- Design and development
- Operational history
- Variants
- Specifications (MS.603)
- Notes
- References
| name=Morane-Saulnier MS.603 | image=Morane Saulnier MS603 F-PHJC St Cyr 30.05.57 edited-2.jpg | caption=The MS.603 at Saint-Cyr-l'École near Paris in May 1957 when operated by the Aero Club de Courbevoie }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=club aircraft | national origin=France | manufacturer=Morane Saulnier | designer= | first flight=1947 | introduced= | retired= | status=stored in a museum in France | primary user=aero clubs | more users= | produced= | number built=3 | program cost= | unit cost= | developed from=MS.600 | variants with their own articles=
}} |
The Morane-Saulnier MS.603 was a French-built two-seat light aircraft of the late 1940s. Design and developmentThe MS.603 was one of three aircraft constructed in the MS.600 series which were built to compete in an officially-sponsored 1947 contest for a light two-seat side-by-side club aircraft to be powered by a {{convert|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine. The initial MS.600, powered by a {{convert|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Mathis G-4F piston engine, was a fixed gear, low-winged monoplane of mixed construction, with a single fin and the tailplane set just above the fuselage and a clear perspex canopy over a side-by-side cockpit for two persons. All three aircraft, MS.600, MS.602 and MS.603, were ready for flight in 1947 with the MS.600 flying on 4 June 1947.[1] A parallel development, the MS.602, powered by a {{convert|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Minie 4DA piston engine, was similar in most respects to the MS.600 and flew on 24 June 1947.[2] A more powerful derivative emerged as the MS.603, powered by a {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage.[3] The tailplane was also moved to a high set position on the fin and supported by struts. Operational historyInitially registered F-WCZU in the experimental series, and re-registered F-PHQY in the amateur-operated series, the MS.602 was owned by Messieurs Gambi and Chanson and based at Saint-Cyr-l'École airfield to the west of Paris.[4] By 1983, the aircraft had been withdrawn from service and scrapped. The sole MS.603, construction No. 1, was initially registered F-WCZT and later re-registered F-PHJC. It was flown for many years by the Aero Club de Courbevoie. By 1963 it was operated by M. Jean Forster, based at Guyancourt airfield,[5] but was withdrawn from use by 2006 when it was stored at the Musee de l'Aviation du Mas Palegry - (Mas Palegry Aviation Museum) near Perpignan.[6] Variants- MS.600
The initial prototype powered by a {{convert|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Mathis G-4F piston engine. One built. - MS.602
The derivative intended for production. The MS.602 was powered by a {{convert|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Minie 4DA piston engine, but otherwiswe similar to the MS.600. One built. - MS.603
The final derivative with tricycle undercarriage was powered by a {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Hirth HM 504A-2 engine and had a revised tail unit. One built. Specifications (MS.603) {{Aircraft specs
|ref=Green, 1965
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=1
|capacity=1 passenger
|length m=7.46
|length ft=24
|length in=4
|length note=
|span m=9.6
|span ft=31
|span in=5
|span note=
|upper span m=
|upper span ft=
|upper span in=
|upper span note=
|mid span m=
|mid span ft=
|mid span in=
|mid span note=
|lower span m=
|lower span ft=
|lower span in=
|lower span note=
|swept m=
|swept ft=
|swept in=
|swept note=
|dia m=
|dia ft=
|dia in=
|dia note=
|width m=
|width ft=
|width in=
|width note=
|height m=2.7
|height ft=8
|height in=11
|height note=
|wing area sqm=14.5
|wing area sqft=156
|wing area note=
|swept area sqm=
|swept area sqft=
|swept area note=
|volume m3=
|volume ft3=
|volume note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=664.5
|gross weight lb=1,465
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|lift kg=
|lift lb=
|lift note=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Hirth HM 504A-2
|eng1 type=four-cylinder piston
|eng1 kw=74.6
|eng1 hp=100
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|thrust original=
|eng1 kn-ab=
|eng1 lbf-ab=
|eng2 number=
|eng2 name=
|eng2 type=
|eng2 kw=
|eng2 hp=
|eng2 kn=
|eng2 lbf=
|eng2 note=
|eng2 kn-ab=
|eng2 lbf-ab=
|eng3 number=
|eng3 name=
|eng3 type=
|eng3 kw=
|eng3 hp=
|eng3 kn=
|eng3 lbf=
|eng3 note=
|eng3 kn-ab=
|eng3 lbf-ab=
|more power=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|rot number=
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=
|rot dia in=
|rot area sqm=
|rot area sqft=
|rot area note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=190
|max speed mph=118
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|max speed mach=
|cruise speed kmh=162.5
|cruise speed mph=101
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=
|disk loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|armament=
|guns=
|bombs=
|rockets=
|missiles=
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=
|other armament=
|avionics=
}}
Notes1. ^Simpson, 2005, p.17
2. ^Simpson, 2005, p.17
3. ^Green, 1965 p.55
4. ^Butler, 1964, p.110
5. ^Butler, 1964, p. 118
6. ^Ogden, 2006, p.149
References{{commons category|Morane-Saulnier}}{{refbegin}}- {{cite book|last=Butler|first=P.H.|title=French Civil Aircraft Register|year=1964|publisher=Merseyside Society of Aviation Enthusiasts|isbn=}}
- {{cite book|last=Green|first=William|title=The Aircraft of the World|year=1965|publisher=Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd|isbn=}}
- {{cite book|last=Ogden|first=Bob|title=Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe|year=2006|publisher=Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd|isbn=0-85130-375-7}}
- {{cite book|last=Simpson|first=Rod|title=The General Aviation Handbook|year=2005|publisher=Midland Publishing|isbn=1-85780-222-5}}
{{refend}}{{Morane-Saulnier aircraft}} 6 : French civil utility aircraft 1940–1949|Morane-Saulnier aircraft|Low-wing aircraft|Single-engined tractor aircraft|Cruciform tail aircraft|Aircraft first flown in 1947 |