Salmson 3

The Salmson 3 C.1 was a French World War I biplane fighter aircraft developed by Salmson which lost out in competition to the SPAD XIII and Morane-Saulnier AI.

Sal 3 C.1
Role Fighter
National origin France
Manufacturer Salmson
First flight 1917
Status Abandoned
Number built 1
Developed from Salmson 2 A.2

Design

The Sal 3 C1 was a biplane of all-wood construction, originally built with a 230 hp (170 kW) Salmson 9Z, but re-engined with a 260 hp (190 kW) Salmson 9Zm in an effort to rectify deficiencies in performance.[1]

Flight tests began in late 1917, but pilots complained of poor visibility and difficulties operating the machine. Although the Salmson 3 prototype was returned to the factory for modifications, further tests were unable remedy the deficiencies sufficiently, and the French military judged the Salmson 3 to be inferior to the SPAD XIII in performance.[1]

Specifications (Sal 3 C1)

Data from Salmson aircraft of World War I;[2] Airwar : Salmson Sal.3[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 6.4 m (21 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.85 m (32 ft 4 in)
  • Height: 2.48 m (8 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 23.936 m2 (257.64 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 696.7 kg (1,536 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,026.7 kg (2,263 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Salmson 9Zm 9-cylinder water-cooled radial piston engine, 190 kW (260 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Ratmanoff CUH

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 215 km/h (134 mph, 116 kn) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
207 km/h (129 mph; 112 kn) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
202 km/h (126 mph; 109 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
190 km/h (120 mph; 100 kn) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
  • Cruise speed: 182 km/h (113 mph, 98 kn)
  • Range: 350 km (220 mi, 190 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 7,000 m (23,000 ft)
  • Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 2.73 minutes
2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 5.43 minutes
4,000 m (13,000 ft) in 13.28 minutes
5,000 m (16,000 ft) in 21 minutes
6,000 m (20,000 ft) in 34.1 minutes

Armament

References
  1. Davilla, James J (1997). French aircraft of the First World War. Boulder: Flying Machines Press. pp. 446–447. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0.
  2. Owers, Colin A.; Jon S. Guttman; James J. Davilla (2001). Salmson aircraft of World War I. Boulder, Colorado. p. 101. ISBN 1-891268-16-3.
  3. "Sal.3". airwar.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-03-10.
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