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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a new French prototype aircraft: the SNCASE SE.116 Voltigeur.
In the mid-1950s, France was involved in several conflicts. The Indochina War was drawing to a close, while the Algerian War was just beginning. Although the French Air Force possessed a capable fleet of combat aircraft, there was still a significant gap when it came to close air support. Consequently, the Air Force issued a tender inviting French manufacturers to develop a dedicated aircraft capable of providing rapid and effective support to ground forces.
Six companies responded, each proposing its own solution. Among them was SNCASE, which submitted the SE.116 Voltigeur. The aircraft met many of the Air Force’s requirements: it was a twin-engine design with a good operational range and a high enough cruising speed to allow it to rapidly reach areas where ground troops required support.
Two prototypes were ordered for evaluation. They began flight testing in 1958, with one aircraft powered by French engines and the other by American engines. Unfortunately, the program was struck by tragedy only a few weeks into testing. The French-engined prototype suffered a catastrophic structural failure in mid-air and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Following the accident, the second SE.116 was grounded while engineers investigated the cause of the failure and prepared structural modifications. At the same time, the Air Force revised its requirements, calling for a more versatile aircraft capable of performing a wider range of missions.
Rather than extensively modifying the existing SE.116, SNCASE decided to develop a new prototype incorporating the lessons learned from the first aircraft. Designated SE.117, it retained the Voltigeur name but represented a significant evolution of the original concept.
The development of the SE.117 effectively brought the short-lived SE.116 program to an end. Despite lasting only a few months, the project provided valuable experience that would be carried over into the next stage of the Voltigeur’s development.
Visually, the SE.116 and SE.117 are quite easy to distinguish: the 116 has a slimmer tail featuring side airbrakes, whereas the 117 has a bulkier tail with windows in the central section.
Characteristics
Length : 12.34 m
Width : 18.00 m
Height : 5.71 m
Mass :
- Empty : 3,568 kg
- Max : 5,687 kg
The aircraft is powered by two Wright R-1300 engines producing 800 hp. Little information is available regarding its performance, other than a top speed of 446 km/h.
The crew consists of a pilot, a co-pilot, and an observer stationed in the nose bubble.
Weapons
Its armament is relatively straightforward, comprising two 30mm DEFA cannons mounted on either side of the fuselage beneath the wings, supplemented by six hardpoints (three under each wing) capable of carrying a total payload of 900 kg, including rockets and light bombs.
In-game, this aircraft would be an interesting addition to the French tree, offering a ground-attack plane with solid armament but limitations in size and weight, making it vulnerable in aerial combat.
Pictures
