Morane-Saulnier Type LA
The Morane-Saulnier Type LA was a Type L fitted with redesigned wings with ailerons and a faired fuselage of circular cross-section. Like the Type L, it was usually flown with a rear, flexible Lewis gun for the observer, but at least one was fitted with propeller bullet deflectors for a front-firing, fighter-style gun.
| Morane-Saulnier LA | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Morane-Saulnier |
| First flight | late 1914 [1] |
| Introduction | summer 1915 [1] |
| Primary users |  France U.K. (RFC/RAF)
|
| Number built | unknown, but 24 for RFC[2] |
| Wingspan | 10.3 m (33 ft 9 in) [3] - 10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)[4] |
| Engine | 80hp Le Rhône 9J rotary |
| Armament | rear flexible Lewis or fixed MG with deflector plates |
| Crew | 1-2 |
| Max Speed | 121 km/h (75 mph)[3] - 135 km/h (84 mph)[5][4] |
| Climb | 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 6:10[5] 2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 14:00[3]-15:25[5][4] 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 29:25[5] |
| Endurance | 2:30 [5][3] |
It came into service in the summer of 1915, but its career was fairly brief because it was replaced by the superior Nieuport 10 and Nieuport 11 which were just coming into service in the autumn.
British Type LAs were in service from late 1915, frequently replacing older Type L's, until they could be replaced with Type Ps in early 1917. [1]
For more information, see Wikipedia:Morane-Saulnier L.
Timeline [note 1]
References
- Notes
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Dr. James J. Davilla and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0.
- 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, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
- Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2