Salmson

Salmson
Company type	Private
Industry	Engineering, Manufacturing (Pumps, Automobiles, Aircraft)
Predecessor	Emile Salmson, Ing.
Founded	1890; 136 years ago in Paris, France
Founder	Émile Salmson
Fate	Refocused on pump manufacturing in 1960s
Headquarters	Chatou, France
Area served	Worldwide (subsidiaries in Argentina, Italy, Lebanon, Portugal, South Africa, Vietnam)
Key people	Émile Salmson (founder), George Canton (engineer), Georg Unné (engineer), Emile Petit (automobile division manager)
Products	Pumps, aircraft engines, automobiles, aircraft
Owner	Wilo (since 1984)
Parent	Wilo

Salmson is a French engineering company that began as a manufacturer of pumps and later branched out into automobile and aircraft production during the 20th century, before concentrating again on pump manufacturing in the 1960s. Its headquarters are located in Chatou, with manufacturing operations in Laval. The firm maintains subsidiaries across Argentina, Italy, Lebanon, Portugal, South Africa, and Vietnam.

History

Established in 1890 by Émile Salmson (1858–1917) under the name Emile Salmson, Ing. in Paris, the enterprise initially specialized in steam compressors and centrifugal pumps designed for railway and military applications. With the addition of engineers George Canton and Georg Unné, it was rebranded as Emile Salmson & Cie and commenced production of petrol-driven lifts and engines in 1896.

Before World War I, Salmson emerged as an early producer of aircraft engines, a line it continued through World War II. After the First World War, the company expanded into manufacturing car bodies and complete automobiles until it ended vehicle production in 1957. Subsequently, it redirected its focus toward pumps, moving its operations to Mayenne in 1961.

The company underwent several ownership transitions: it was purchased by ITT-LMT in 1962, acquired by Thomson in 1976, and later taken over by Wilo in 1984. Presently, Salmson’s main office remains based in Chatou.

Aircraft manufacture

Operating from Billancourt, Salmson produced its notable Salmson 9 series radial engines. During World War I, it built complete aircraft such as the two-seat fighter/reconnaissance model Salmson 2A2, which served French and American military units. A single-seat fighter prototype named Salmson 3 was developed but never entered mass production.

Salmson’s aircraft also played a role in pioneering air mail routes to India beginning in 1911. Production of airplanes was later relocated to Villeurbanne, near Lyon. Among its achievements, aviator Maryse Bastié set two world records flying from Le Bourget to Moscow in 1931.

Aircraft

Hanriot HD.3
Hanriot H.26
Hanriot H.31
Hanriot H.33
Salmson-Moineau A92H
Salmson-Moineau S.M.1
Salmson-Moineau S.M.2
Salmson 1 A.3 (3-seat Artillery Spotter)
Salmson 2 A.2 (2-seat Artillery Spotter)
Salmson 2 Berline (Transport variant of 2 A.2)
Salmson 2 de l'Aéropostale
Salmson 3 C.1 (Single-seat fighter)
Salmson 4 Ab.2 (Ground attack aircraft)
Salmson 5 A.2 (2-seat Artillery Spotter)
Salmson 6 A.2 (2-seat Artillery Spotter)
Salmson 7 A.2 (2-seat Artillery Spotter)
Salmson 16 A.2 (2-seat Artillery Spotter)
Salmson D-1 Phrygane (1934)
Salmson D-2 Phrygane
Salmson D-3 Phryganet
Salmson D-4 Phrygane Major
Salmson D-6 CriCri (1936)
Salmson D-7 CriCri Major
Salmson D-21 Phrygane
Salmson D-211 Phrygane
Salmson D-57 Phryganet

Aero engines

Up to 1917, Salmson manufactured the following aero engines:

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks
A	Two banks of seven cylinders (barrel)	1908	75 mm (3.0 in)	125 mm (4.9 in)	7.7 L (470 cu in)	37.3 kW (50.0 hp) at 800 rpm	Barrel design engine; only one built for bench testing
B	Two banks of seven cylinders (barrel)	1910	75 mm (3.0 in)	125 mm (4.9 in)	7.7 L (470 cu in)	37.3 kW (50.0 hp) at 800 rpm	Water-cooled; single unit produced for bench tests
C	Two banks of seven cylinders (barrel)	1910	85 mm (3.3 in)	95 mm (3.7 in)	8.0 L (490 cu in)	44.7 kW (59.9 hp) at 1,100 rpm	Rotary inlet valves; water-cooled; one unit built
D	Two banks of seven cylinders (barrel)	1910	85 mm (3.3 in)	95 mm (3.7 in)	8.0 L (490 cu in)	44.7 kW (59.9 hp) at 1,100 rpm	Rotary inlet valves; water-cooled; single engine constructed
E	Two banks of nine cylinders (barrel)	1911	110 mm (4.3 in)	130 mm (5.1 in)	22 L (1,300 cu in)	55.9 kW (75.0 hp)	Timed valves; water-cooled; one prototype produced
F	Two banks of nine cylinders (barrel)	1911	110 mm (4.3 in)	130 mm (5.1 in)	22 L (1,300 cu in)	55.9 kW (75.0 hp) at 1,200 rpm	Timed valve system; water-cooled; single engine built
K	Two banks of seven cylinders (barrel)	1912	85 mm (3.3 in)	105 mm (4.1 in)	11 L (670 cu in)	63.4 kW (85.0 hp) at 1,200 rpm	Automatic inlet valves; water-cooled; only one constructed

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders	Year	Bore	Stroke	Capacity	Power	Remarks

Name	Cylinders!! Year!! Bore!! Stroke!! Capacity!! Power!! Remarks

Name	Cylinders!! Year!! Bore!! Stroke!! Capacity!! Power!! Remarks

Name	Cylinders !! Year !! Bore !! Stroke !! Capacity !! Power !! Remarks

Name	Cylinders !! Year !! Bore !! Stroke !! Capacity !! Power !! Remarks

Name	Cylinders !! Year !! Bore !! Stroke !! Capacity !! Power !! Remarks

Name	Cylinders !! Year !! Bore !! Stroke !! Capacity !! Power !!} Remarks

Salmson M7||7-cylinder radial||1913||||||||–||50 units constructed for bench testing – water-cooled Salmson 2M7||14-cylinder two-row radial||1913|||||||| at 1300 rpm||Water-cooled –15 units assembled in France, with an additional 300 produced in Great Britain.Powerplants for aircraft such as Kennedy Giant and Sopwith Bat Boat II Salmson B9||9-cylinder radial||1913||||||||||Water-cooled –106 manufactured in the UK and approximately 300 in France.Powered models including Short Type135 and Voisin LA5 Salmson M9||9-cylinder radial||1914||||||||–||Water-cooled –500 built in France.Powerplants for Voisin LA3 and Breguet U2 Salmson P9||9-cylinder radial||1915||||||||||Water-cooled –300 produced across France and Russia.Powering Voisin LA5 and Farman HF27 Salmson R9||9-cylinder radial||1915||||||||– at1300 rpm||Water-cooled –50 units made in France plus another 300 in Russia.Powering Lebed12 and Anatra DS Salmson 9Z also known as Z9||9-cylinder radial||1917|||||||| at1400 rpm||(3000 units manufactured in France with an additional 56 built in the UK).Powered Salmson 2A2 and Vickers Vimy prototype Salmson CM9||9-cylinder radial||||||||194 kW hp powered Salmson 2 Berline Salmson 18ZA&&&&&&500 hp powered Hanriot H33 Salmson18ZC&&&&&&500 hp powered Hanriot H31

Name !Cylinders !Year !Bore !Stroke !Capacity !Power !Remarks

Salmson engines after World War One

Adhering to a typical French aero-engine naming system, Salmson identified their engines by the number of cylinders, followed by an uppercase series letter and then lowercase letters indicating variants. The following engines were not listed in the 1932 catalog:

3-cylinder Ad
5-cylinder Ac
5-cylinder Ap-01
5-cylinder Aq-01
6-cylinder Ad: ?
6-cylinder TE
6-cylinder TE.S
7-cylinder Aca
7-cylinder Aq
7-cylinder M
7-cylinder Om

8-cylinder As
9-cylinder AB
9-cylinder ABa
9-cylinder ABc: 172 kW (230 hp)
9-cylinder Az
9-cylinder A2c
9-cylinder M
9-cylinder Nd: 131 kW (175 hp)
9-cylinder P

9-cylinder Y
11-cylinder B
12-cylinder C: W-12 configuration
18-cylinder AB
18-cylinder Cm
18-cylinder Z

Salmson-Szydlowski SH18

The air-cooled Salmson engines offered in 1932 were:

Model	Cylinder Count	Bore	Stroke	Displacement	Output	Mass
7 AC	7-cylinder radial	100 mm (3.9 in)	130 mm (5.1 in)	7.150 L (436.3 cu in)	78 kW (105 hp) at 1,800 rpm	130 kg (290 lb)
9 AD	9-cylinder radial	70 mm (2.8 in)	86 mm (3.4 in)	2.979 L (181.8 cu in)	33.56 kW (45.00 hp) at 2,000 rpm	68 kg (150 lb)
9 ADb	9-cylinder radial	70 mm (2.8 in)	86 mm (3.4 in)	2.979 L (181.8 cu in)	41 kW (55 hp) at 2,200 rpm	74 kg (163 lb)
Salmson 9 ADr	9-cylinder radial	70 mm (2.8 in)	86 mm (3.4 in)	2.979 L (181.8 cu in)	48.5 kW (65.0 hp) at 2,700 rpm	79 kg (174 lb)
Salmson 9 AC	9-cylinder radial	100 mm (3.9 in)	130 mm (5.1 in)	9.189 L (560.7 cu in)	96.94 kW (130.00 hp) at 1,800 rpm	170 kg (370 lb)
Salmson 9 NC	9-cylinder radial	100 mm (3.9 in)	140 mm (5.5 in)	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]} at 1,800 rpm	^{[convert: needs a number]}
Salmson 9 NCt	9-cylinder radial	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]} at 1,800 rpm	^{[convert: needs a number]}
Salmson 9 AB	9-cylinder radial	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]} at 1,700 rpm	^{[convert: needs a number]}
Salmson 9 NA	9-cylinder radial	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]} at 1,800 rpm	^{[convert: needs a number]}
Salmson 18 AB	18-cylinder two-row radial	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]}	^{[convert: needs a number]} at 1,700 rpm	^{[convert: needs a number]}

Car production

The Billancourt facility, overseen by Emile Petit, was transformed into Salmson's automobile manufacturing site. Lacking internal expertise in car design initially, the firm produced the British GN cyclecar under licence and showcased six vehicles at the 1919 Paris Motor Show.

In 1922, the automotive branch was separated as Société des Moteurs Salmson. The inaugural Salmson automobile featured a four-cylinder engine engineered by Petit, incorporating a novel valve mechanism operated by a single pushrod controlling both intake and exhaust valves, as seen in the AL series from 1921. That same year marked the debut of their first twin-overhead-camshaft engine in the 1922 D-type, although early models predominantly utilized the pushrod configuration.

Initial models

AL (cyclecar, 1920)
D-type (1922)
VAL3 (1922)
AL3 (1923)
GSC San Sebastian
Gran Sport (GS, 1924–30)
2ACT (1926)

From 1921 until 1928, Salmson achieved victories in 550 car races and established ten world records before disbanding its racing team in 1929.

S-series vehicles

The S-series replaced the D-type starting in 1929 and remained available for over twenty years:

S4 (1929–32)
S4C (1932)
S4D (1934)
S4DA (1935–38)
S4-61 (1938–51)
S4E (1938–51)

Postwar period

Following World War II, Salmson reintroduced the Typ S4E alongside the Type S4-61. Both shared similar designs externally, with the S4-E distinguished by a slightly extended front end. The S4-61 continued to use its inline four-cylinder 1,730 cc engine. Standard models were four-door sedans measuring roughly 4510 mm for the four-cylinder versions and approximately 4610 mm for models with larger engines. Approximately 10% of postwar S4-61 sales were two-door coupes; limited quantities of cabriolets were also produced.

In October 1947, the Type S4-E received a refreshed body featuring more prominent wheel arches and integrated headlights, setting it apart from the S4-61. Despite these enhancements, sales were hindered by French government taxes on larger displacement engines and a slow economic recovery after the war. Production gradually increased from 143 units in 1947 to 336 in 1948, with about two-thirds accounted for by smaller engines and one-third by larger ones.

The Randonnée E-72, introduced in 1950, was unable to halt falling sales figures. Passenger car output peaked at 1,162 vehicles in 1950 but sharply declined to only 89 units by 1952. Meanwhile, the company’s aircraft engine division continued operations despite factory shutdowns.

Launched in 1953, the Salmson 2300 S competed in the Le Mans 24-hour races from 1955 through 1957. However, after filing for bankruptcy in 1953, production ceased entirely by 1957 when Renault took over the manufacturing plant.

References