Fouga

Fouga
Company type	Private
Industry	Aerospace, Railway rolling stock repair
Founded	1920; 106 years ago in Béziers, France
Founder	Gaston Fouga
Defunct	May 1958
Fate	Acquired by Potez
Headquarters	Béziers (original), later Toulouse (manufacturing facility), France
Products	Aircraft, railway rolling stock repair services

Fouga—also referred to as Air Fouga—was a French manufacturing firm established by Gaston Fouga in Béziers in 1920. The company originally concentrated on repairing railway rolling stock before gaining recognition for producing aircraft within its woodworking workshops located in Aire-sur-l'Adour.

The company's flagship product was the CM.170 Magister, a jet-powered military trainer developed after World War II that leveraged Fouga's expertise in sailplane construction and was characterized by its uniquely tapered wings. In May 1958, the enterprise was acquired by competitor Potez, another French aircraft manufacturer; the former Toulouse facilities are now part of the multinational aerospace corporation Airbus Group.

History

Established in 1920 by Gaston Fouga in Béziers, the firm initially specialized in servicing railway rolling stock.

Fouga ventured into aircraft production in 1936 after purchasing designs from aeronautical engineer Pierre Mauboussin, who joined the company alongside engineers with backgrounds at Breguet Aviation. The design team, including Mauboussin and Robert Castello, formerly of Dewoitine, spearheaded development efforts, with many early models carrying the "Castel-Mauboussin" designation or using the "CM" prefix.

During World War II, Fouga developed several military aircraft, notably the CM.10 assault glider intended for the French Army to transport 35 soldiers. Although an initial order for 100 units was placed, only five were completed due to inconsistent flight test outcomes and the crash of the prototype in 1948.

After the war, Fouga progressed with jet trainer development, initiating work on the CM.170 Magister in 1948. Following assessment by the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air), it was enhanced with twin Turbomeca Marboré turbojet engines, achieving its maiden flight on 23 July 1952. The aircraft received its first production contract in January 1954 and obtained numerous export deals, including licensed manufacturing arrangements in West Germany, Finland, and Israel.

A carrier-adapted version of the Magister, the CM.175 Zéphyr, was developed specifically for the French Navy. To accommodate increased Magister production, Fouga inaugurated a new manufacturing facility at Toulouse in 1953.

In May 1958, rival manufacturer Potez took ownership of Fouga and its assets. By late 1961, the Fouga name was discontinued. The merged company subsequently became part of Sud-Aviation, which later integrated into aerospace groups such as Aérospatiale, then EADS, and ultimately evolved into multinational leader Airbus, which continues operations at Toulouse.

Products

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