Morane-Saulnier MS.500 Criquet — Engine Variants Technical Archive

The Morane-Saulnier MS.500 Criquet is a French post-war continuation of the iconic Fieseler Fi 156 Storch — one of the most extraordinary STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft ever built. French engineers at Morane-Saulnier adapted and refined the airframe through a series of powerplant variants, each responding to post-war engine availability and operational requirements across metropolitan France, Indochina, and North Africa.

This Living Collection assembles the primary-source technical documentation for the MS.500 series and its engine ecosystem: the official French military airframe technical notice, original manufacturer engine handbooks, ignition system manuals, fuel system documentation, and engineering references — preserved in archival static-copy editions.

Document Manifest

1. Notice Technique des Avions Criquet 0 & II — Tome I, Fascicule 1: Caractéristiques
Classification: NCE 43 A
Publisher: Service de la Production Aéronautique, France
Edition: 8 April 1949 — Approuvé par D.M. 39.100 – STA/A2 du 18-9-48
Print run: 610 copies
Language: French
The primary official French military airframe technical notice for the Criquet 0 (Argus AS.10, 240 CV) and Criquet II (Salmson 9ABb/9ABC, 230 CV). Covers: Généralités, Planeur (wing, ailerons, high-lift devices, fuselage, empennage, undercarriage), Groupe Moto-Propulseur (engine data, starting systems), and three-view drawings (Planches I–III).

2. Argus As 10C Flugmotor — Handbuch, 3. Auflage (Oktober 1935)
Publisher: Argus Motoren Gesellschaft m.b.H., Berlin-Reinickendorf
Language: German
The primary engine handbook for the 240 hp inverted V8 air-cooled powerplant fitted to the MS.500 / Criquet 0. Third edition, October 1935.

3. Argus As 10C — Engine Manual (1938 Edition)
Publisher: Argus Motoren Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Language: German
Revised 1938 edition of the As 10C technical handbook.

4. Argus As 10C — Betriebsvorschriften (Operating Instructions)
Publisher: Argus Motoren Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Language: German
Official operating instructions for the As 10C powerplant.

5. Luftfahrt-Lehrbücherei Band 20 — Die deutschen Flugmotoren
Authors: Dr. Karl Krieger, Dr. M. Matthiesen
Publisher: C. J. E. Volckmann Nachf. E. Wette, Berlin
Language: German
Engineering reference covering the Argus As 10C, As 10E, and As 401 within the broader context of German aero-engine development.

6. Bosch Magnetzünder GE 8 BRS 136 und GE 8 BLS 137 — für Argus-Motor As 10C
Publisher: Robert Bosch A.-G., Stuttgart
Language: German
Ignition magneto manual specific to the Argus As 10C installation.

7. Bosch Magneto GE — Description and Mounting Rules (English Edition)
Publisher: Robert Bosch A.-G., Stuttgart
Language: English
English-language edition covering the Bosch Magneto GE series for 6- to 12-cylinder aircraft engines. Includes: General Remarks, Design and Mode of Operation, Ignition Timing, Starting Ignition, Stopping the Engine, Mounting, Maintenance and Dismantling, Sparking Plugs, Troubles and Remedy, Circuit Diagrams.

8. Junkers Fuel Feed Pump — JUMO 2015 A and 2015 B Manual
Publisher: Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG, Motorenbau Stammwerk Dessau
Language: English
Fuel feed pump manual for the JUMO 2015 A and 2015 B (Size 2, clockwise motion).

9. DBU Kraftstofförderpumpe Baumuster KM 2
Publisher: Deutsche Benzinuhren-Gesellschaft m.b.H., Berlin SW 29
Language: German
Fuel feed pump technical document for the KM 2 model used in the As 10C engine installation.

10. Salmson 9AB — 230 CV Engine Document
Language: French
Engine reference document for the 9-cylinder air-cooled radial fitted to the MS.502 / Criquet II variant.

11. Renault 6Q — Engine Document
Language: French
Engine reference document for the inverted 6-cylinder inline powerplant fitted to the MS.501 variant.

12. Jacobs R-755A — Illustrated Parts Catalog
Language: English
Illustrated Parts Catalog for the 7-cylinder radial engine fitted to the MS.505 variant, widely used for glider towing post-war.

Engine Variants — Technical Summary

Aerodynamic & Structural Notes

High-Lift Devices: Full-span fixed aluminium leading-edge slats combined with trailing-edge slotted flaps and drooping ailerons. The fixed slats delay airflow separation, maintaining controllable lift at steep, high angles of attack.

Structural Upgrades: French engineers replaced the original German wooden wing spars with all-metal aluminium wing assemblies to improve durability in humid climates including Indochina operations.

Wind Tunnel Certification: Post-war French certification subjected the airframe to a static load factor of n = 6, tested successfully up to n = 7.5.

Performance Data — MS.500 / Argus As 10C

• Maximum Speed: 160 km/h (86 kt)
• Cruising Speed: 145 km/h (78 kt)
• Stall Speed: ≈ 50 km/h (27 kt)
• Never Exceed Speed (V_NE): 205 km/h
• Take-off Roll: ≈ 45 m (150 ft)
• Landing Roll: ≈ 18 m (60 ft)
• Fuel Capacity: 348 litres — average consumption 70 litres/hour

Handling Characteristics

The MS.500 behaves dramatically differently from conventional light aircraft. Ailerons retain lateral authority down to the stall margin but require high physical deflection. Rudder authority dominates low-speed yaw stability, and significant adverse yaw from the long wings demands heavy rudder coordination in turns. The signature tall, spindly landing gear features long-stroke oil-dampened legs absorbing extreme sink rates during steep flare-outs. Due to its massive surface area and lightweight footprint, the aircraft is highly sensitive to crosswinds and can hover or move backward relative to the ground in strong headwinds.

This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.

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