Morane-Saulnier AI

The Morane-Saulnier AI (also Type AI) was a French parasol-wing fighter aircraft produced by Morane-Saulnier during World War I.

Development and design
The AI was developed to replace the obsolete Morane-Saulnier Type N. Its engine was mounted in a circular open-front cowling. The parasol wing was swept back. The spars and ribs of the circular section fuselage were wood, wire-braced and covered in fabric. The production aircraft were given service designations based on whether they had 1 gun (designated MoS 27) or 2 guns (designated MoS 29).

Operational history
A number of escadrilles were created to operated the AI, but by mid-May 1918, most of the aircraft were replaced by the SPAD XIII. The aircraft became an advanced trainer, designated MoS 30.

Fifty-one MoS 30s were purchased by the American Expeditionary Force as pursuit trainers.

Variants

 * MoS 27
 * Production fighter variant with one 0.303in (7.7mm) Vickers machine gun and powered by a Gnome Monosoupape 9NI rotary engine.


 * MoS 29
 * Production fighter variant with two 0.303in (7.7mm) Vickers machine guns and powered by a Gnome Monosoupape 9NI rotary engine.


 * MoS 30
 * Production advanced trainer with either a 89kW (120hp) Le Rhone 9Jb or a 101kW (135hp) Le Rhone 9Jby rotary engine.


 * MoS 30bis
 * Variant of the MoS 30 with a de-rated Le Rhone 9Jby engine 67kW (90hp).

Operators

 * Belgian Air Force
 * French Air Force
 * Escadrille 156
 * Escadrille 158
 * Escadrille 161
 * Peruvian Air Force
 * Soviet Air Force - Four aircraft, used for tests and trials.
 * Swiss Air Force
 * American Expeditionary Force
 * Peruvian Air Force
 * Soviet Air Force - Four aircraft, used for tests and trials.
 * Swiss Air Force
 * American Expeditionary Force
 * Swiss Air Force
 * American Expeditionary Force
 * American Expeditionary Force

Survivors
Three AIs are flown by Jean Salis at La Ferté-Alais.

An original AI is part of the Fantasy of Flight collection in Polk City, Florida. This particular aircraft was sold to the United States Army Air Service in 1918. This aircraft, along with several others, was shipped to McCook Field in Ohio for testing. Surviving the test programs of the early 1920s they eventually were sold to private pilots. This AI ended up in the Tallmantz Collection and was acquired by Fantasy of Flight's owner Kermit Weeks when he purchased the collection in 1985. It was sent to England and restored by Personal Plane Services in the late 1980s.

Another original AI aircraft is in the collection of Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and was formerly flown in the weekend airshows there for some time.