Morane Saulnier Type H construction (& Pfalz E as well!)

DaveF · 26 April 2007, 08:36 AM

Trying to work out what the cockpit side panels on an RFC Morane Saulnier H were made of. (no. 587)

These are the panels on the fuselage sides that extend back past the cockpit to just in front of the wing trailing edge. Surviving French type Hs don't seem to have these (Le Bourget, Salis) as they are doped linen in those locations. However, the British ones (and the German Pfalz clones)
have panels which appear to be of different material.

On the Pfalz (with the exception of the E.V)these are always painted black. I suspect they are metal, but they may be another material. On the British ones, they seem to be another colour from the black fittings.

So, anyone got any idea what they are? Aluminium? Wood? A friend suggested leather, based on a photo of a Pfalz in the Datafile.

StephenLawson · 26 April 2007, 04:30 PM

These plywood panels were first applied in the field at least on the Pfalz E types.

DaveF · 27 April 2007, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StephenLawson

These plywood panels were first applied in the field at least on the Pfalz E types.

Thanks Stephen, I found your post relating to this on an earlier search. I take it you refer to the additional panel that was 'tacked' on alongside the pilot? Shown to advantage on page 29 of Datafile 59?

So would the underlying panel on Pfalz be black painted Linen?

Still need to know re Moranes as well!!

StephenLawson · 29 April 2007, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveF

"Thanks Stephen, I found your post relating to this on an earlier search. I take it you refer to the additional panel that was 'tacked' on alongside the pilot? Shown to advantage on page 29 of Datafile 59?

So would the underlying panel on Pfalz be black painted Linen? . . ."

Since it was done at the factory yes, the underlying panel on Pfalz would be black painted Linen. But this would not show through the to the interior of the cockpit.