Dassault Communauté Explained
The Dassault MD.415 Communauté was a 1950s French twin-engined light turboprop transport monoplane built by Dassault Aviation. Only one prototype was built and flown.
Development
The Dassault company designed a light transport aircraft in the late 1950s, designated MD.415 and later named Communauté, as a potential replacement for the Dassault MD 315 Flamant in its trainer, command transport or ambulance aircraft roles. The Communauté was a cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear with room for two crew and up to ten passengers. Powered by two wing-mounted Turbomeca Bastan turboprops, the prototype (F-WJDN) first flew on 10 May 1959.[1] [2]
The company also developed a military version designated the MD.410 Spirale.[3] Retaining 90% commonality with the Communauté, the Spirale had all the windows removed and transparent nose panels added. It also had provision for cannon or machine-gun armament and was fitted with under-wing hardpoints for weapons. It was intended that the Spirale could be used for close-support, reconnaissance or transport roles.
Neither the Communauté nor the Spirale received any production orders and a high-wing development designated Spirale III was also abandoned.
Variants
- MD.410 Spirale
Prototype military version, one built, powered by two Turbomeca Astazou XIVD engines.
- MD.415 Communauté
Prototype light transport, one built.
- MD.415 Communauté A1:A proposed joint development from Dassault and Sud-Aviation for a new version of the MD 415, a liaison aircraft carrying eight passengers over 2400km (1,500miles) or a feeder-liner carrying 21 passengers over 500km (300miles).[4]
MD.415 Communauté A2: Proposed 14-seat variant.
MD.415M Diplomate
A proposed scaled-up executive transport variant.
- MD.455 Spirale III
Proposed high-wing transport version,[5] not built.Bibliography
- Book: Chillon . Jacques . Dubois . Jean-Pierre . Wegg . John . French Post-War Transport Aircraft . 1980 . Air-Britain . Tonbridge, UK . 0-85130-078-2. amp.
- Book: Cuny, Jean. Les avions de combat français, 2: Chasse lourde, bombardement, assaut, exploration. Ed. Larivière. 1989. Docavia. 30. 36836833. fr. French Combat Aircraft 2: Heavy Fighters, Bombers, Attack, Reconnaissance.
- Flying Newsreel: Paris Air Show . . August 1961 . 69 . 2 . 48–50 .
- Lemaire . René . Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" . Le Fana de l'Aviation . November 1986 . 204 . 20–23 . fr.
- Lemaire . René . Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" (Seconde partie) . Le Fana de l'Aviation . December 1986 . 205 . 13–17 . fr.
- Lemaire . René . Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" (3e partie) . Le Fana de l'Aviation . January 1987 . 206 . 22–26 . fr.
- Lemaire . René . Les Dassault "Commmunauté" et "Spirale" (Quatrième et derniè partie) . Le Fana de l'Aviation . February 1987 . 207 . 22–17 . fr.
- Book: Taylor, John W.R. . Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63 . 1962 . Sampson Low, Marston & Co . London .
- Book: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft . Orbis Publications . London. 1982–1985.
- Web site: MD 415 Communauté. Dassault. 20 September 2013.
Notes and References
- Lemaire Le Fana de l'Aviation December 1986, p. 13
- Chillon, Dubois & Wegg 1980, p. 127
- Flying August 1961, p. 49
- Web site: MD 415 Communauté. Dassault. 20 September 2013.
- Taylor 1962, pp. 38–39
