Morane-Saulnier
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation, Aircraft manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Morane company |
| Founded | October 1911 |
| Founder | Raymond Saulnier, Léon Morane, Robert Morane |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Fate | Acquired by Potez in 1962; civilian division separated as SOCATA in 1966 |
| Successor | SEEMS, SOCATA |
| Headquarters | France , France |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Raymond Saulnier (founder), Léon Morane (founder), Robert Morane (founder) |
| Products | Military and civil aircraft, trainers, fighters (e.g. M.S.406), touring planes |
| Parent | Potez (from 1962) |
Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier was a French aviation manufacturer established in October 1911 by Raymond Saulnier together with the Morane siblings, Léon and Robert. The firm underwent acquisition and expanded its scope during the 1960s.
Aircraft evolution
The initial aircraft produced by Morane-Saulnier was the Morane-Borel monoplane, which originated from an earlier monoplane design created by the Morane company in collaboration with Gabriel Borel. This early model utilized wing-warping for control and gained prominence when pilot Jules Védrines secured victory in the 1911 Paris-Madrid air race.
The company's first notable commercial achievement came with the Morane-Saulnier G, a wire-braced shoulder-wing monoplane featuring wing warping, which paved the way for a succession of racing and record-breaking planes. The two-seat Type G was scaled down to develop the single-seat Morane-Saulnier H, which subsequently evolved into the streamlined fighter Morane-Saulnier N. The parasol-wing Morane-Saulnier L enhanced observer sightlines and was further improved into the aileron-equipped Morane-Saulnier LA, before being redesigned as the Morane-Saulnier P, which served as the basis for a series of aircraft throughout the 1920s.
Attempts at larger models such as the Morane-Saulnier I and Morane-Saulnier V were unsuccessful due to overpowering engines and handling difficulties. The V was later modified into the Morane-Saulnier AC with strut-supported wings and ailerons but achieved only limited success. The raised-wing Morane-Saulnier AI lost out to the SPAD XIII in military trials and encountered structural weaknesses.
The biplane Morane-Saulnier BB, derived from the Type P, primarily functioned as a trainer despite its demanding flight characteristics. Numerous units were converted into stationary training devices known as Penguins.
Significantly, the Type L was pioneering as the first fighter to mount a forward-firing machine gun equipped with deflector plates, flown effectively by ace pilot Roland Garros. Following his capture, German forces studied this innovation, influencing Fokker’s development of synchronized machine guns.
After World War I, Morane-Saulnier concentrated on producing trainers and civil aviation aircraft but resumed military manufacturing in the late 1930s. Its parasol-wing trainers such as the M.S.230 and M.S.315 were predominantly used for pilot instruction. The firm's most notable military design was the updated Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, which was France’s most widely deployed fighter at the start of World War II, although it was eventually outmatched by German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters.
During World War II, under German occupation, Morane-Saulnier produced German aircraft including the Fieseler Storch, which postwar became known as the MS.500 Criquet. The company also developed civilian trainers and touring aircraft, with particular success in its "Rallye" line of four-seat STOL semi-aerobatic planes.
On 7 January 1962, Morane-Saulnier was acquired by Potez and reorganized as SEEMS (Société d'exploitation des Établissements Morane-Saulnier). In 1966, its civilian aircraft division separated to form SOCATA, focusing on touring and business aircraft production, before later being absorbed by Aérospatiale.
Advancements in Gun Synchronization
Léon Morane, the founder of Morane-Saulnier, was instrumental in pioneering the technique of coordinating machine gun firing to avoid interference with an aircraft's propeller blades.