Morane-Saulnier AI – Photos & Videos

Čaj Morane-Saulnier AI (also Type AI) was a French parasol-wing fighter aircraft produced by Morane-Saulnier during World War I.

Izvor: Morane-Saulnier AI on Wiki

The Morane-Saulnier AI was a French parasol-wing fighter aircraft produced by Morane-Saulnier during World War I. It was designed to replace the obsolete Morane-Saulnier Type N and compete with the SPAD XIII. The Morane-Saulnier AI had a circular open-front cowling that housed a Gnome Monosoupape 9N rotary engine with 160 horsepower. The aircraft had a single parasol wing that was swept back and braced by struts. The fuselage was made of wood and fabric and had a circular cross-section. The aircraft was armed with one or two Vickers machine guns that fired through the propeller arc.
The Morane-Saulnier AI entered service in 1917 and was assigned to several escadrilles of the French Air Force. However, it soon proved to be inferior to the SPAD XIII and suffered from structural problems. By mid-1918, most of the Morane-Saulnier AI fighters were replaced by the SPAD XIII and relegated to advanced training roles. The trainer version was designated as MoS 30 and had a less powerful engine and no armament. The Morane-Saulnier AI was also used by other countries, such as Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, Soviet Union and the United States. After the war, some of the Morane-Saulnier AI aircraft were used for aerobatic displays by civilian pilots. Today, three Morane-Saulnier AI aircraft are still flying from La Ferté-Alais in France.