SNCASE SE-400
SNCASE · France · first flew 1939 · reconnaissance aircraft
The SNCASE SE-400 was a prototype French twin-engined coastal patrol floatplane of the Second World War. A single example was flown.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Steel tube fuselage with wooden wings |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engined low-wing monoplane floatplane with a twin tail
- Two light alloy floats mounted beneath the engines
- Steel tube fuselage with wooden wings
It was powered by two 655 hp Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines. Armament was a dorsal 7.5 mm machine gun and two 75 kg bombs.
Specifications
- The SNCASE SE-400 has a length of 13.5 m (44 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 19.35 m (63 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 290 km/h (180 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The French Air Ministry issued specification A46 in 1937 for a three-seat coastal reconnaissance seaplane to replace the CAMS 37 flying boats. Work began on two prototypes in March 1938, and the SE-400-01 first flew from Marignane on 31 December 1939.
Variants
The second prototype was to be a landplane powered by two 500 hp Lorraine 9N Algol engines, and was left incomplete.
Where you'll see it
Flight testing showed stability problems, which were resolved by a new, larger tail and a lengthened nose. The competing Breguet Nautilus was ordered into production, and development was abandoned on 24 May 1940.
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- SNCASE SE-2300
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- Breda Ba.75
- Bréguet 790 Nautilus
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