Morane-Saulnier MS-230
The Morane-Saulnier MS.230 was France's principal elementary trainer through the 1930s, a two-seat parasol-wing monoplane that first flew in February 1929 and proved so stable and forgiving that the French air ministry ordered 500 on the strength of its early trials. Well over 1,000 were eventually built. Almost every French military pilot flying at the outbreak of WWII had taken their first lessons on one, giving it a role comparable to the Stearman in the United States or the Tiger Moth in Britain. Many survived the war to become civilian club trainers, some remaining airworthy for decades afterward.
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Did you know?
A parasol-wing French elementary trainer: nearly every French military pilot at the start of WWII learned to fly on one.
Specifications
| Length | 7 m (23 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 10.7 m (35 ft) |
| Height | 2.7 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1.2 t |
| Service ceiling | 16,500 ft (5,029 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 13,000 ft (3,962 m) |
| Units built | 1,100 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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