Morane-Saulnier P

{{short description|French WW1 reconnaissance aircraft}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}  {{Infobox aircraft |name = Type P/MS.21/MS.24/MS.26 |image =Morane-Saulnier P French First World War reconnaissance aircraft in RFC markings.jpg |caption =[[Royal Flying Corps]] MS.24 Type P |type = Reconnaissance |manufacturer = Aéroplanes [[Morane-Saulnier]] |designer = |first_flight = 1916 |introduction = 1916 |retired = |status = |primary_user =''[[History of the Armée de l'Air (1909-1942)|Aéronautique Militaire]]'' |more_users = [[Royal Flying Corps]] |produced = |number_built =595 |unit cost = |variants = }}

The '''Morane-Saulnier Type P''' (official designations '''MS.21''', '''MS.24''' and '''MS.26''') was a French [[parasol wing]] two-seat reconnaissance [[aeroplane]] of the [[First World War]]. [[Morane-Saulnier]] built 595 for the French air force, and it was also used by the British until 1916–17.

==Development== [[File:Morane-Saulnier P (MS 26) at Aisne, April 1917 (cropped).jpg|thumb|French Morane-Saulnier P (MS.26) at Aisne, April 1917]] In addition to being fitted with ailerons and having a more streamlined fuselage, the Type P was faster and better armed than its better known ancestor, the [[Morane-Saulnier L|Type L (MS.3)]] and had a more developed structure compared to the intermediate [[Morane-Saulnier LA|Morane-Saulnier LA (MS.4)]].

Three versions were built under Morane-Saulnier's factory designation of Type P, the first being the '''MS.21''', which although externally similar to the Type LA, had its internal structure completely redesigned, with the most visible evidence being the more robust center section struts, and with other details borrowed from the [[Morane-Saulnier N|Type N (MS.5)]], such as a substantial spinner, known as the ''"casserole"''.

The '''MS.24''' was built specifically for the [[Royal Flying Corps]] to operate alongside their [[Morane-Saulnier LA]]s while replacing those lost to attrition, but due to shortages of the {{convert|110|hp|abbr=on}} [[Le Rhône]] [[rotary engine]] used in the MS.21, it was powered by an {{convert|80|hp|abbr=on}} Le Rhône. The RFC also operated the MS.21.

The '''MS.26''' was similar to the MS.21, but was fitted with a {{convert|120|hp|abbr=on}} Le Rhône engine which was enclosed in a full cowling, and like the 24, dispensed with the spinner commonly found on the MS.21.

==Variants== [[File:Morane-Saulnier P Roulrur(cropped).jpg|thumb|Morane-Saulnier MS.26/type P ''rouleur'' trainer]] ;Type P * Factory designation ;MS.21 * Official designation of initial version powered with a {{convert|110|hp|abbr=on}} [[Le Rhône 9J]] engine ;MS.24 * Official designation of RFC version powered with an {{convert|80|hp|abbr=on}} [[Le Rhône 9C]] engine ;MS.26 * Official designation of final version powered with a {{convert|120|hp|abbr=on}} [[Le Rhône 9J]]c engine ;''Rouleur/Penguin'' * Examples of other variants modified with wing area reduced to act as ground handling trainers. ;''Chasseur'' * Two examples were converted into single seat fighters, the first had the observer's position covered over, the second had the pilot moved back and the wing lowered.

==Operators== ; {{BRA}} *[[Brazilian Air Force]] ; {{FRA}} *[[French Air Force]] ; {{JPN}} *[[Imperial Japanese Army Air Service]] ; {{RUS}} *[[Imperial Russian Air Service]] ; {{UK}} *[[Royal Flying Corps]]

==Specifications (Type P/MS.21)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=''The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing)'' <ref name="Bruce RFC p312">Bruce 1982, p. 312.</ref> |prime units?=met  |crew=2 |length m=7.2 |length note= |span m=11.2 |span note= |height m=3.47 |height note= |wing area sqm=18 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=433 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=733 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Le Rhone 9J]] |eng1 type=9-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine |eng1 kw=82 |eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=fixed-pitch propeller |prop dia m= |prop dia note=  |max speed kmh=156 |max speed note=at {{cvt|2000|m}} |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range note= |endurance=2 hours 30 minutes |ceiling m=4800 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ms= |climb rate note= |time to altitude={{cvt|3000|m}} in 15 minutes 50 seconds |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass= |more performance= |guns=1 × [[Vickers machine gun]] and 1× [[Lewis gun]] or 2× Lewis guns |bombs=Light load of bombs }}

==See also== {{Aircontent| |related= *[[Morane-Saulnier Type LA]] |similar aircraft= |lists= *[[List of military aircraft of France]] |see also= }}

==References==

===Citations=== {{Reflist}}

===Bibliography=== *Bruce, J.M. ''The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing)''. London: Putnam, 1982. {{ISBN|0-370-30084-X}}. *{{cite journal |last1=Cony|first1=Christophe|title=Aviateur d'Observation en 14/18 (deuxième partie) |journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=July 1997 |issue=52 |pages=10–15 |trans-title=Observation Aircraft of 14/18 |language=French |issn=1243-8650}} * {{cite book|last1=Davilla|first1=Dr. James J.|last2=Soltan|first2=Arthur |title=French Aircraft of the First World War|publisher=Flying Machines Press|location=Mountain View, CA|year=1997|isbn=978-1891268090}}

==Further reading== {{commons category|Morane-Saulnier P}} *{{cite book |last1=Lacaze |first1=Henri |last2=Lherbert |first2=Claude |title=Morane Saulnier: ses avions, ses projets |date=2013 |publisher=Lela Presse |location=Outreau, France |isbn=978-2-914017-70-1 |language=fr|name-list-style=amp|trans-title=Morane Saulnier: Their Aircraft and Projects}}

[[Category:Morane-Saulnier aircraft|P]] [[Category:1910s French military reconnaissance aircraft]] [[Category:Parasol-wing aircraft]] [[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]] [[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1914]] [[Category:Rotary-engined aircraft]]