The Morane of Roland Garros

[Knusel]

Good afternoon Gentlemen,

I always though that the April 1915 victories of Roland Garros were scored in a Morane-Saulnier Type L. Recently, I learned from David Méchin's highly recommendable article "Les premiers as de l’aviation" that it was an LH, which is a type totally new to me. Can anybody tell me more about the significance of this type designation ?

Cheers,

Michael

[stljeffbb]

Hello Knusel,

I was curious and found a thread from a while ago that answers a little bit:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=54144

Regards,

Jeff

[Knusel]

Good morning Jeff,

thanks for your answer.
So it's prudent to say that the Garros' LH was a single-seat version of the LA which was an aileron version of the L, right ?


Michael

[stljeffbb]

Originally Posted by Knusel

Good morning Jeff,

thanks for your answer.
So it's prudent to say that the Garros' LH was a single-seat version of the LA which was an aileron version of the L, right ?


Michael

I really do not know...how you portray it could be the case, but the information in English seems to be scant. Also, I thought the LA was a later version of the L...I do know (thanks to RAF Squadrons by C. G. Jeffords) RFC 3 Squadron started using the Morane LA in December 1915, but perhaps the French were using them as early as April? Either way, Garros of course was captured on 18 April 1915 so we would have to see somehow when the LA was first produced....kind of reminds me of Werner Voss and the F.I versus the eventual Dr.I...

Regards,

Jeff

[Knusel]

Good evening Jeff,

if you consider the Fokker F.I a distinct type, it has an interesting service record:

• produced: 3
• sent to the front: 2
• kills scored: 12 (2 by MvR, 10 by Voß)
• lost in combat: 2 (Wolff and Voß)

The first Fokker Dr.I kill was not scored until 1918.

Have you ever come across another notable pilot who flew the Morane-Saulnier Type LA or LH ?

Michael

[Knusel]

Good morning Gentlemen,

I'm still trying to learn more about the Morane-Saulnier L subtypes and the airmen who flew them.

Michael

[Pedro Ramis]

The only mention I have of the LH is a table of the planes of Morane-Saulnier (in the French magazine Icare n° 216: Les Princes du Paraso. Morane-Saulnier 1910-1918) stating:
Type LH; Military série: XX; Monoplane; Surface: 16 square meters (note: LA is 18); Monoplace; engine: 80hp Le Rhône.
You'll find a very good article by Trevor Henshaw "Morane Saulnier Aircraft of the RFC on the Western Front 1914-1917" dealing with the LA (among all the other MS types) over a few pages in the Autumn 2016 issue of Cross and Cockade International.

[Knusel]

Good morning Pedro,

thanks for the info.
A different wing area renders the LH a distinct type.
Does the article confirm that it was indeed an LH in which Garros scored his 1915 kills ?

I wish you a pleasant week,

Michael

[Pedro Ramis]

Hello Michael,
in fact, what I reproduced was the only mention of the LH found in the entire magazine.
All I have on Garros states an L, maybe could you try to contact David Méchin to discuss the matter?
Regards,
Pedro

[Knusel]

Good morning Pedro,

I have posted the question to David Méchin.
Has the total score of Garros ever been mentioned in an official acknowledgement ?

Cheers,

Michael