The Morane-Saulnier BB was a military observation aircraft produced in France during World War I for use by Britain's Royal Flying Corps.[1][2] It was a conventional single-bay biplane design with seating for the pilot and observer in tandem, open cockpits. The original order called for 150 aircraft powered by 110-hp Le Rhône 9J rotary engines, but shortages meant that most of the 94 aircraft eventually built were delivered with 80 hp Le Rhône 9C rotaries instead.[2] A water-cooled Hispano-Suiza 8A engine was trialled as an alternative in the Type BH, but this remained experimental only.[1] A production licence was sold to the Spanish company Compañía Española de Construcciones Aeronáuticas (CECA), which built twelve fitted with Hispano-Suiza engines in 1916.
| Type BB, Type BH | |
|---|---|
| |
| RFC Morane-Saulnier BB | |
| Role | Observation aircraft |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Morane-Saulnier |
| First flight | 1915 |
| Status | retired |
| Primary user | Royal Flying Corps |
| Number built | 107 |
Operational history edit
The type equipped a number of RFC and RNAS squadrons both in its original observation role and, equipped with a forward-firing Lewis gun mounted on the top wing, as a fighter.[2]
Variants edit
- MS.7
- official French government STAe designation for the BB
- MS.8
- official French government STAe designation for the BH
- BB
- Le Rhône 9J rotary powered variant
- BH
- Hispano-Suiza 8A V-8 powered variant
- CECA-MS or CECA-Saulnier
- designations used for BB/BH built in Spain
Operators edit
Specifications (BB) edit
Data from Parmentier
General characteristics
- Crew: Two, pilot and observer
- Length: 7.00 m (23 ft 0 in)
- Wingspan: 8.65 m (28 ft 5 in)
- Height: 2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 23.0 m2 (247 sq ft)
- Gross weight: 750 kg (1,650 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9Ja , 82 kW (110 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 147 km/h (92 mph, 80 kn)
- Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
Armament
- 1 × flexible, rearward-firing .303 Lewis gun for observer
Notes edit
References edit
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
- Bruce, J.M. (1982). The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-30084-X.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- Parmentier, Bruno. "Morane-Saulnier BB". Aviafrance - Un siècle d'aviation française. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
Further reading edit
- Lacaze, Henri & Lherbert, Claude (2013). Morane Saulnier: ses avions, ses projets [Morane Saulnier: Their Aircraft and Projects] (in French). Outreau, France: Lela Presse. ISBN 978-2-914017-70-1.