Nord 1104 Alcyon
Nord Aviation (SNCAN) · France · first flew 1949 · light aircraft
The Nord 1104 Alcyon was a French two-seat primary trainer built by SNCAN (Nord Aviation) in the late 1940s and used by the Armée de l'Air through the 1950s to provide ab-initio flying training. Its clean, simple design made it a docile and effective training platform.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French military primary trainer of the 1950s with a tandem two-seat cockpit and low-wing layout
- Clean lines with a fully enclosed cockpit and fixed undercarriage, used to train Armée de l'Air pilots
- Powered by a Mathis or Salmson radial engine giving a blunt rounded nose profile
A trim low-wing monoplane with tandem seating under a long greenhouse canopy, fixed conventional undercarriage, and a stubby radial engine; somewhat similar in outline to the North American T-6 Texan but significantly smaller.
Specifications
- The Nord 1104 Alcyon has a length of 7.1 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.6 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed immediately after the war to replace ageing trainers, the Alcyon first flew in 1949 and entered Armée de l'Air service in the early 1950s. It was built in modest numbers and trained a generation of French military pilots before being superseded by more modern turbine-powered trainers.
Variants
The Nord 1101 Noroît and Nord 1104 Alcyon were successive developments; the 1104 was the primary production version with a slightly uprated engine and detail refinements.
Where you'll see it
Served with French Air Force flying schools through the 1950s and into the early 1960s; surplus aircraft passed to civilian clubs and the French gliding federation.
Related aircraft
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