Question on M.S.406

[rousseau]

Sorry for such question maybe stupid, but I really want to know it.

Some aeroplane equipped engine same as Morane-Saulnier 406 like Dewoitine 520, but I saw a tiny inlet is very closely behind the propeller on M.S. 406. which cause the engine nacelle of M.S.406 looks like a beer belly.
So there is my question, why the engine nacelle of M.S.406 is so ugly? what's the tiny inlet work for?

Thank you in advance.

[Clay_Allison]

All around that may be the ugliest monoplane of the war outside of Poland's parasol-winged joke and the sad stupid-looking P-26 Peashooter.

[Fokker D21]

First of all questions are never stupid, not asking is.

If you are referring to the small intake just below the propeller, it is the oil cooler (Radiateur d'huile) which is located directly underneath the forward part of the engine.

[Graeme]

G'day rousseau.

I agree with "Fokker D21," the oil cooler. A couple of pics to help identify your "beer belly"...

[Milos Sijacki]

Nice pics. Agree with You guys, OIL COOLER.

As long as we are talking about this plane, can someone tell me what was its combat history and what was it like in combat?

Cheers

[davebender]

Off topic but...
What's wrong with the P-26? Was there anything better during 1933 when the P-26 first entered service with the U.S. Army Air Corps?

[Colin1]

Originally Posted by Milos Sijacki

As long as we are talking about this plane, can someone tell me what was its combat history and what was it like in combat?

The French had more of these than anything else at the outbreak of war, the contract was placed in early 1938 and production started in late 1938.

The first example flew 70 years ago today!

By the start of hostilities they had about 550 on strength.
It didn't fare well against the Luftwaffe, the Bf109 outclassed it. It was underpowered at around 300mph and despite the presence of the 20mm cannon was weakly armed. In the short war for the French, just under 400 were lost to about 180 kills in return.
The Luftwaffe themselves took on the remainder of the MS406 fighters, using it for training and I've seen box-art suggesting it was used in combat (Revell 1/32 Supermarine Seafire smoking a Morane-Saulnier 406 in Luftwaffe colours) but I'm not suggesting for a minute that that is a reliable source.
Foreign buyers and benefactors seemed to do better with the type than France did, the Finns used it in their war and one of their aces achieved over a dozen kills in a 406.

[Captain Dunsel]

All around that may be the ugliest monoplane of the war outside of Poland's parasol-winged joke and the sad stupid-looking P-26 Peashooter.

As DaveBender said about the P-26. Likewise, the PZL's were the hottest thing in the skies when they came out. The PZL-24 was faster than the Gladiators, for example, and much better armed.

The Poles and Greeks (plus others) did pretty well with the PZL series.

Oh, and how about the Peashooters that saw combat with China and in the Phillipines?

CD

[Fokker D21]

I wonder why the MS 406 had a semi retractable radiator. Was it supposed to boost speed under certain conditions?

[Venganza]

Originally Posted by Fokker D21

I wonder why the MS 406 had a semi retractable radiator. Was it supposed to boost speed under certain conditions?

Probably, to reduce drag under certain flight regimes. And let's face it, the M.S. 406 needed all the help it could get.

Venganza

[parsifal]

MS 406s under Finnish control enjoyed considerable success. They were also used in some numbers by the Turks and the Swiss.

From memorythe french lost about 200 in the air (and many more on the ground) whilst achieving about 100 Kills themselves....not an impressive record. I think around 450 were lost during the BOF.

Three (I think) were shipped to Indochina, where they fought in the war with Siam in 1940-41. They appear to have held their own against the H-75 (N) and Hawks of the RTAF

[Venganza]

Originally Posted by parsifal

MS 406s under Finnish control enjoyed considerable success.

Parsifal, didn't the Finns re-engine or modify them in some way to make them more effective? I remember they called some of theirs the "Morko-Morane". Were these the modified versions?

Venganza

[Marshall_Stack]

Originally Posted by Venganza

Probably, to reduce drag under certain flight regimes. And let's face it, the M.S. 406 needed all the help it could get.

Venganza

Interesting idea. I guess this is used in lieu of cowl flaps?

[davebender]

Britain fought an undeclared war against France from July 1940 onward. The USA joined the fight against France during the fall of 1942. How did the Ms.406 fare in places like Dakar, Syria, Morocco, Algeria and Madagascar?

[Milos Sijacki]

Thanks for the info Colin1.