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage.^[3] The tailplane was also moved to a high set position on the fin and supported by struts.

Operational history edit

Initially registered F-WCZU in the experimental series, and re-registered F-PHQY in the amateur-operated series, the MS.602 was owned by Messieurs Gambi and Chanson and based at Saint-Cyr-l'École airfield to the west of Paris.^[4] By 1983, the aircraft had been withdrawn from service and scrapped.

The sole MS.603, construction No. 1, was initially registered F-WCZT and later re-registered F-PHJC. It was flown for many years by the Aero Club de Courbevoie. By 1963 it was operated by M. Jean Forster, based at Guyancourt airfield,^[5] but was withdrawn from use by 2006 when it was stored at the Musee de l'Aviation du Mas Palegry - (Mas Palegry Aviation Museum) near Perpignan.^[6]

Variants edit

The MS.602 at Saint-Cyr-l'École in 1957

MS.600: The initial prototype powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Mathis G-4F piston engine. One built.
MS.602: The derivative intended for production. The MS.602 was powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Minié 4.DA.28 piston engine, but otherwise similar to the MS.600. One built.
MS.603: The final derivative with tricycle undercarriage was powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and had a revised tail unit. One built.

Specifications (MS.603) edit

Data from Green, 1965

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 1 passenger
Length: 7.46 m (24 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 9.6 m (31 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 11 in)
Wing area: 14.5 m² (156 sq ft)
Gross weight: 664.5 kg (1,465 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Hirth HM 504A-2 four-cylinder piston, 74.6 kW (100 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 190 km/h (118 mph, 103 kn)
Cruise speed: 162.5 km/h (101 mph, 88 kn)

Notes edit

^ Simpson, 2005, p.17
^ Simpson, 2005, p.17
^ Green, 1965 p.55
^ Butler, 1964, p.110
^ Butler, 1964, p. 118
^ Ogden, 2006, p.149

References edit

Butler, P.H. (1964). French Civil Aircraft Register. Merseyside Society of Aviation Enthusiasts.
Green, William (1965). The Aircraft of the World. Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
Ogden, Bob (2006). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-375-7.
Simpson, Rod (2005). The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-222-5.