Replica Of Historic Type L On Display, Plans Available

By Paul Plack

Daher-Socata celebrated its historic 100th anniversary with several notable exhibits at EAA AirVenture 2011. The company known today as Daher-Socata is descended from the Aeroplane Morane-Saulnier company, founded in 1911. Part of the celebration is the presentation of a replica of the Morane-Saulnier Type L, an iconic design representative of those early years.

 
Moraine-Salnier Type L

The 1913 type began with the modification of a standard production two-seater with wings mounted above the fuselage, to offer better visibility for the pilot and passengers. The high-wing monoplane was soon nicknamed "Morane-parasol," a term which became almost a generic name for high wing design.

When World War One started, the Type L was built in large numbers - more than 60 - for reconnaissance duty, and was flown by French, British and Russian forces, and also under license by Pitfall Flugzeugwerke in Germany and Thulin in Sweden.

 
Morane-Saulnier Type H Airmail

As one of fastest aircraft used by Allied forces, Type L became one of the first dedicated fighter aircraft in the spring of 1915. French aces including Georges Guynemer, Eugène Gilbert, and Jean Navarre scored their first victories with their observer firing from the rear seat. Then Roland Garros experimented on a Type L using a machine gun firing through the propeller system using a blade-mounted deflector developed by Raymond Saulnier. He scored the first kill involving a tractor propeller airplane in April of 1915.

A few months later, British Flight Lieutenant Warneford of the Royal Navy, was the first to shoot down a Zeppelin, the LZ37. By 1916, the Type L was replaced in front line service, but continued in service as a trainer.

After the war Morane-Saulnier developed a family of "Parasol" training aircraft. More than 5,000 Morane-Saulnier "parasols" of various types were then produced between 1914 and 1935.

The full-scale replica on display at the Daher-Socata exhibit has been built by Richard Baslee from Holden, Missouri. Plans and kits are available for builders through Airdrome Aeroplanes.

Morane-Saulnier Type L Specifications:

Powerplant: Le Rhône 9C 9-cylinder rotary engine, 80 hp
Length: 6.88 m
Wingspan: 11.20 m
Wing area: 18.3 m² (197 sq ft)
Empty weight: 393 kg (865 lb)
Maximum speed: 125 km/h (68 knots, 78 mph) at sea level

FMI: www.daher.com ; www.airdromeaeroplanes.com