Nord Aviation Nord 1402 (1405) "Gerfaut"
The delta-winged research aircraft 1402 A "Gerfaut" 1A was constructed by the company Arsenal which changed its name to SFECMAS and then joined with Nord Aviation. It was then renamed the Nord 1402 "Gerfaut".
The "Gerfaut" lifted off for the first time on January 15, 1954, powered by a SNECMA manufactured Atar 101C engine with 27 kN. On August 3, 1954, it was the first European aircraft that broke the sound barrier with a jet engine in horizontal flight without thrust increase. However, this aircraft was never used in regular operation but remained strictly a research aircraft.
The "Gerfaut" had thin delta wings that were at 580 in comparison to the leading edge. The Atar 101C jet engine was mounted in the fuselage. The fins were located near the high delta empennage. The model had a retractable undercarriage.
On February 9, 1955, the N 1402B Gerfaut IB took off on its initial flight. It possessed a larger wing unit and was equipped with an Atar 101D1 jet engine. During the course of the research program on April 17, 1956, the N 1405 Gerfaut II was tested with a different type of cell and an Atar 101F engine with 37 kN thrust. The next variant of this model was equipped with an Atar G21 jet engine that produced an afterburn of 39 kN thrust. This machine was later developed and used for airborn radar purposes.
Specifications Nord 1402 "Gerfaut" 1A
Nord 1402 "Gerfaut" 1A
| Type | a one-seater experimental and research aircraft | |
| Manufacturer | initially, SFECMAS, then Nord Aviation | |
| Power plant | a SNECMA Atar 101C jet engine with 27 kN | |
| Year of construction | 1954 |
Performance
| Top speed | over Mach 1 |
