The development of the four-engined N.C.211 "Cormoran" by SNCAC was an attempt to create a large civil transport aircraft directly after World War II.
The first prototype crashed during its first flight on July 20, 1944 and the entire crew lost their lives. The second prototype had its initial flight on April 9, 1949 and the flight was a satisfactory one.
Of the fourteen in this series, only four machines were ever completed. The N.C.211 was regarded during its time as too large for a civil short-distance cargo airplane. For military purposes, it could also not be used because its construction could not handle the deployment of the freight load.
The "Cormoran" was powered by four Gnôme-Rhone engines with 1,200 PS each. The four triple-bladed air screws had a diameter of 4 meters each. The N.C. 211 had a fuselage that was divided into two sections. The lower section had a large hold that could maintain up to 150 cubic meters. The frontal fuselage is used for loading and unloading purposes. In addition, situated on the left side of the fuselage was a small loading gate between the wings and the empennage. A windlass was added in order to facilitate loading on board. The entire hold was divided as well to facilitate the loading capabilities. The chassis made it possible for virtually horizontal loading of the hold.
The cockpit was situated over the hold and all the way to the front. Directly behind the cockpit was a cabin for 7 people. The "Cormoran" could transport up to 131 persons, 80 of which could be on the lower deck. Out of the variations for 100 passengers, 87 people could be transported in the lower deck and 13 on the upper deck.
SNCAC NC211-Cormoran
| Type | four-engined civil cargo aircraft, also for passenger transport | |
| Manufacturer | SNCAC (Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre) | |
| Power plant | four air-cooled, 14-Cylinder - Gnome-Rhone 14R-engines with 1,200 PS each | |
| Year of construction | 1946 |
Performance
| Top speed | 400 km/h at an altitude of 3,000 m | |
| Travel speed | 320 km/h at an altitude of 3,000 m | |
| Landing speed | 135 km/h | |
| Service altitude | 8,000 m | |
| Operational range | 2,000 km (with 12,500 kg useful load and 50 km/h headwind) |
Weight
| Empty weight | 24,000 kg |
| Take-off weight | 42,000 kg |
| Surface load | 210.0 kg/qm |
| Performance load | 8.75 kg/PS |
Dimensions
| Span | 44 m |
| Length | 30.50 m |
| Height | 10.1 m |
| Wing span area | 200 qm |
| Crew | 4 persons | |
| Passenger capacity | up to 131 persons | |
| Useful load | 15,500 kg (at an operational range of 1,000 km) | |
| Production quantity | 4 copies |
