Nord NC.850
The North NC.850 ( originally produced as Aérocentre NC.850 ) is a sports aircraft of the late 1940s the French manufacturer Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre for the French Aero Club.
History and construction
The NC.850 series was developed as a competition the French Government for a built domestically light sports aircraft for the French Aero Club from the Aérocentre NC.840. The development of Aérocentre ( SNCAC ) was a clumsy high-wing monoplane with braced wings, a fully enclosed cabin and fixed spur wheel chassis. The hull structure was tubular and the wings were made of a metal structure and were like the entire plane covered with fabric.
The competition was indeed won by the SIPA S.90, but still the Aeroclub ordered 100 copies. This production was called NC.853 and differed from the prototypes by the Doppelleitwek. After only 27 copies produced Aérocentre was liquidated and bought the assets of the North. The new owners continued the production, now under the name NC.853S.
In March 1951 a heavily modified version of this aircraft flew as an observation aircraft for the French army for the first time. The NC.856 Norvegie had a more powerful engine and a long and extensive glazed cockpit. The army ordered 112 copies as an artillery observation aircraft. It was also offered a civilian version, but was unsuccessful because only two copies were sold. One aircraft was equipped with floats and made King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia to the present.
Variants
- ( Built 1 copy ) prototype with a conventional tail unit and Mathis G4F engine: NC.850
- NC.851: Version with Minié 4DA - motor (9 built )
- NC.852: Version with Regnier - 4EO engine (2 built )
- NC.853. Principal version with double tail, a Minié 4DC.30 drive (29 built ) NC.853S: NC.853 built by Nord ( 95 copies )
- NC.853G: NC.853 equipped with floats ( one converted )
- NC.854SA: military NC.854 (2 copies)
- NC.856A Norvigie: military version with neukonstruiertem cockpit with increased glazing and Regnier - 4LO engine (112 built )
- NC.856B: four-seat version of the NC.856 (1 built )
- NC.856H: equipped with floats version of NC.856 with triple tail (1 built )
- NC.856N: four-seat civil version of the NC.856A (2 built )
Military use
- France France: French Army (112 pieces)