Morane-Saulnier MS.603
Encyclopedia
The Morane-Saulnier MS.603 was a French
-built two-seat light aircraft of the late 1940s.
The initial MS.600, powered by a 75 hp Mathis G-4F piston engine, was a fixed gear, low-winged monoplane
of mixed construction, with a single fin and the tailplane
set just above the fuselage
and a clear perspex canopy over a side-by-side cockpit for two persons. All three aircraft, MS.600, MS.602 and MS.603, were ready for flight in 1947 with the MS.600 flying on 4 June 1947.
A parallel development, the MS.602, powered by a 75 hp Minie 4DA piston engine, was similar in most respects to the MS.600 and flew on 24 June 1947.
A more powerful derivative emerged as the MS.603, powered by a 100 hp Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The tailplane was also moved to a high set position on the fin and supported by struts.
airfield to the west of Paris. By 1983, the aircraft had been withdrawn from service and scrapped.
The sole MS.603, construction No. 1, was initially registered F-WCZT and later re-registered F-PHJC. It was flown for many years by the Aero Club de Courbevoie. By 1963 it was operated by M. Jean Forster, based at Guyancourt
airfield, but was withdrawn from use by 2006 when it was stored at the Musee de l'Aviation du Mas Palegry - (Mas Palegry Aviation Museum) near Perpignan
.
MS.602
MS.603
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-built two-seat light aircraft of the late 1940s.
Design and development
The MS.603 was one of three aircraft constructed in the MS.600 series which were built to compete in an officially-sponsored 1947 contest for a light two-seat side-by-side club aircraft to be powered by a 75 hp engine.The initial MS.600, powered by a 75 hp Mathis G-4F piston engine, was a fixed gear, low-winged monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
of mixed construction, with a single fin and the tailplane
Tailplane
A tailplane, also known as horizontal stabilizer , is a small lifting surface located on the tail behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplanes...
set just above the fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
and a clear perspex canopy over a side-by-side cockpit for two persons. All three aircraft, MS.600, MS.602 and MS.603, were ready for flight in 1947 with the MS.600 flying on 4 June 1947.
A parallel development, the MS.602, powered by a 75 hp Minie 4DA piston engine, was similar in most respects to the MS.600 and flew on 24 June 1947.
A more powerful derivative emerged as the MS.603, powered by a 100 hp Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The tailplane was also moved to a high set position on the fin and supported by struts.
Operational history
Initially registered F-WCZU in the experimental series, and re-registered F-PHQY in the amateur-operated series, the MS.602 was owned by Messieurs Gambi and Chanson and based at Saint-Cyr-l'ÉcoleSaint-Cyr-l'École
Saint-Cyr-l'École is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.It used to host the training school for officers of the French army, the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr , which was relocated to Coëtquidan in 1945.The old buildings of the ESM are...
airfield to the west of Paris. By 1983, the aircraft had been withdrawn from service and scrapped.
The sole MS.603, construction No. 1, was initially registered F-WCZT and later re-registered F-PHJC. It was flown for many years by the Aero Club de Courbevoie. By 1963 it was operated by M. Jean Forster, based at Guyancourt
Guyancourt
Guyancourt is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the south-western suburbs of Paris from the center, in the "new town" of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.-Geography:...
airfield, but was withdrawn from use by 2006 when it was stored at the Musee de l'Aviation du Mas Palegry - (Mas Palegry Aviation Museum) near Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
.
Variants
MS.600- The initial prototype powered by a 75 hp Mathis G-4F piston engine. One built.
MS.602
- The derivative intended for production. The MS.602 was powered by a 75 hp Minie 4DA piston engine, but otherwiswe similar to the MS.600. One built.
MS.603
- The final derivative with tricycle undercarriage was powered by a 100 hp Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and had a revised tail unit. One built.