Nord Noralpha
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1936 |
| Headquarters | Les Mureaux , France |
| Products | Aircraft, including the Nord 1100 Noralpha |
The Nord 1100 Noralpha is a French adaptation of the Messerschmitt Bf 108, produced by Nord Aviation with an updated powerplant.
Development
In 1942, production of the Messerschmitt Bf 108 was relocated to Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord (Nord) at Les Mureaux, near Paris, during the period of occupied France. During 1943 and 1944, Nord constructed two prototypes of the Messerschmitt Me 208, one of which survived the liberation and was redesignated as the Nord 1100.
Following this, Nord created a version powered by a Renault 6Q-10 engine based on the Nord Pingouin, naming it the Nord 1101. The French armed forces referred to this model as the Ramier. For experimental purposes, a single Nord 1104 Noralpha was equipped with a Potez 6D-0 engine. Additionally, two earlier 1101s were modified in 1959 with a Turbomeca Astazou II turboshaft engine and designated as the S.F.E.R.M.A.-Nord 1100 Noralpha.
Design
The Noralpha features a low-wing cantilever monoplane design incorporating a braced horizontal stabilizer and a single vertical rudder. It is equipped with retractable tricycle landing gear, a front-mounted engine, and an enclosed cockpit arranged with side-by-side seating for two occupants plus room for two more passengers.
Operational history
A total of 200 Noralpha aircraft were manufactured by Nord, predominantly utilized by the French Air Force and Navy in communication roles. Many units were eventually converted for civilian use. The last Noralphas serving in the Air Force were withdrawn at the Centre d'essais en vol (CEV) located in Bretigny-sur-Orge between 1974 and 1975; a small number continued briefly with naval service thereafter.
Variants
- 1100
- Two prototypes of the French-built Me 208 powered by Argus As 10C-1 engines.
- 1101 Noralpha / Ramier I
- Main production model fitted with Renault 6Q-10 engines; approximately 205 produced for both civil and military applications.
- 1102 Noralpha / Ramier II
- A proposed variant powered by Renault 6Q-11 engines that was never constructed.
- 1104 Noralpha
- A single experimental airframe equipped with a Potez 6D-0 engine.
- S.F.E.R.M.A.-Nord 1110 Nord-Astazou
- Two aircraft converted by S.F.E.R.M.A. in 1959 featuring Turbomeca Astazou II turboprop engines.
Operators
- Armée de l'Air (ALA)
- Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT)
- Aéronavale
Bibliography
- Jackson, Paul A., French Military Aviation, Midland Counties Publications, 1979.
- Taylor, Michael J. H., Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Studio Editions, 1989.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), Orbis Publishing.
- Ricco, Philippe & Soumille, Jean-Claude, Les avions allemands aux couleurs françaises de 1914 à nos jours - Tome 2, Lela Presse, 1998.
- Simpson, R.W., Airlife's General Aviation, Airlife Publishing, 1991.