The Breguet 941 was a French four-engine turboprop short takeoff and landing (STOL) transport aircraft developed by Breguet in the 1960s. Although widely promoted, both by Breguet in France and by McDonnell Aircraft and McDonnell Douglas in the United States, it was not built in large numbers; only one prototype and four production aircraft were built.
An initial, experimental prototype, powered by four Turbomeca Turmo II engines, the Breguet 940 Integral, first flew on 21 May 1958,[1] and was used to prove the concept, demonstrating excellent short field performance. This led to an order being placed in February 1960 for a prototype of an aircraft employing the same concept, but capable of carrying useful loads. This aircraft, the Breguet 941, first flew on 1 June 1961.[2]
Breguet 941 prototype in 1963
Testing of this prototype resulted in an order for four improved production aircraft, the Breguet 941S for the French Air Force, first flying on 19 April 1967. These were fitted with more powerful engines and a modified rear cargo door to allow for air-dropping of stores.[2]
Br 942edit
Breguet intended to develop the 940 genre further by adding a pressurised fuselage with airline seating as the Breguet Br 942. Wings, landing gear, empennage and engines were essentially similar to the Br 941, but were to be mated to a new 3.1 m (10 ft 2.0 in) diameter circular section fuselage, with airline seating for 40 first/business class or up to 60 economy class passengers. After the limited success of the Br 941 and Br 941S and expected high running costs, further development was abandoned.[3]
McDonnell Aircraft and McDonnell Douglasedit
McDonnell Aircraft acquired a production licence for the 941 in the United States and began marketing the aircraft with minimal changes as the McDonnell 188.[4] The company also promoted an upgraded version with a circular-section pressurised fuselage, uprated engines, and other enhancements as the 188E.[5] Marketing of the 188E continued after McDonnell merged with Douglas Aircraft to form McDonnell Douglas, and the merged company proposed to build an even larger and more powerful version as the McDonnell Douglas 210.[6]
The 941 prototype was tested extensively in both France and the United States. McDonnell conducted demonstrations with the prototype in late 1964 and again in early 1965.[5] The aircraft was evaluated by both NASA[7][8] and the US military, but no orders were placed. McDonnell Douglas continued these efforts, using a production 941S for limited passenger operations for two months in 1968 with Eastern Air Lines between busy urban centers in the northeast U.S.[5][9] The following year, this same aircraft was tested by American Airlines and then by the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate the STOLport concept for operation from small city airports.[10] Despite these tests, the company found that airlines were primarily interested in operating jets from conventional airports, and did not embrace the novel STOLport concept; no sales resulted and none of the proposed upgraded versions left the drawing boards.[6]
The four Breguet 941S aircraft entered service with the French Air Force in 1967, serving until 1974.[1]
Experimental prototype for concept demonstration, one built, powered by 4 298.3 kW (400 hp) Turbomeca Turmo II turboshaft engines.[3]
Breguet Br 941
Prototype transport, one built, powered by 4 913.5 kW (1,225 hp) Turbomeca Turmo IIID turboshaft engines.[3]
Breguet Br 941S
Production version for the French Air Force, an enlarged version of the 941, four built, powered by 4 1,081.3 kW (1,450 hp) Turbomeca Turmo IIID3 turboshaft engines.
Breguet Br 942
Proposed airliner development to have had a pressurised fuselage with airline seating for 40 first/business class or up to 60 economy class passengers.[3]
Breguet 945
Studies for a smaller version of the Breguet 942, primarily for military use, for operation from 304.8 m (1,000 ft) length hot and high airstrips. Power was to be supplied by two 1,081.3 kW (1,450 hp) Turbomeca Turmo IIIDs and a payload of about 1,497 kg (3,300 lb) would be carried for more than 1,448.4 km (900 mi) at about 386.2 km/h (240 mph). Development of the 945 was not continued to production status.[11]
McDonnell 188
Proposed licence manufacture of 941S in the United States by McDonnell Aircraft and later McDonnell Douglas; none built.[4]
McDonnell Douglas 188E
Proposed airliner development with four 1,600 shp (1,200 kW) General Electric CT58-16 engines, pressurisation, up to 76 seats, and redesigned landing gear; not built.[5]
McDonnell Douglas 210
Proposed airliner development with four 3,300 shp (2,500 kW) General Electric CT64-630-3 engines; two fuselages proposed, with either six-abreast seating for 90 passengers in a single-aisle 3-3 configuration (Model 210E), or 112 passengers in a double-aisle 2-2-2 configuration (210G); not built.[6]
The third Breguet 941S [941S-03] coded 62-NC was previously on display at the Parc Avenue amusement park in Lanas, France. It is now at to the Ailes Anciennes Museum at Toulouse Blagnac Airport[citation needed]
The fourth Br 941S [941S-04] coded 62-ND is stored with the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at the Dugny storage site on the far side of Paris Le Bourget Airfield.[citation needed]
^Borchers, Paul F.; Franklin, James A.; Fletcher, Jay W. "Flight Research at Ames, 1940–1997, Chapter 8 Boundary Layer Control, STOL, V/STOL Aircraft Research NASA SP-3300". Retrieved 2007-07-02.
^Hartman, Edwin P. "Adventures in Research: A History of Ames Research Center 1940–1965, Part III: THE LEAP TO SPACE : 1959–1965, 1963–1965, NASA SP-4302". Retrieved 2007-07-02.
^. Time. 1968-08-16. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved 2007-07-03.
^"Commercial Aircraft of the World". Flight International: 860. 29 November 1962. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Bibliographyedit
Chillon, Jacques; Dubois, Jean-Pierre & Wegg, John (1980). French Post-War Transport Aircraft. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain. ISBN0-85130-078-2.
Cuny, Jean & Leyvastre, Pierre (1977). Les Avions Breguet (1940/1971). DOCAVIA (in French). Vol. 6. Paris: Editions Larivière. OCLC 440863702.
Francillon, René (1990). McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920. Vol. II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-550-0.
Lacaze, Henri (2016). Les avions Louis Breguet Paris [The Aircraft of Louis Breguet, Paris] (in French). Vol. 2: le règne du monoplan. Le Vigen, France. ISBN978-2-914017-89-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Further readingedit
"Commercial Aircraft of the World". Flight International: 860. 29 November 1962. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bréguet 941.
Breguet STOL Prospects
Brief history of the Br 940/941
January 01, 1970
bréguet, breguet, french, four, engine, turboprop, short, takeoff, landing, stol, transport, aircraft, developed, breguet, 1960s, although, widely, promoted, both, breguet, france, mcdonnell, aircraft, mcdonnell, douglas, united, states, built, large, numbers,. The Breguet 941 was a French four engine turboprop short takeoff and landing STOL transport aircraft developed by Breguet in the 1960s Although widely promoted both by Breguet in France and by McDonnell Aircraft and McDonnell Douglas in the United States it was not built in large numbers only one prototype and four production aircraft were built Br 941 941S during McDonnell Douglas promotional tour Role STOL Transport Manufacturer Breguet First flight 21 May 1958 Breguet 940 1 June 1961 Breguet 941 Introduction 1967 Retired 1974 Primary user French Air Force Number built 1 940 1 941 4 941S Contents 1 Design and development 1 1 Br 942 1 2 McDonnell Aircraft and McDonnell Douglas 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Surviving aircraft 6 Specifications Br 941S 7 See also 8 References 9 Bibliography 10 Further reading 11 External linksDesign and development editIn the late 1940s and early 1950s the French aviation pioneer Louis Charles Breguet developed a concept for a short takeoff and landing STOL aircraft using four free turbine turboshaft engines to drive a common powershaft which in turn drove four oversize propellers which were evenly spaced along the leading edge of the wing with large full span slotted flaps with the arrangement known as l aile soufflee or blown wing 1 unreliable source nbsp The Breguet 940 on take off An initial experimental prototype powered by four Turbomeca Turmo II engines the Breguet 940 Integral first flew on 21 May 1958 1 and was used to prove the concept demonstrating excellent short field performance This led to an order being placed in February 1960 for a prototype of an aircraft employing the same concept but capable of carrying useful loads This aircraft the Breguet 941 first flew on 1 June 1961 2 nbsp Breguet 941 prototype in 1963 Testing of this prototype resulted in an order for four improved production aircraft the Breguet 941S for the French Air Force first flying on 19 April 1967 These were fitted with more powerful engines and a modified rear cargo door to allow for air dropping of stores 2 Br 942 edit Breguet intended to develop the 940 genre further by adding a pressurised fuselage with airline seating as the Breguet Br 942 Wings landing gear empennage and engines were essentially similar to the Br 941 but were to be mated to a new 3 1 m 10 ft 2 0 in diameter circular section fuselage with airline seating for 40 first business class or up to 60 economy class passengers After the limited success of the Br 941 and Br 941S and expected high running costs further development was abandoned 3 McDonnell Aircraft and McDonnell Douglas edit McDonnell Aircraft acquired a production licence for the 941 in the United States and began marketing the aircraft with minimal changes as the McDonnell 188 4 The company also promoted an upgraded version with a circular section pressurised fuselage uprated engines and other enhancements as the 188E 5 Marketing of the 188E continued after McDonnell merged with Douglas Aircraft to form McDonnell Douglas and the merged company proposed to build an even larger and more powerful version as the McDonnell Douglas 210 6 Operational history edit nbsp Breguet 941S No 2 of the French Air Force exhibited at the 1971 Paris Air Show at Paris Le Bourget Airport The 941 prototype was tested extensively in both France and the United States McDonnell conducted demonstrations with the prototype in late 1964 and again in early 1965 5 The aircraft was evaluated by both NASA 7 8 and the US military but no orders were placed McDonnell Douglas continued these efforts using a production 941S for limited passenger operations for two months in 1968 with Eastern Air Lines between busy urban centers in the northeast U S 5 9 The following year this same aircraft was tested by American Airlines and then by the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate the STOLport concept for operation from small city airports 10 Despite these tests the company found that airlines were primarily interested in operating jets from conventional airports and did not embrace the novel STOLport concept no sales resulted and none of the proposed upgraded versions left the drawing boards 6 The four Breguet 941S aircraft entered service with the French Air Force in 1967 serving until 1974 1 Variants edit nbsp Breguet 941S preserved at the Musee de l Air et de l Espace Breguet Br 940 Integral Experimental prototype for concept demonstration one built powered by 4 298 3 kW 400 hp Turbomeca Turmo II turboshaft engines 3 Breguet Br 941 Prototype transport one built powered by 4 913 5 kW 1 225 hp Turbomeca Turmo IIID turboshaft engines 3 Breguet Br 941S Production version for the French Air Force an enlarged version of the 941 four built powered by 4 1 081 3 kW 1 450 hp Turbomeca Turmo IIID3 turboshaft engines Breguet Br 942 Proposed airliner development to have had a pressurised fuselage with airline seating for 40 first business class or up to 60 economy class passengers 3 Breguet 945 Studies for a smaller version of the Breguet 942 primarily for military use for operation from 304 8 m 1 000 ft length hot and high airstrips Power was to be supplied by two 1 081 3 kW 1 450 hp Turbomeca Turmo IIIDs and a payload of about 1 497 kg 3 300 lb would be carried for more than 1 448 4 km 900 mi at about 386 2 km h 240 mph Development of the 945 was not continued to production status 11 McDonnell 188 Proposed licence manufacture of 941S in the United States by McDonnell Aircraft and later McDonnell Douglas none built 4 McDonnell Douglas 188E Proposed airliner development with four 1 600 shp 1 200 kW General Electric CT58 16 engines pressurisation up to 76 seats and redesigned landing gear not built 5 McDonnell Douglas 210 Proposed airliner development with four 3 300 shp 2 500 kW General Electric CT64 630 3 engines two fuselages proposed with either six abreast seating for 90 passengers in a single aisle 3 3 configuration Model 210E or 112 passengers in a double aisle 2 2 2 configuration 210G not built 6 Operators edit nbsp France Armee de l AirSurviving aircraft editThe third Breguet 941S 941S 03 coded 62 NC was previously on display at the Parc Avenue amusement park in Lanas France It is now at to the Ailes Anciennes Museum at Toulouse Blagnac Airport citation needed The fourth Br 941S 941S 04 coded 62 ND is stored with the Musee de l Air et de l Espace at the Dugny storage site on the far side of Paris Le Bourget Airfield citation needed Specifications Br 941S edit nbsp Breguet 941S drawing Data from The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft 2 General characteristicsCrew 2 Capacity 57 civil passengers or 40 fully loaded troops or 24 stretchers Length 23 75 m 77 ft 11 in Wingspan 23 4 m 76 ft 9 in Height 9 65 m 31 ft 8 in Wing area 83 8 m2 902 sq ft Airfoil NACA 63A416 12 Powerplant 4 Turbomeca Turmo IIID3 turboprop engines 1 119 kW 1 501 hp each all four engines linked by transmission shafts Propellers 3 bladed constant speed propellers Performance Maximum speed 450 km h 280 mph 240 kn Cruise speed 400 km h 250 mph 220 kn Range 1 000 km 620 mi 540 nmi Service ceiling 9 500 m 31 200 ft Take off run 185 m 607 ft at 22 000 kg 48 502 lb See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Antonov An 12 de Havilland Canada Dash 7 Lockheed C 130 HerculesReferences edit a b c Aerostories Breguet Br 940 941 The Airplane with the Deflection slipstream concept Retrieved 2007 07 02 a b c Donald David ed 1997 The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Aerospace Publishing ISBN 1 85605 375 X a b c d Taylor John W R 1962 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1962 63 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co Ltd a b Francillon 1990 pp 270 271 a b c d Francillon 1990 p 271 a b c Francillon 1990 p 417 Borchers Paul F Franklin James A Fletcher Jay W Flight Research at Ames 1940 1997 Chapter 8 Boundary Layer Control STOL V STOL Aircraft Research NASA SP 3300 Retrieved 2007 07 02 Hartman Edwin P Adventures in Research A History of Ames Research Center 1940 1965 Part III THE LEAP TO SPACE 1959 1965 1963 1965 NASA SP 4302 Retrieved 2007 07 02 Starting STOL Time 1968 08 16 Archived from the original on October 18 2012 Retrieved 2007 07 03 Francillon 1990 pp 271 272 Commercial Aircraft of the World Flight International 860 29 November 1962 Retrieved 29 April 2013 Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved 16 April 2019 Bibliography editChillon Jacques Dubois Jean Pierre amp Wegg John 1980 French Post War Transport Aircraft Tonbridge UK Air Britain ISBN 0 85130 078 2 Cuny Jean amp Leyvastre Pierre 1977 Les Avions Breguet 1940 1971 DOCAVIA in French Vol 6 Paris Editions Lariviere OCLC 440863702 Francillon Rene 1990 McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920 Vol II Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 550 0 Lacaze Henri 2016 Les avions Louis Breguet Paris The Aircraft of Louis Breguet Paris in French Vol 2 le regne du monoplan Le Vigen France ISBN 978 2 914017 89 3 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Further reading edit Commercial Aircraft of the World Flight International 860 29 November 1962 Retrieved 29 April 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Breguet 941 Breguet STOL Prospects Brief history of the Br 940 941 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Breguet 941 amp oldid 1215200579, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
