On 27 February 1937, a new C1 requirement was issued by the Service Technique Aeronautique and one of the fighters designed to conform with its requirements was the M.S.450. Featuring a dural monocoque fuselage and Piyznax-skinned metal wings, the M.S.450 was powered by an Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 engine affording 1050hp for take-off and carried an armament of one 20mm engine-mounted cannon and two wing-mounted 7.5mm machine guns. The first of three prototypes of the M.S.450 was flown on 14 April 1939, but, a month earlier, an initial production order had been placed for the competitive Dewoitine D.520. Although the M.S.450 test programme was continued - the second prototype being completed in November 1939 - its failure to display any marked advantage over the D.520 prevented the placing of a production order for the Armee de l'Air. Development of the basic design was continued, however, culminating in the M.S.540 which was built in Switzerland by the Dornier-Werke AG (Doflug) as the D-3802.

3-View

A three-view drawing (1280 x 914)