Morane-Saulnier MS.138

MS.137, MS.138, and MS.139

National origin: France
Manufacturer: Morane-Saulnier
First flight: 1927
Number built: 178

The Morane-Saulnier MS.138 was a military trainer aircraft produced in France in the late 1920s, the major production version of a family that also included the MS.137 and MS.139. The design was derived from the MS.35, first flown during World War I, modernised to feature a wing that now included slight sweepback, and a redesigned fuselage of rounder cross-section. The basic layout remained the same, being a wire-braced, parasol-wing monoplane with open cockpits in tandem and fixed tailskid undercarriage. Construction was mostly of wood, with the exception of the metal wing spars, and all control surfaces were covered in fabric.

Most of the production run went to the Aéronautique Militaire, with a few others built for the Aéronavale and for military use by Greece and Denmark. Thirty-three others were purchased by civilian operators in France. The type remained in French military service until 1935.

Variants

MS.137 - version with Salmson 9Ac engine
MS.138 - main production type with Le Rhx´ne 9Ac engine
MS.139 - version with Clerget 9B engine

MS.191 - version with shortened wingspan and Clerget 9B or Salmson 9Nc engines

Operators

France
Aéronautique Militaire
Aéronavale
Denmark
Greece
Paraguay

Specifications (MS.138)

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft 2554

General characteristics

Crew: Two, pilot and instructor
Length: 6.78 m (22 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 10.90 m (35 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 19.5 m² (210 ft²)
Empty weight: 517 kg (1,140 lb)
Gross weight: 775 kg (1,710 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— Le Rhx´ne 9Ac, 60 kW (80 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 140 km/h (88 mph)
Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.

Morane-Saulnier MS.138 Pictures and Morane-Saulnier MS.138 for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia