Arsenal 2301

Last updated
Arsenal 2301
SFECMAS 1301.png
SFECMAS 1301, late in development
RoleFull scale, piloted glider model of fighter aircraft
National origin France
Manufacturer Arsenal de l'Aéronautique
DesignerJean Galtier
First flight29 November 1951 (16 January 1953 as delta)
Number built1

The Arsenal 2301, Arsenal Ars.2301, SFECMAS 1301 or SFECMAS Ars.1301 was an experimental French air-launched glider, built to test the aerodynamics of aircraft of novel configuration at full scale. It first flew in 1951 with swept wings but after 1953 it had a delta wing. Trials with this wing established the layouts of the Nord Gerfaut and Griffon.

Contents

Design and development

In the 1950s more than one French aircraft design was tested with larger scale glider models than could be put into wind-tunnels. These were piloted and launched from the top of a large aircraft like a SNCASE Languedoc, as was the SCAN 271 [1] or alternatively towed to altitude. [2] The Arsenal 2301 was a full-scale model of a proposed rocket powered fighter aircraft which developed German ideas on swept wing aircraft expressed in the wartime DFS 346. It was a wooden aircraft, [2] with swept, straight tapered mid-wings, square tipped at right angles to the leading edge. The fuselage was long and fine, with the cockpit well forward of the wing. The fuselage began to taper to the pointed nose just behind the canopy. The vertical tail was swept, straight tipped and tapered, though there was a curved fillet between the fin root and the fuselage. An all-moving tail, straight tapered, square tipped and with sweep on its leading edge, was placed about one-third the way up the fin. [3] The 2301 had a bicycle landing gear, with a fixed main wheel under the central fuselage and a small, retractable nose wheel; [2] retracting stabilizing wheels were positioned near the wing tips. [3] Its span was 8 m (26 ft 3 in) and length 14 m (45 ft 11 in). Its primary purpose was to explore the low speed characteristics of the design. [2]

The Ars.2301 made its first flight on 29 November 1951, towed behind the Languedoc. [2] During the following year Arsenal became SFECMAS (Société Française d’Etude et de Constructions de Matériel Aéronautiques Spéciaux), [4] which affiliated with SCAN on 1 January 1953, and the Arsenal 2301 became the SFECMAS 2301 or sometimes the SFECMAS Ars.2301. The rocket fighter project was dropped in favour of a delta wing fighter design that would become Jean Gaultier's Nord Gerfaut. The original swept wing of the Ars.2301 was replaced by a pure, aerodynamically thin delta designated SFECMAS 1301; otherwise, initially, the aircraft was unchanged. making its first flight on 16 January 1953. [3] The details of its development are obscure but photographs show that the wing tips were slightly cropped. The tailplane was altered more, moved up the fin and made smaller and delta shaped; the Gerfaut's small delta tailplane was similar but clipped. In its final form the Ars.1301 had an even smaller delta fore-plane. [3] [5] Typically test flights were launched from the Languedoc at about 6,300 m (20,700 ft). [3]

The Gerfaut first flew on 15 January 1954; [6] in 1955 SFECMAS and SCAN were completely merged, becoming the nationalized Nord Aviation in 1958. [6] The Nord Griffon, another Gaultier delta design, first flew on 1 September 1955; this had no tailplane but a delta fore-plane, similar to that on the final version of the Ars.1301. [5]

Variants

Arsenal 2301
Swept wing
SFECMAS 1301
Delta wing (same airframe as 2301)

Specifications (SFECMAS 1301)

Data from Gaillard (1990), p.114 [3]

General characteristics

Related Research Articles

Bloch MB.160

The Bloch MB.160 was a fourteen-seat French airliner intended for use in the French African colonies. Three were built and two entered service with Régie Air-Afrique at the start of World War II. Developments included the Bloch MB.162 bomber which was too late for service and the Sud-Est SE.161 Languedoc, one hundred of which were built post-war.

Nord 1500 Griffon

The Nord 1500 Griffon was an experimental ramjet-powered interceptor aircraft designed and built by French state-owned aircraft manufacturer Nord Aviation.

Nord 1601

The Nord 1601 was a French aerodynamic research aircraft designed and built by Nord Aviation. The aircraft was designed to investigate the aerodynamics of swept wings and related high-lift devices.

The Nord Gerfaut (en:Gyrfalcon) was a delta wing experimental research aircraft, originally designed and built by SFECMAS – Société Française d'Étude et de Construction de Matériels Aéronautiques Spéciaux which was later merged with SNCAN – Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord to form Nord Aviation.

The Bernard SIMB AB 10 was a French single-engine, single-seat, highly streamlined, cantilever, all-metal low-wing monoplane of advanced design. It first flew in 1924 but was not ordered into production.

SNCASE SE-2300

The Sud-Est SE-2300 or S.N.C.A.S.E. SE-2300 was a two/three seat low wing, single engine touring aircraft, built just after World War II in France. The SE-2310 was a tricycle undercarriage variant. Neither type went into production.

The Landray GL.03 Pouss Pou was a small, pusher configuration tandem wing aircraft built in France in the early 1980s. Only one was completed, though it was much modified.

The Godbille JG.1B is a French light, two seat amateur built aircraft, dating from 1989. Only one was constructed.

The Pocino PJ.1A Toucan is a French, single seat, twin boom light aircraft of pusher configuration which first flew in 1989. The single example remained active until at least 2007.

The Barbaro RB-50 was a small, French, high wing single engine light aircraft, amateur built in the 1960s. Only one was completed.

The Chasle YC-10 Migrateur was a single seat sports aircraft built in France in the early 1980s. Only one was built and it flew for less than 30 hours.

Payen Arbalète

The Payen Arbalète was a small, pusher configuration, experimental French tailless aircraft first flown in 1965.

The Payen Pa.47 Plein Air was a French two seat, high wing single engine tourer, which first flew in 1949. Only one was built.

SNCAC NC.1070

The SNCAC NC.1070 was a piston engined attack and torpedo bomber designed and built in France shortly after World War II. The second prototype, the NC1071, was the first French multi-jet turbine powered aircraft.

The SNCASE SE-700 was a three-seat passenger autogyro designed during World War II. Two were completed but only the first flew and the programme was soon abandoned.

Pottier P.40

The French tailless Pottier P.40 was the first aircraft designed by Jean Pottier. It flew in 1975.

Rey R.1

The Rey R.1 was an experimental twin engine aircraft type built in France around 1950 to test the effectiveness of sprung hinged wings in automatically correcting roll caused by gusts.

SNCASO Deltaviex

The SNCASO Deltaviex or SNCASO-ONERA Deltaviex was a small French experimental jet aircraft, first flown 30 April 1954 and distinguished by highly swept, small span wings. It was designed to explore the possibility of controlling roll and yaw with fine jets of air bled from the engine's compressor.

SFCA Lignel 46 Coach

The SFCA Lignel 46 Coach was a French four seat touring aircraft built soon after World War II. It was SFCA's last design, with two prototypes built, flown and raced but engine supply problems prevented production.

The Lacroix-Trussant L.T.-51 Microplan was a French, low-powered, two seat amateur-built biplane. It flew just before the outbreak of World War II. After the war it was re-engined and flew until 1953.

References

  1. ↑ Gaillard, Pierre (1990). Les Avions Francais de 1944 à 1964. Paris: Éditions EPA. p. 97. ISBN   2-85120-350-9.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Bridgman, Leonard (1952). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1952-53. London: Sampson, Low, Marston and Co. Ltd. p. 109.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gaillard. Les Avions Francais de 1944 à 1964. p. 114.
  4. ↑ Gaillard. Les Avions Francais de 1944 à 1964. p. 9.
  5. 1 2 "The Galtier Delta Family". Flight . Vol. 69 no. 2464. 13 April 1956. pp. 413–4.
  6. 1 2 Gaillard. Les Avions Francais de 1944 à 1964. p. 153.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.