Sud-Ouest Espadon

SO.6020 Espadon
Role Prototype interceptor
National origin France
Manufacturer SNCASO
First flight 12 November 1948
Number built 4

The Sud-Ouest SO.6020 Espadon (en: Swordfish) was a post-war prototype French interceptor designed and built by SNCASO. Only four aircraft were built and the type did not go into production.

Design and development

The single-seat interceptor was a cantilever mid-wing monoplane powered by a 5000lb thrust Rolls Royce Nene engine licence-built by Hispano-Suiza.[1] The unarmed first prototype S.O.6020.01 first flew on 12 November 1948.[1] The second prototype S.O.6020-02 had a revised fin and air inlets and was fitted with six cannon. It first flew on 30 December 1949.[1] The first prototype was later modified to the same configuration. The third prototype S.O.6020-03 was modified with an auxiliary 14.71 kN (3,307 lbf) SEPR 25 liquid-fuel rocket engine beneath the fuselage and was re-designated S.O.6025.[1]

The first prototype was modified for research use and had two wingtip-mounted Turbomeca Marbore turbojets fitted.[1] The second aircraft also had a 14.71 kN (3,307 lbf) SEPR 25 rocket engine fitted in the rear fuselage underneath the tail pipe and was re-designated as the S.O.6026.[1] The proposed production variant, the S.O.6021 first flew on 3 June 1950, it had a lighter-weight structure and a revised cockpit with an ejection seat.[1]

Variants

S.O.6020-01
Nene-powered prototype first flown on 12 November 1948, later fitted with two wingtip-mounted Turbomeca Marbore turbojets.[1]
S.O.6020-02
Second prototype first flown 30 December 1949, later modified with the addition of a 14.71 kN (3,307 lbf) SEPR 25 rocket engine and re-designated S.O.6026.[1]
S.O.6020-03
Third prototype, modified before first flight as the S.O.6025 also with a SEPR 25 auxiliary liquid-fuel rocket beneath the fuselage.[1]
S.O.6021
The proposed production aircraft based on the S.O.6020-03, but with a lighter-weight structure, ejection seat, smaller pressurised cockpit and hydraulically boosted flying controls. The sole prototype was first flown on 3 June 1950[1]
S.O.6025
The third prototype fitted with a SEPR 25 auxiliary liquid-fuel rocket beneath the fuselage.[1]
S.O.6026
The second prototype also modified with a SEPR 251 rocket engine.[1] and first flown on 4 January 1952.[2]

Specifications (SO.6021)

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
  • Wingspan: 10.6 m (34 ft 9 in)
  • Height: 4.72 m (15 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 26.5 m2 (285 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 4,750 kg (10,472 lb)
  • Gross weight: 6,870 kg (15,146 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nene centrifugal compressor turbojet engine, 22 kN (5,000 lbf) thrust

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 967 km/h; 522 kn (601 mph)
  • Endurance: 2.5 hours
  • Rate of climb: 27 m/s (5,300 ft/min)

Armament

  • Guns: 6x 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon
or 2x 30 mm (1.181 in) DEFA cannon

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Orbis 1985, p. 2974
  2. ↑ "Boosted". Flight. 4 January 1952. p. 6.
  3. ↑ Green, William; Gordon Swanborough (1997). The Complete Book of Fighters. London: Salamander Books Limited. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.

Bibliography

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
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