Photograph:
A captured Morane Saulnier Type L with German insignia c 1917 (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
France
Description:
Single or two-seat armed reconnaissance fighter
Power Plant:
One 68.6 kw (92 hp) at 1,300 rpm Le Rhone Type C-9 nine-cylinder single-row rotary engine of 664.47 cub in weighing 121.5 kg (268 lb)
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 11.2 m (36 ft 8⅞ in)
- Length: 6.887 m (20 ft 6¾ in)
- Height: 3.13 m (10 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 18.3 m² (172 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 125 km/h (76 mph)
- Minimum speed: 86 km/h (55 mph)
- Rate of climb: 105 m/min (345 ft/min)
- Climb to 1,000 m (3,281 ft): 8 mins
- Endurance: 4 hrs range 451 km (280 miles)
- Ceiling: 3,658 m (12,000 f)
- Empty weight: 393 kg (865 lb)
- Loaded weight: 677.5 kg (1,491 lb)
Armament:
One 0.76 mm (0.303 in) Lewis machine gun
History:
The Morane Saulnier Type L was a parasol wing single or two-seat fighter designed in 1914 for surveillance and artillery observation, being built by Morane Saulnier with a single machine gun firing through the arc of the propeller, which was protected by armoured deflector wedges. It was successful in the role of fighter and, following its introduction to service, an arms race developed on both sides to produce more effective aircraft. The initial Type L had wing-warping for lateral control but this was changed to ailerons on the Type LA.
Built in France, the type was operated by the French Aviation Militaire at the outbreak of World War I, becoming known as the MS.3. More than 600 were built and it also served with the Royal Flying Corps, which used about 60 as reconnaissance aircraft during 1915; the Royal Naval Air Service which operated about 25; and the Imperial Russian Air Service. The Type L was initially fitted with a 40 kw (60 hp) Clerget rotary engine and it saw service with a number of training units.
The type was built in some numbers, being licence built in Germany by Pfalz Flugzeugbau in Steyer and was known as the A.II and A.II scout, the last variant built by Pfalz being known as the E.III armed scout. Some French-built aircraft were captured and fitted with a German Spandau IMG 08 machine gun. It was also built by Thulin in Sweden as the Thulin Type D, this being an improved model with a 71 kw (95 hp) Thulin A rotary engine, a licence built Le Rhone. One was donated to Finland by Swedish Count Eric Von Rosen in 1918 and became the first Finnish military aircraft.
The type was developed for armed service from December 1914, Roland Garros from Escadrille 23 mounting a Hotchkiss machine gun on one for testing. In March 1915 he had success with the type, shooting down three German aircraft in April. One Type L was the subject of the first true fighter victory on 1 July 1915 when it was shot down by a pre-production Fokker Eindecker. On 7 June 1915 Flight Lieutenant Reginald Alexander John Warneford of No 1 Sqdn RNAS intercepted and destroyed Zeppelin LZ.37, the first Zeppelin to be destroyed in the air, Warnerford being awarded the Victoria Cross for this achievement.
A replica of the Type L has been built in Australia and is registered with the RAA (Recreation Aviation Australia) as 19-7523. A scale replica of the Type L is available in kit form from Airdrome Aeroplanes in the United States and one of these has been completed in New Zealand as ZK-MSP. French aviation company Daher volunteer employees spent 15,000 man-hours in 2016-2017 to build a flying replica of a Model L fitted with an 82 kw (110 hp) Rotec radial engine. It was conveyed by container to the 2017 EAA event at Oshkosh where it was placed on display, later returning to France for its first flight.