SOCIETE NATIONALE DE CONSTRUCTIONS AERONAUTIQUES DU SUD OUEST
FRANCE
Formed November 1936. Incorporated elements of
SO 4050 "Vautour"
Marcel
Bloch, Liore et Olivier, Bleriot and SASO. A prime responsibility
was development and production of Bloch types,
especially single-seat fighters derived from MB.150 of
1936. Redesign facilitated production
SO 6021 Espadon
and improved performance,
resulting in MB.151 and 152. By June 1940 production totaled about 600, involving five plants. MB.175
twin-engined bomber was in production and was revived
after
SO 9000 Trident
Second World War as torpedo aircraft. Several other
prototypes built, including four-engined bomber. In 1941
company was merged into SNCAO. In 1942 completed
forerunner of Bretagne twin-engined transport,
though
Sud-Ouest SO.1221 "Jinn"
not flown until 1945; then used commercially and
experimentally. Numerous and varied post-Second World
War types included distinctly unusual forms of rotary-wing
aircraft. Aeriel (1948) and Djinn (1953)
Sud-Ouest SO.1310 "Farfadet"
with tip jets, and
Farfadet convertiplane (1953). The eminently successful
Vautour multipurpose twin-jet flew 1952, and was much
developed thereafter. High-speed research types were
swept-wing Espadon and, of special technical interest,
straight-wing mixed-power Trident, first flown 1953 (well
before formation of Ouest-Aviation in 1957).
