France : FOUGA CM8 R.13 CYCLONE (SYLPHE I) edit English edit Français

Fouga Cie. worked at Air-sur-Adour. The activities of the Aircraft Department included both the design and the construction of aircraft and gliders of orginal design and the repair of overhaul of aircraft  for the French Air Force.

CM letters are coming from Robert Castello (technical diretor) and Pierre Mauboussin (Director of Aircraft department).

The C.M. 8R-13 Cyclone is a jet-powered version of C.M. 8-13 Saiplane. The C.M. 8R-13 had been intended to serve as a test-bed for the Turboméca Piméné light axial-flow turbo-jet engine which has a maximum static thrust of 100 kg. (220 lb.). 

- First Flight

F-WFOI, Cyclone, just before the first flight

J.C Nolan's photo - Sylphe I F-WFOJ

On July. 14, 1949, Fouga chief test pilot Léon Bourriau flew the first flight of the Fouga CM8 R13, which was nicknamed "CYCLONE".

- Dimensions

Sylphe I N°2 , F-WFOJ

Sylphe I N°2 , F-WFOJ

Dimensions
Span ................ 13,00 m (42 ft. 7.5 in.).
Length .............   6,70 m (21 ft 11 in.).
Height .............    1,85 m (6 ft. 1 in.)

Weights
Weight empty .......... 435 Kg (958 lb.)
Pilot ........................  88 Kg ( 194 lb)
Fuel and oil .............. 110 Kg (242 lb.)
Weight loaded .......... 633 Kg (1394 lb.)

 

- Description

P3 views

F-WFOI - Richard Ferriere's photo

Wings
Mid-wing cantilever monoplane. NACA 230 wing section. Aspect ratio 13. Single-spare all-wood stressed-skin structure.
Metal framed, fabric-covered slotted flaps and slotted ailerons. Retractable air-brakes in upper and lower wing surfaces.
Gross wing area 13 m² (140 sq. ft.)

Fuselage
Oval wood monocoque structure.

Tail unit
"butterfly type". Fixed surfaces all-wood, movable surfaces all-metal.
Area fixed surface 1,35 m² (14.52  sq. ft.), Area  movable surfaces 1,09 m² (11.73 sq. ft.)

Landing gear
Fixed single-track type.

Power plant
One Turbomeca PIMENE turbojet engine (100 kg / 220 lb. St).

- Performances

Sylphe I N°2 , F-WFOJ

Sylphe I N°1 , F-WFOI

Max. speed at sea level
  240 km.h. (149 m.p.h. ).
Max. speed at 3,500 m (11,480 ft.)
  250 km/h. (155 m.p.h. ).
Initial rate of climb
  240 m/min. (787 ft./min.).
Climb to 360 m. (1,180 ft.)
  1 min. 45 sec.
Climb to 3,500 m. (11,480 ft.)
  18 min.
Climb to ceiling
  1 hr.
Service ceiling
  8,300 m. (27,225 ft.).
Max. range at 4,000 m. (13,120 ft.)
  300 km (186 miles).
Take-off run to 20 m. (66 ft.)
  420 m. (460 yards).

- Aircrafts produced

Fouga sylphe I, N°1 - F-WFOI

Fouga sylphe I, N°2 - F-WFOJ

Only 2 CM8 R13 Cyclone (Sylphe I) had been built. They appeared on the French civil register as : F-WFOI [next F-BFOI] and F-WFOJ [next F-BFOJ].