Morane-Saulnier I
Morane-Saulnier · France · first flew 1916 · fighter
The Morane-Saulnier I, also known as the Type I, was a French fighter of the 1910s. It was essentially a modified Morane-Saulnier N.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.82 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Shoulder-wing monoplane fighter
- 110 hp Le Rhone 9J rotary engine
- Single forward-firing Vickers machine gun
A single-seat monoplane fighter with a 110 hp Le Rhone 9J nine-cylinder rotary engine and one 0.303 in Vickers machine gun.
Specifications
- The Morane-Saulnier I has a length of 5.82 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.24 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 168 km/h (104 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
On the advice of Lord Trenchard, the Royal Flying Corps ordered a more powerful version of the Type N in 1916. Morane-Saulnier fitted a 110 hp Le Rhone engine to a Type N, and the aircraft first flew in March 1916 under RFC trials.
Variants
Morane-Saulnier called it the Type I. The official French government designation was MS.6.
Where you'll see it
Only four were delivered to the RFC by July 1916 and no further production followed, as the Morane-Saulnier V had more favourable characteristics. They were used at the front as late as October 1916.
Related aircraft
- Morane-Saulnier T
- Morane-Saulnier V
- Morane-Saulnier AI
- Morane-Saulnier AR
- Airco DH.5
- Albatros D.I
- Albatros D.II
- Albatros D.IV
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