Morane-Saulnier Type L

The Morane-Saulnier Type L was a refinement of the pre-war Type G in a parasol configuration, with lateral control via wing-warping from a central pylon. The parasol wing gave excellent fields of view to both pilot and observer, and approximately 600 were produced in France, with another 430 produced in Russia. Fifty were obtained by the RFC and were used by Sqd 1 & 3, and another 25 went to the RNAS. They served in France until replaced by Nieuport 10's in autumn 1915, and they served in Russia through mid-1917.

The Type L's real claim to fame was to be the first plane with a machine gun firing forward through the propeller, which it did not with a synchronizer but with deflector plates on the propeller, and Roland Garros' famous early victories were in a plane of this type (as well as some other aces such as Navarre and Guynemer).

The V.V. Slyusarenko Aviation Company of Petrograd produced twenty-five Mos.L's for Russia.

Card Links

 * Esc 49 - Gilbert
 * Esc 23 - Garros (corrected)
 * 3 Sqn RFC - Lewis

1:144 Scale

 * Shapeways: Kampfflieger, Reduced Aircraft Factory (Two-Seater), RAF (Fighter)

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory (Two-Seater), RAF (Fighter)

1:300 Scale

 * Shapeways: Kampfflieger