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The Morane-Saulnier MS.733 Alcyon is a three-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane with a tailwheel landing gear with
retractable main wheels and powered by one 240 hp Potez 6D.30 six-cylinder air-cooled piston engine. The MS.733 model
was evolved from the experimental MS.730; MS.731 and MS.732. Designed and built in France by Morane-Saulnier as a two
or three-seat basic trainer for the French military, the prototype MS.730 first flew on 11 August 1949. The prototype
was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear and powered by a 240 hp Mathis 8G.20 inverted
V8 engine. The engine was replaced with a German war-surplus 240 hp Argus As 10 and the prototype flew again in November
1949 as the MS.731. Two further prototypes were built and flown in 1951 designated MS.732, they were each powered by a
Potez 6D 02 engine and the original fixed landing gear of the prototype was replaced with retractable main wheels. The
first of five pre-production MS.733 machines flew on 25 September 1951. One hundred and thirty Alcyons were subsequently
built, seventy of these carrying light armament to suit them for the armament training role. Fifteen Alcyon trainers were
supplied to the Cambodian government for both training and policing duties. Eight of these were equipped with two 7.5-mm
machine guns and pylons were fitted beneath the wings for four 3.5-in rocket missiles. The Alcyon had full blind and night
flying amber-screen equipment, VHF radio, radio compass, etc., and the two halves of the cockpit canopy may be jettisoned
in an emergency. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the MS.733 is MS73. |
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Force maritime de l'aéronautique navale (Naval Aviation) received its first MS.733 in January 1957. The deliveries lasted until the beginning of 1958.
The name of Alcyon officially attributed to the aircraft was used by l’Armée de l’air (the French Air Force). The Navy simply called the aircraft
"Morane 733". The first l' squadron to receive the MS.733 was 51.S „Escadrille d'Entrainement au Pilotage“ which squadron was fully
operational in October 1957. By l'Aéronavale squadron 51.S the MS.733 replaced the Stampe SV-4Cs that were withdrawn from service and the North 1002
that dispersed as service planes. Next to 51S, the Morane-Saulnier MS.733 was used by 3S; 10S; 11S and 50S. The last Morane-Saulnier MS.733 Alcyon
aircraft served with the "Section de Vol Sporlif" of the "Ecole Navale" in Lanveoc. These machines came from the 50S. In 1974 the MS.733s of the sport
flying group were replaced by the Morane-Saulnier Rallye.
On 6 June 1969, when seen at Toussus le Noble, Morane-Saulnier MS.733 Alcyon s/n 184 was
operated by "Section de Sportive de Aéronautique navale" as '184'. It is not (yet) known what happened with this aircraft after it was withdrawn
from use by the Aéronavale. |
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