Dassault MD 315 Flamant
Dassault Aviation · France · first flew 1947 · transport aircraft
The Dassault MD 315 Flamant was a French twin-piston transport and multi-engine trainer that served the Armée de l'Air extensively from 1947 into the 1970s. It was an elegant and capable design that bridged the immediate postwar gap in French aviation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French twin-piston light transport and navigation trainer
- Low-slung mid-wing monoplane with two Renault engines
- Served Armée de l'Air as multi-engine trainer and liaison aircraft
A clean mid-wing twin with two Renault 12S inline engines in neat cowlings, retractable undercarriage, and a conventional tail — often seen in French colonial-era photographs.
Specifications
- The Dassault MD 315 Flamant has a length of 12.5 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 20.7 m (68 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 380 km/h (236 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 + 6.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Flamant was Marcel Dassault's first successful postwar design, demonstrating the company's return to prominence after World War II. Over 300 were built for the French Air Force and Navy, serving in transport, training, and liaison roles. The type saw service in French colonial campaigns in Indochina and Algeria.
Variants
The MD 315 was the standard transport; the MD 311 and MD 312 were training variants with different crew arrangements and equipment fits.
Where you'll see it
Served the Armée de l'Air and Aéronavale from 1947 to the mid-1970s; operated in both metropolitan France and overseas territories.
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