The SNCAC NC-600 was a prototype French twin-engined long-range fighter aircraft, developed by SNCAC from the earlier Hanriot H.220 fighter. The type never entered service, with development being ended by the French surrender in June 1940.
In October 1934, the French Service Technique de l'Aeronautique (or Air Ministry) issued a requirement for a three-seat fighter, with Hanriot designing the H.220 to meet this requirement, competing with designs from Potez (the 630), Breguet Aviation (the 690) and Romano (the R-110).[1] The H.220 was a twin-engined monoplane of all metal construction. The fuselage was a short, oval-section monocoque which accommodated the crew of three in tandem enclosed cockpits. The shoulder-mounted wings were braced by a single short strut on each side, and was fitted with full span trailing edge flaps and split ailerons. Armament was intended to be two fixed forward firing 20 mm cannon and two machine guns in the rear cockpit. The unflown prototype, fitted with two 340-kilowatt (450 hp) Renault 12Roi air cooled V12 engines, was exhibited at the 1936 Paris Air Show.[1][2]
The prototype was re-engined with 510 kilowatts (680 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14Mradial engines before it made its maiden flight at Avord on 21 September 1937. Tests showed that the aircraft was unstable, with numerous changes being made to the tail surfaces to try and rectify the problems before the prototype was badly damaged in a forced landing caused by an engine failure on 17 February 1938. This crash-landing wrecked the fuselage of the H.220, and SNCAC, (Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre), which had been formed by the merger of Hanriot and Farman as part of the nationalisation of the French aviation industry in 1937, took the opportunity to rebuild the prototype to a new design.[1][a]
The rebuilt and resigned prototype, redesignated the H.220-2, had a new fuselage, built out of two half shells joined by a central keel, with a twin-tail replacing the conventional single-fin tail surfaces of the earlier design.[1] The aircraft's wings, however, were unchanged.[4] The aircraft first flew in this form on 17 March 1939.[1]
Meanwhile, an order for six aircraft had been placed in 1938 for evaluation purposes under the designation NC-600.[5] The design was now intended to meet a 1936 specification for a long-range fighter,[5] competing with the Potez 670 and the SNCASE SE.100.[6] The H.220-2 was exhibited at the 1939 Brussels Air Show to represent the NC-600, but the real NC-600 was a further redesigned aircraft, with new wings and revised tail surfaces, and was now being offered as a two-seat aircraft. The proposed armament was also revised, with two additional fixed forward firing machine guns and the two rear-firing guns replaced by a single flexibly mounted cannon.[4]
The NC-600 prototype flew on 15 May 1940,[4] but again other types were preferred, with orders being placed for 40 Potez 671s[7] and at least 300 SE.100s.[8] Work on the six-aircraft evaluation batch was stopped by the German occupation of SNCAC's Bourges factory.[4]
Specifications (NC-600)Edit
3-views of the Hanriot H220 (roughly similar to the NC-600).
^The competing Potez 630, which had first flown in April 1936, had already been ordered into production, with construction of 80 aircraft starting in May 1937.[3]
Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark. ISBN0-8317-3939-8.
"Military Types at the Show". Flight. Vol. XXX, no. 1456. 19 November 1936. pp. 542–549.
Green, William (1969). War Planes of the Second World War: Fighters Volume One. London: Macdonald. ISBN0-356-01445-2.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hanriot H.220.
Aviafrance: Hanriot H-220
Aviafrance: S.N.C.A.C. NC-600
October 21, 2023
sncac, prototype, french, twin, engined, long, range, fighter, aircraft, developed, sncac, from, earlier, hanriot, fighter, type, never, entered, service, with, development, being, ended, french, surrender, june, 1940, 600hanriot, 220role, long, range, fighter. The SNCAC NC 600 was a prototype French twin engined long range fighter aircraft developed by SNCAC from the earlier Hanriot H 220 fighter The type never entered service with development being ended by the French surrender in June 1940 NC 600Hanriot H 220Role Long range fighter aircraftNational origin FranceManufacturer Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du CentreFirst flight 2 September 1937 Hanriot H 220 Number built 2Developed from Hanriot H 220 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Specifications NC 600 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksDesign and development EditIn October 1934 the French Service Technique de l Aeronautique or Air Ministry issued a requirement for a three seat fighter with Hanriot designing the H 220 to meet this requirement competing with designs from Potez the 630 Breguet Aviation the 690 and Romano the R 110 1 The H 220 was a twin engined monoplane of all metal construction The fuselage was a short oval section monocoque which accommodated the crew of three in tandem enclosed cockpits The shoulder mounted wings were braced by a single short strut on each side and was fitted with full span trailing edge flaps and split ailerons Armament was intended to be two fixed forward firing 20 mm cannon and two machine guns in the rear cockpit The unflown prototype fitted with two 340 kilowatt 450 hp Renault 12Roi air cooled V12 engines was exhibited at the 1936 Paris Air Show 1 2 The prototype was re engined with 510 kilowatts 680 hp Gnome Rhone 14M radial engines before it made its maiden flight at Avord on 21 September 1937 Tests showed that the aircraft was unstable with numerous changes being made to the tail surfaces to try and rectify the problems before the prototype was badly damaged in a forced landing caused by an engine failure on 17 February 1938 This crash landing wrecked the fuselage of the H 220 and SNCAC Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du Centre which had been formed by the merger of Hanriot and Farman as part of the nationalisation of the French aviation industry in 1937 took the opportunity to rebuild the prototype to a new design 1 a The rebuilt and resigned prototype redesignated the H 220 2 had a new fuselage built out of two half shells joined by a central keel with a twin tail replacing the conventional single fin tail surfaces of the earlier design 1 The aircraft s wings however were unchanged 4 The aircraft first flew in this form on 17 March 1939 1 Meanwhile an order for six aircraft had been placed in 1938 for evaluation purposes under the designation NC 600 5 The design was now intended to meet a 1936 specification for a long range fighter 5 competing with the Potez 670 and the SNCASE SE 100 6 The H 220 2 was exhibited at the 1939 Brussels Air Show to represent the NC 600 but the real NC 600 was a further redesigned aircraft with new wings and revised tail surfaces and was now being offered as a two seat aircraft The proposed armament was also revised with two additional fixed forward firing machine guns and the two rear firing guns replaced by a single flexibly mounted cannon 4 The NC 600 prototype flew on 15 May 1940 4 but again other types were preferred with orders being placed for 40 Potez 671s 7 and at least 300 SE 100s 8 Work on the six aircraft evaluation batch was stopped by the German occupation of SNCAC s Bourges factory 4 Specifications NC 600 Edit nbsp 3 views of the Hanriot H220 roughly similar to the NC 600 Data from The Complete Book of Fighters 4 General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 8 80 m 28 ft 10 in Wingspan 12 80 m 42 ft 0 in Height 3 40 m 11 ft 2 in Wing area 21 16 m2 227 8 sq ft Empty weight 2 948 kg 6 499 lb Gross weight 4 000 kg 8 818 lb Powerplant 2 Gnome Rhone 14M0 01 14 cylinder two row radial engines 530 kW 710 hp eachPerformance Maximum speed 542 km h 337 mph 293 kn at 5 000 m 16 400 ft Range 860 km 530 mi 460 nmi Time to altitude 14 minutes to 8 000 m 26 200 ft Armament Guns 2 fixed forward firing 20 mm Hispano Suiza HS 404 cannon and 2 7 5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns 1 flexibly mounted 20 mm cannon firing aftSee also EditAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Breguet 693 Potez 630Notes Edit The competing Potez 630 which had first flown in April 1936 had already been ordered into production with construction of 80 aircraft starting in May 1937 3 a b c d e Green and Swanborough 1994 p 280 Flight 19 November 1936 pp 544 545 Green 1969 p 62 a b c d e Green and Swanborough 1994 pp 112 113 a b Green 1969 p 52 Green 1969 p 65 Green and Swanborough 1996 p 482 Green and Swanborough 1994 p 546 References EditGreen William Swanborough Gordon 1994 The Complete Book of Fighters New York Smithmark ISBN 0 8317 3939 8 Military Types at the Show Flight Vol XXX no 1456 19 November 1936 pp 542 549 Green William 1969 War Planes of the Second World War Fighters Volume One London Macdonald ISBN 0 356 01445 2 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hanriot H 220 Aviafrance Hanriot H 220 Aviafrance S N C A C NC 600 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SNCAC NC 600 amp oldid 1104439913, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
