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Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du Sud-Est

Fate	Merged
Predecessor	Lioré et Olivier, Potez, Chantiers aéro maritimes de la Seine, Chantiers aéronavals Étienne Romano & Société provençale de constructions aéronautiques
Successor	Sud Aviation
Founded	France (February 1, 1937 (1937-02-01))
Defunct	March 1, 1957 (1957-03-01)
Headquarters	Toulouse, France
Industry	Aerospace, defence
Products	Aircraft Missiles

Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du Sud-Est (abbreviated SNCASE^[1]:2 or Sud-Est^[1]:29) was a French aircraft manufacturer. The company was formed on February 1, 1937 by the nationalization and reorganization of several aircraft firms.^[1]:2 SNCASE merged with SNCASO to form Sud Aviation on March 1, 1957, and SNCASE's former holdings were eventually incorporated into the EADS group.

[edit] History

Following the resolution of the 1936 general strike of French heavy industry, the government of Léon Blum introduced an act to nationalize the French war industry.^[1]:2 The act provided for the creation of seven nationalized aeronautical manufacturing companies: six for aircraft (SNCASE, SNCASO, SNCAN, SNCAO, SNCAM, SNCAC), and one for aircraft engines (SNCM).^[1]:2

SNCASE incorporated the facilities of Potez in Berre-l'Étang, Chantiers aéro maritimes de la Seine (CAMS), in Vitrolles, Chantiers aéronavals Étienne Romano in Cannes, Société provençale de constructions aéronautiques (SPCA) in Marseille and Lioré et Olivier in Argenteuil and Marignane.^[1]:2 SNCASE was the largest of the aeronautical Sociétés nationales, with 225000 m² of space in six factories and 2550 employees.^[1]:2 (1700 of the workforce came from Lioré et Olivier, along with 90% of then-current manufacturing contracts.^[1]:2)

In 1941, during the Second World War, the Paris design bureaus of both the nationalized and the private aircraft firms were relocated to avoid capture.^[1]:13 SNCASE acquired the failing SNCAM and moved its engineering operations to SNCAM's headquarters at the former Dewoitine factory in Toulouse.^[1]:13

[edit] Products

Most early Sud-Est aircraft retained their earlier designations, such as the Lioré et Olivier LeO 451 bomber. The first aircraft produced under the Sud-Est marque was the Sud-Est SE 100 (formerly Leo 50) fighter. They produced 2 autogyros, C.34 and the SE.700 Alouette (skylark). After World War II SNCASE continued experimenting with helicopters with the help from a team from Focke Achgelis. They built the SE.3000 which was a French version of the twin-rotor Focke Achgelis Fa 223 Drache and a smaller SE.3101, built around the Focke Wulf Fw 61. With this experience SNCASE went on to design more helicopters: SE.3100, SE.3110 and eventually the SE.3120 Alouette. The latter would lead to the commercially successful Alouette II and Alouette III.

In the 1950s, SNCASE undertook licence production of the British de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.20 as the Aquilon. 86 of this carrier-borne, all-weather jet fighter were produced and served with the French Navy.

The Alouette first flew on July 21, 1951 and broke the helicopter distance and speed records in July 1953. A production for several hundreds was envisaged but hopes were soon dashed when the SE.3120 was found non-marketable because it was too complicated.

SNCASE produced the SE-2010 Armagnac and the SE-210 Caravelle airliners.

[edit] References