SNCAC Martinet

Development

To aide the German war effort the SNCAC factory at Bourges was ordered to produce 455 Siebel Si 204s light transports for the Luftwaffe. Production started in 1942 and 168 had been delivered before the Liberation stopped production. The French decided to continue producing the aircraft and designated the aircraft NC.700. Only a prototype NC.700 was built powered by Renault 12S-00 engines (derived from the German AS-411) although the designation was also used for a small number of aircraft originally intended for the Luftwaffe and diverted to the French Air Force.

The company then produced two variants; the NC.701 Martinet based on the Si 204D with a glazed unstepped nose and powered by two Renault 12S engines, and the NC.702 Martinet with a conventional stepped windscreen nose based on the Si 204A.

Operational history

The Martinet was used by both the French Air Force and Navy and the final example did not retire until 1963. A small number were used by commercial operators including Air France but were soon replaced by larger aircraft like the Douglas DC-3. A number were used by the French Postal Service but they were grounded following an accident to F-BBFA is July 1946. The aircraft was used by the IGN for photo-survey work and a few aircraft were also exported to Poland and Sweden for use on photo-mapping duties.

Variants

NC.700

A Renault 12S powered Si-204, one prototype.

NC.701

Trainer version with dual controls and transparent nose based on the Si-204D. Room for five students as a radio trainer.

NC.702

Eight-seat transport version based on the Si-204A.

Operators

 France

Air France

French Air Force

French Navy

 Morocco

 Poland

LOT Polish Airlines operated 6 NC.701 for aerial photography in 1947-1948 (reg. nos: SP-LFA to LFF).

Polish Air Forces operated 6 aircraft taken from LOT airlines in 1948 for aerial photography until the 1950s.

 Sweden

Accident and incidents

Survivors

NC.702 '282 with the Conservatoire de l'Air et de l'Espace d'Aquitaine, France

NC.702 '331 with the Deutsches Technikmuseum, Berlin, Germany

SE-KAL on display at the Air and Space Museum, Arlanda, Stockholm, Sweden.

Specifications (NC.701)

General characteristics

Crew: 2

Capacity: 5 (students)

Length: 12.57 m (41 ft 3 in)

Wingspan: 21.28 m (69 ft 10 in)

Height: 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)

Wing area: 46 m² (495 ft²)

Empty weight: 3965 kg (8741 lb)

Gross weight: 5735 kg (12643 lb)

Powerplant: 2 × Renault 12S-00, 440 kW (590 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 350 km/h (218 mph)

Range: 1700 km (1056 miles)

Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)