Sud-Ouest SO.6000
| SNCASO SO.6000 Triton | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Test aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
SNCASO (Sud-Ouest) |
| First flight: |
November 11, 1946 |
| Commissioning: |
- |
| Production time: |
1946 |
| Number of pieces: |
5 |
The Sud-Ouest SO.6000 Triton was a test aircraft from the French manufacturer SNCASO (Société Nationale des Constructions Aéronautiques du Sud-Ouest). It was the first French jet - powered aircraft , but due to a lack of its own French engines , it had to carry out its first flights with a German Jumo-004 -B2 jet engine. Triton refers to a sea god in Greek mythology.
history
As early as 1943 - while the German occupation of France was still in progress - a group around the aircraft designer Servanty came together in secret and began to design a two-seater all - metal jet aircraft . Construction of the aircraft began immediately after the end of the war, despite a blatant lack of tools and machines.
After the first flight in November 1946, the French Ministry of Aviation, optimistically, ordered 54 Tritons. However, only five machines were built. In addition to its intended use as a training aircraft , the type was also intended to serve as a flying test bench for the first planned French jet engine Rateau SRA-1 , which was supposed to deliver a thrust of 16 kN.
However, the completion of the engine was delayed so much that alternatives had to be found for the first flight. Finally, a captured and modified Junkers Jumo 004B was used. However, this brought with it two problems: on the one hand, the engine only delivered a thrust of 9.7 kN, on the other hand, the reliability was low. The low power meant that the first flight could only reach a height of about 300 m and a speed of 250 km / h. The flight lasted only a few minutes, after which the Triton had to remain on the ground for about six months in order to correct various problems that had occurred.
During the second flight on April 26, 1947, which lasted 12 minutes, the altitude was only 220 m, but the speed reached increased to 350 km / h. Seven more flights were carried out with the Jumo 004, all of which showed the technical inadequacies of the propulsion system and also those of the Triton's aerodynamic properties. For example, strong vibrations caused the fuselage flaps to open frequently during flight. The total flight time of the first prototype was only two hours.
Installation of the Rolls-Royce Nene
When looking for a new engine, the purchase of the Rolls-Royce Derwent was first considered, but ultimately the choice fell on the Rolls-Royce Nene , built under license by Hispano-Suiza , whose production had started shortly before in France. The available thrust increased to 23.8 kN. The Nene was built into the fourth airframe , the second and third cells were reserved for the still planned installation of the Rateau. However, the rateau was never delivered. The greater air throughput of the Nene also meant that, in addition to the air inlet in the bow, further smaller ear-shaped inlets had to be installed on the sides of the fuselage.
Increase in flight performance
The fourth Triton was then transferred to Orléans - Bricy , where the first flight with the new engine took place on March 19, 1949. The flight performance increased significantly, reaching 950 km / h at sea level, a rate of climb of 3000 m / min and a peak altitude of almost 12,000 m. For a short time it was even considered to attack the existing world speed record, which was however advised against by the French flight test center CEV (Center d'Essais en Vol) . The fifth cell was also equipped with the Nene and flew for the first time on May 23, 1949, but crashed on the eighth flight due to lack of fuel, after which the machine had to be written off as a total economic loss.
The flight test of the Triton was discontinued on November 3, 1950 after the 129th flight of the fourth machine when the engine overheated and a bearing damage occurred.
construction
The "corpulent" shape of the fuselage was mainly due to the two pilots' seats lying next to each other; In addition, the engine's air intake was in the bow and passed between the two seats. The wings, which had a clear V-position , looked quite small compared to the fuselage. The long-legged nose wheel landing gear was retractable, and the crew entered through two doors that are otherwise typical for cars. Ejection seats were only installed during the course of testing. The fuel tanks held a maximum of 2100 liters.
Whereabouts
The third model built is exhibited in the Musée de l'air et de l'espace in Le Bourget . This machine made one short flight each in April and May 1950. After problems with the landing gear occurred on both flights, no further test flights were carried out.
| Cell no. | Engine | Operation / whereabouts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jumo 004 | First flight in November 1946, whereabouts unclear |
| 2 | (reserved for Rateau) | probably not flown |
| 3 | Hull modified u. a. Air intake only through the two Rolls-Royce Nene “ears” on the side |
short flights in April and May 1950, exhibited in the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace in Le Bourget |
| 4th | Rolls-Royce Nene | 129 flights, whereabouts unclear |
| 5 | Rolls-Royce Nene | Crash landing on the eighth flight |
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 10.40 m |
| span | 9.96 m |
| height | 3.10 m |
| Takeoff mass | 4550 kg |
| Top speed | 950 km / h at sea level |
| Service ceiling | 11,900 m |
| Engines | a Rolls-Royce Nene with a thrust of 23.8 kN |
See also
literature
- Johnny de Uphaugh: The First French Turbojet. Airplane Monthly, July 2004, pp. 66f.
