Salmson-Moineau S.M.1
Salmson · France · first flew 1916 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Salmson-Moineau S.M.1 A3 was a French armed three-seat biplane long-range reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. It was designed by René Moineau for the Salmson company.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Two propellers mounted between the wings, driven by shafts and gearboxes from a single fuselage-mounted radial engine |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two propellers mounted between the wings, driven by shafts and gearboxes from a single fuselage-mounted radial engine
- Boxy fuselage carried on struts between the wings
- Nose wheel fitted to prevent nosing over, with a tail skid
A single Salmson 9A radial in the fuselage drove two propellers between the wings through shafts and gearboxes, a layout chosen to minimise drag. It gave the two gunner-observers a wide field of fire.
Specifications
- The Salmson-Moineau S.M.1 has a length of 10 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.475 m (57 ft).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was developed from 1915 to meet the French A3 specification, which called for a three-seat long-range reconnaissance aircraft with strong defensive armament. The aircraft was tested in early 1916 and received an order for 100.
Variants
The S.M.1 A3 was the production three-seat reconnaissance version with a Salmson 9A2c radial. A single S.M.2 S2, with an extra Salmson 9A engine in the nose driving a conventional tractor propeller, was tested with poor results in 1918.
Where you'll see it
About 155 were built, and the type was largely withdrawn from service in 1917. In service the nose-wheel undercarriage collapsed if misused, the transmission was hard to service in the field, and performance was poor; some were supplied to the Imperial Russian Air Service.
Related aircraft
- Salmson 2
- Salmson 3 C.1
- Salmson-Béchereau SB-4
- Salmson-Béchereau SB-7
- AD Flying Boat
- AD Navyplane
- AEG C.IV
- AEG C.V
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