Morane-Saulnier AN

Type AN

National origin: France
Manufacturer: Morane-Saulnier
First flight: 27 October 1918

The Morane-Saulnier AN was a French fighter prototype of the 1910s that resulted in the development of many other Morane-Saulnier prototypes.

Development

Completed in late 1918, the AN was a two-seat fighter designed to use an unorthodox Bugatti u-16 engine. Large and equi-span, it was a two-bay biplane with a monocoque fuselage.

Operational history

First tested in late 1918, the AN displayed bad handling and poor general performance. As such many variants were developed, elaborated below.

Variants

Morane-Saulnier ANL - First flown in 1919, the ANL had a 400 hp Liberty 12 engine. It was renamed the MoS.32.
Morane-Saulnier ANR -Also flown in 1919, the ANR had a 450 hp Renault 12Kb engine as well as a rear-mounted Vickers gun. Renamed the MoS.33.
Morane-Saulnier ANS -Again making its début in 1919, the ANS was the final incarnation of the AN series. Equipped with a 530 hp Salmson 18Z 18-cylinder radial. Showed promise at testing, however no further production took place.

Specifications (AN)

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 8.34 m (27 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 11.73 m (38 ft 6 in)
Height: 2.77 m (9 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 41.00 m² (441.33 ft²)
Gross weight: 1770 kg (3902 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— Bugatti 16-cylinder water-cooled, 336 kW (450 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph)

Armament

1 x forward-firing .303 Vickers gun
2 x rear-mounted .303 Lewis guns

Green, William; Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. Godalming, UK: Salamander Books. pp. 415.

Morane-Saulnier AN Pictures and Morane-Saulnier AN for Sale.

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Source: WikiPedia