Country of origin:

France

Description:

Five/six seat twin-engine cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

Two 157 kw (210 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-360 CB six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines

Specifications:

Armament:

[FTB-227G] Two 7.62 mm (0.303 in) machine guns; 37 mm SNEB rockets; frangible plastic-shelled napalm tanks, small bombs and flare dispensers

History:

The Max Holste Company was founded in 1946 and built the Broussard and Super Broussard. In 1960 it entered into an agreement with Cessna of Wichita, Kansas, USA to produce aircraft for the European market and the new company became known as Reims Aviation. First aircraft produced was the Cessna 172 series, which became known as the FR-172 Reims-Rocket. At that time it was partly owned by Cessna but became independent in 1989. However, after some time the only aircraft produced was the F-406 Caravan II.  The Company entered into receivership in September 2013 and later dealings with the F-406 were transferred to Continental Motors Inc of Mobile, Alabama, USA.

A new plant was built at Prunay in north-east France and by 25 June 1968 1,000 single-engine aircraft had been delivered from the Reims Cessna production line at Remoises. On 1 September 1969 the first French-built Cessna 337 was flown, this aircraft being fitted with two Continental IO-360 engines providing 157 kw (210 hp).  In January 1970 former World War II French fighter pilot Pierre Clostermann was managing the Company and soon the Company employed 151 personnel. By January 1982 some 6,000 French-built Cessnas had been delivered.

A number of variants of the Model 337 were developed for the European market by Reims Aviation, these initially commencing with the F-337E Super Skymaster, of which 24 examples were delivered. This was followed by the F-337F with 31 delivered; F-337G of which 29 were built; FT-337G with 22 delivered; F-337H and FP-337H Pressurized Skymaster, only one example of each being delivered. The most popular model was the FTB-337G Milirole, built in conjunction with Sierra Industries, which had Robertson STOL modifications, the latter including new high-lift flaps. This variant had hardpoints and was aimed at the military role, some 61 being built, a number of which were delivered to the Portuguese Air Force.

A variant of the FTB-337G, of which 21 were built, was known as the Lynx when in service with the Rhodesian Air Force (later the Zimbabwe Air Force). These were obtained clandestinely in February 1976. Eventually attrition reduced the number of the latter operating with the Zimbabwe Air Force. These were fitted with turbo-charged engines and were armed with two 7.62 mm (0.303 in) machine guns above the cabin and 37 mm SNEB rockets. These aircraft took part in light strike, COIN and FAC duties during Rhodesia’s long bush war and were fitted with heat-shielded exhausts to protect them from SA-7 surface to air missiles.

One example of the FA-337 series has been registered in Australia.  This aircraft, an FA-337F, became VH-FCO² (c/n 0045 – ex F-OCQO, N1785M ntu), was based in Queensland, operated in the Emerald area until removed from the civil aircraft register in June 2017, and was noted for sale.  It was built in 1971 and was first registered on 18 April 2006.  It was placed on the New Zealand civil register as ZK-SVY on 31 July to Landpro Pty Ltd of Cromwell and from 8 to 10 June 2017 it was flown to Wanaka via Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and Kerikeri.