Morane-Saulnier Type L

From Wings of Linen
Morane-Saulnier L
Role Reconnaissance/Fighter
Manufacturer Morane-Saulnier
First flight 1913 [1][2]
Introduction Aug 1914 [3]
Primary users France
Russia
U.K. (RFC/RAF)
U.K. (RNAS)
Number built 600[4][1] to 1105[5]
Variants Morane-Saulnier Type LA
Wingspan 10.3 m (33 ft 9 in) [6][7] to 11.2 m (36 ft 9 in)[8][9]
Engine 80hp Le Rhône 9C rotary
Armament flexible Lewis or
8mm fixed Hotchkiss or
none
Crew 1-2
Max Speed 115 km/h (71 mph)[10][6][7][8] to 122 km/h (76 mph)[2] 125 km/h (78 mph)[11][12][9]
Climb 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 8:00
2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 18:30[11][9] or 14:00[13][note 1]
Ceiling 3,500 m (11,500 ft)[12][6][7] to 4,000 m (13,100 ft)[10][8]
Range 450 km (280 mi)[10]
Endurance 2:00[9] - 2:30[12][13][8] - 3:00[9] - 4:00 [11][6]

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.[14]

The Pfalz E.III was a Bavarian license-built copy of the Morane-Saulnier Type L.

For more information, see Wikipedia:Morane-Saulnier L.

Timeline [note 2] [note 3]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Unofficial Stats
Version Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb
two-seat, rear gun 14Q3-17Q2 XC -/B 10 9 7
two-seat, unarmed XC none 10 9 7
single-seat XC B 10 9 7

Plane and Crew Cards

Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Miniatures and Models

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

1:300 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

  • Two-seater, unarmed

    Two-seater, unarmed

  • Fighter version, with deflector plates

    Fighter version, with deflector plates

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Dux-built L: 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 6min, 2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 15, 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 33.[12]
  2. ↑ Plane counts are approximate and based of escadrille usage in Davilla'97.
  3. ↑ British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.[15]
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Angelucci, p.52.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Argus Vol. 2, p.39.
  3. ↑ Davilla, p.314.
  4. ↑ Lamberton'62, p.74.
  5. ↑ Davilla, p.314.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lamberton'62, p.218-220.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lamberton'60, pp.216-217.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Angelucci, p.40.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Ferry'14, p.60.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Munson, p.79.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Davilla, p.318.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Durkota, p.358.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Bruce, p.28.
  14. ↑ Durkota, p.332.
  15. ↑ Philpott'13, pp.379-444.
Bibliography
  • Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
  • Argus Books, Airplane Archive: Aircraft of World War One, Volume 2. Great Britain: Argus Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85242-984-3
  • J.M. Bruce, Windsock Datafile 16: Morane Saulnier Type L. Great Britain: Albatros Publications, Ltd., 1989. ISBN 0-948414-20-0
  • Dr. James J. Davilla and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0.
  • Alan Durkota, Thomas Darcey, and Victor Kulikov. The Imperial Russian Air Service. Flying Machines Press, 1995. ISBN 0-9637110-2-4
  • Vital Ferry. French Aviation During the First World War. Paris: Histoire and Collections, 2014. ISBN 978-2-35250-370-5
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
  • Kenneth Munson, Fighters 1914-19, Attack and Training Aircraft. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1976. ISBN 0713707607
  • Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2
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