Bloch M.B.161 Languedoc

The "Languedoc" was the first large four-motored aircraft of which 100 copies were produced in France. Therefore it was- despite a few minor shortcomings- the most successful French passenger aircraft with a piston combustion engine after World War II.

In the mid-1930s, the French aircraft engineer Marcel Bloch began drafting blueprints for a modern commercial aircraft made entirely of a metal construction. The first successful blueprint was the Bloch 220 suitable for 14-16 passengers, which took its first flight in December 1935. In 1936, the four-motored long distance aircraft Bloch 160 followed with a passenger capacity of 12, however, it was never utilized. It was the predecessor to the considerably larger Bloch M.B. 161 which could hold 33 passengers on board.

Through the merger of the airline companies Blériot and Bloch, the national company SNCASE (Societé Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Sud-Est) was founded in 1939 and Project Bloch 161 was continued. The successful flight test took place by the end of 1939 and brought an order of over 40 machines from the airline company Air France. Delivery lasted for seven years since World War II provided that the series production first begin in 1946. This was primarily due to the successful stalling technique of the French manufacturers who wanted to prevent the 20 machines from being delivered from Germany in 1942. The aircraft orginally developed in Bordeaux was transported to Cannes which was located in France's unoccupied Free Zone in 1942. Under the management of German Lufthansa engineers, tests were made with the aircraft until the beginning of 1943. Marc Hurel, the Technical Director of SNCASO, attempted unsuccessfully to bring the aircraft to North Africa in order to ensure its safety.

The improved successor version was first tested after the liberation of France on September 17, 1945. Series production began in 1946. In May of the same year, the model became known as the SE. 161 "Languedoc" by Air France for its scheduled service. The next step was creating the backbone of the airline company's fleet. In May 1946, the aircraft was on service to Paris-Algeria-Casablanca and its route connected most of Europe's main cities, including Berlin. After World War II, France administered a sector of the former capital city of the Reich. In 1948, the Polish line LOT became its only foreign purchaser and acquired five brand new "Languedocs" for its European flight network.

In France, the M.B. 161 was being used by Air France as a long distance passenger aircraft and by the French air and naval forces as a fighter bomber and transporter. Several SE.161 served as flying test stands for engines and guided missiles until 1970.

Production of the SE. 161 ceased in 1949. Air France began to recall the model from passenger service in 1952 and utilized it as a cargo airplane with a payload of up to 5,500 kilograms instead. A portion of the modeled machines were purchased by the Spanish company Aviaco, by Tunis Air and by the Egyptian Misrais where the "Languedoc" was utilized for passenger service until 1959.

The "Languedoc" was entirely made of metal with a double rudder assembly, elevators and fins/side rudders as well as a retractable rear wheel undercarriage. The cross-section of the fuselage was rectangular on the bottom and spherical above and had no pressure equalization. The four Gnome-Rhone-14N-44/45 radial engines with 846kW (1,150 PS) each were located in the cables of the nose edge.

This type, however, had various "minor setbacks": lack of chassis, which led to errors of defrosters and cabin heating as well as insufficient view of the pilot during poor weather conditions so that Air France decided to discontinue the model again in October 1946 in order to repair the shortcomings. At the same time the complex Gnome-Rhone-motor was replaced by four American radial motors Pratt and Whitney-R-1830 with 1,200 PS (882 kW) each. Therefore, the initial weight increased to 23,500 kg. In March 1947, the improved "Languedocs" were back in service on the Air France flight schedule.

The standard seating for 33 passengers by Air France was increased during short distance to 44 seats. There were 4 crew members allocated to the cabin attendance. In 1947, the cabin heating was improved and the defrosters constructed. The undercarriage was also changed several times because it was thought to be too weak. The tank system in the wing could hold 2,400 liters. In 1950, a few of the machines were constructed with tanks that were able to hold a capacity of up to 7,800 liters. The "Languedoc" cost approximately 360,000 US Dollars in 1948.

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