Morane-Saulnier MS-760

infobox Aircraft
name=MS-760 Paris
type=Trainer aircraft
manufacturer=Morane-Saulnier


caption=A MS-760 on the ramp of the Dryden Regional Airport (CYHD)
designer=
first flight=26 July 1954
introduced= 9 February 1959
retired= 1997 (France), 2007 (Argentina)
status=
primary user= Aviation Navale
more users=French Air Force Argentine Air Force
produced=
number built= 165

unit cost=
variants with their own articles=

The MS-760 Paris was a French "Armée de l'Air" (Air Force) trainer aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier. After World War II, France was in need of a jet trainer. Defeated in the French Navy’s 1953 contest by the Fouga Magister, the MS-755 "Fleuret" was resurrected as the MS-760 Paris IR – a four-seat, high-speed military communications aircraft and advanced trainer designed by René Gauthier. It was used extensively by the French, Dutch and other European military between 1959 and 1997. In 1955, a short-lived venture with Beech Aircraft to market the Paris as an Executive Business Jet in the US market was soon eclipsed by Learjet’s Model 23.

Design and development

On 26 July 1954, the prototype MS-760A Paris took off on its maiden flight with Jean Cliquet at the helm. With its T-shaped vertical stabilizer, low wing, and two Turboméca Marboré 400 kg turbines internally mounted side-by-side in the aft fuselage, the Paris offered a platform characterized by inherent stability. The aircraft had four seats, two in the front and two in the back, and a retractable tricycle landing gear.

In 1961, production plants started rolling out the MS-760B Paris II, fitted with two Marboré IV 480 kg engines, wingtip fuel tanks, air conditioning, and a bigger luggage compartment. On 24 February 1964, a six-passenger version, designated MS-760C Paris III, made its first flight, but it was never ordered. Production of the Paris II ceased, and production of the Paris III never started. Some 165 aircraft (Paris I and Paris II) were produced for the French Air Force (36 planes) and Navy (14 planes), and the air forces of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Operational history

On 18 July 1956 the French government requisitioned 50 aircraft, including 14 for the Navy, from Tarbes-based manufacturer Morane-Saulnier. The first plane was delivered on 9 February 1959 to Naval Air Station (N.A.S.) Dugny-Le Bourget, before going to the C.E.P.A. (Aeronautical Practical Experiment Center) in 1959-60, for the flight tests necessary to develop training programs and materials. It was also purchased by several countries such as Brazil and Argentina; 48 planes were license-built by Fábrica Militar de Aviones in Argentina. The MS-760B Paris II, with various systems improvements and integral fuel tanks in the leading edges of the wing, first flew on 12 December 1960.

The 14 "Moranes" (the plane's nickname in the French Navy) were assigned to Flight 11.S from 9 February 1959 onwards. The last plane, No. 88, was delivered on 27 July 1961. In 1965, MS-760 No. 48 was briefly assigned to Flight 3.S based at N.A.S Hyères, which already flew the MD 312 "Flamant", the MS-733 Alcyon, the MH.1521M "Broussard", the S.O.30P "Bretagne" and the Br.1050 "Alizé". Morane No.48 subsequently crashed on 4 January 1968 at Rennes. From 1970 onwards, all the 12 planes left were assigned to Flight 2.S based at N.A.S. Lann-Bihoué. In May 1972 they were sent to the S.R.L. On 1 September 1981 this unit became Flight 57.S (flight which had been shut down since the closing of N.A.S. Port-Lyautey, Morocco on 15 January 1962).

Their missions were Super Étendard and F-8 Crusader pilot IFR and all-weather training, advanced training for new pilots, proficiency training for other pilots and A.L.P.A. (admirals commanding the carriers and Naval Aviation). and 1st and 2nd Aerial Regions liaisons.

Eight MS-760 Paris were on the unit's flightline, next to three Dassault Falcon 10 MER. After 40 years of good and faithful service, the venerable workhorses were retired in October 1997 at N.A.S. Landivisiau. The last eight planes were numbers 32, 40, 41, 42, 47, 85, 87 and 88.

In 2007, after 48 years of continuous service, the Argentine Air Force retired their last "Paris" [http://www.losandes.com.ar/2007/0203/sociedad/nota359576_1.htm] . Many of the 27 civilian MS-760 Jets are still in service, with some of them for sale, price-wise competing very favourably with the new generation of very light "personal" jets, however, having "old" generation thirsty and noisy engines. But they are said to have comparatively low maintenance cost and to be "easy to fly".

Operators

;ARG
*Argentine Air Force – acquired 54, of which 36 were license-produced by FAMA.;BRA;FRA
*French Air Force
*Aviation Navale;NLD;PAR

urvivors

*No08 & N0 009 Dave Bennett a collector in Colorado
*No31 and No33 are preserved at the Rochefort Museum of Naval Aviation Traditions.
*No32 is owned by "Armor Aéro Passion" association
*No40 by the Le Bourget Air and Space Museum
*No42 by the Tristan Corbière Technical High School
*No46 by the Savigny-les-Beaume museum
*No85 by the " "Les Ailes de l'Aéro" " association
*No87 and No88 were sold to private American owners

Specifications (MS-760B Paris II)

airtemp

plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= jet

crew=1-2
capacity=4
length main=34 ft 2 in
length alt=10.4 m
span main=33 ft 3 in
span alt=10.1 m
height main=8 ft 6 in
height alt=2.6 m
area main=194 ft²
area alt=18 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main=4841 lb
empty weight alt=2196 kg
useful load main=3809 lb
useful load alt=1730 kg
max takeoff weight main=8650 lb
max takeoff weight alt=3920 kg
more general=

Fuel capacity (useful): 486 gal (1840 l)

engine (jet)= Turboméca Marboré IV (later, Marboré VI C)
type of jet=turbojet
number of jets=2
thrust main=1058 lbf
thrust alt=4.7 kN
thrust more=

Takeoff thrust (sea level): 1058 lbf (4.71 kN)
max speed main=432 mph
max speed alt=695 km/h
max speed more=(375 kt)
cruise speed main=400 mph
cruise speed alt=650 km/h
cruise speed more=(350 kt)
stall speed main=105 mph
stall speed alt=170 km/h
stall speed more=(91 kt)
range main=1150 mi
range alt=1850 km
range more=1000 nm; with IFR reserves: 850 nm
ceiling main=25,000 ft
ceiling alt=7600 m
climb rate main=1550 ft/min
climb rate alt=7.87 m/s
loading main=44.7 lb/ft²
loading alt=218 kg/m²
thrust/weight=0.44
more performance=

Landing distance: 4000 ft (1220 m); over 50-ft obstacle: 6200 ft (1890 m)

armament=