Morane Saulnier 222 / 224 prototype

[rlucas]

Hi all,


Interested to learn more about the 222 and 224 Morane prototypes that Morane Saulnier used as company demonstrators/development planes. It seems the 222 was registered F-AJZT and carried an interesting cowling. Does anyone know why it carried a big "1" on the side; was this plane used in a race (maybe Michelin races?)? Does someone have maybe other pictures or info of this plane? Maybe from Aviation Magazine or in Avions 75 that apparently carried an article about the 221 to 225 series? The 224 seems similar atleast in paint scheme, was the 224 the same plane as the 224?

 

[Stargazer]

The info I have is pretty much the same as I already listed in the Morane-Saulnier index I posted in the Designation Systems section:

MS. 221: Re-engined MS. 121 with 480hp Gnome-Rhône 9 A engine (1928, 2 built).
MS. 222: Development of MS. 121 with 600hp Gnome-Rhône 9 Asb engine (1929, 2 built).
MS. 222bis : Second MS. 222 experimentally modified with Townend ring, same engine (1930, 1 conversion).
MS. 223: Like MS. 222 with different landing gear, same engine (1930, 2 built).
MS. 224: Enlarged MS. 223 which led to the MS. 225 (1931, 1 built).

Some info I have says that the 224 also had a Gnome-Rhône 9 Asb engine; however, it appears from photos I found in period magazines that it rather used the Type VII (= 7) variant of the Jupiter engine, with centrifugal supercharger. The various photos I'm attaching, however, show totally different cowling, spinners and landing gears, suggesting perhaps some confusion in the captions... so we still have some questions left unsolved here.

 

[rlucas]

Hello skyblazer,


Interesting! it seems there is some conflicting information around about these planes... It is for me vary interesting to see the picture you posted of 222bis F-AJZT with the cowling, do you maybe have this in higher resolution? Do you know where you got it? I am still curious to find out what they used this plane for and why it carried the big "1"on the side...

 

[toura]

Hi RLucas
From an old "le fana de l aviation"

 

[Stargazer]

It is for me vary interesting to see the picture you posted of 222bis F-AJZT with the cowling, do you maybe have this in higher resolution? Do you know where you got it?

I got this photo from a PDF of the Gnome-Rhône corporate publication of the time, and unfortunately I don't have it in higher resolution... :-\

 

[Stargazer]

Looking at the pics and the magazine once again (April 1929), I find that the last picture I posted previously is definitely of the MS. 221 modified with the Jupiter VII, not the 224. This can be easily seen from the identical landing gear.

 

[Stargazer]

A text from the April 1931 issue of Gnome-Rhône publication (accompanying the image "Morane-Saulnier 224 (2).jpg" above):