Dassault Communauté (original) (raw)

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MD.415 Communauté
Role Light turboprop civil transportType of aircraft
Manufacturer Dassault Aviation
First flight 10 May 1959
Number built 1

The Dassault MD.415 Communauté was a 1950s French twin-engined light turboprop transport monoplane built by Dassault Aviation. Only one prototype was built and flown.

The Dassault company designed a light transport aircraft in the late 1950s, designated MD.415 and later named Communauté, as a potential replacement for the Dassault MD 315 Flamant in its trainer, command transport or ambulance aircraft roles. The Communauté was a cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear with room for two crew and up to ten passengers. Powered by two wing-mounted Turbomeca Bastan turboprops, the prototype (F-WJDN) first flew on 10 May 1959.[1][2]

The company also developed a military version designated the MD.410 Spirale.[3] Retaining 90% commonality with the Communauté, the Spirale had all the windows removed and transparent nose panels added. It also had provision for cannon or machine-gun armament and was fitted with under-wing hardpoints for weapons. It was intended that the Spirale could be used for close-support, reconnaissance or transport roles.

Neither the Communauté nor the Spirale received any production orders and a high-wing development designated Spirale III was also abandoned.

MD.410 Spirale

Prototype military version, one built, powered by two Turbomeca Astazou XIVD engines.

MD.415 Communauté

Prototype light transport, one built.

MD.415 Communauté A1

A proposed joint development from Dassault and Sud-Aviation for a new version of the MD 415, a liaison aircraft carrying eight passengers over 2,400 km (1,500 mi; 1,300 nmi) or a feeder-liner carrying 21 passengers over 500 km (310 mi; 270 nmi).[4]

MD.415 Communauté A2

Proposed 14-seat variant.

MD.415M Diplomate

A proposed scaled-up executive transport variant.

MD.455 Spirale III

Proposed high-wing transport version,[5] not built.

Specifications (MD-415 Communauté)

[edit]

Data from [6]

General characteristics

Performance

  1. ^ Lemaire Le Fana de l'Aviation December 1986, p. 13
  2. ^ Chillon, Dubois & Wegg 1980, p. 127
  3. ^ Flying August 1961, p. 49
  4. ^ "MD 415 Communauté". Dassault. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  5. ^ Taylor 1962, pp. 38–39
  6. ^ The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft. London: Orbis Publications. 1982–1985.