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The aircraft made its first flight on 23 January 1957 and its first supersonic flight occurred on 6 April. Performance was disappointing as it failed to exceed the Mach 1.3 of the
Griffon I as the ramjet was still not receiving enough air to fully power it. The Griffon II subsequently had the intake enlarged yet again and reached Mach 1.85 on its first test flight afterwards. The Griffon II set a speed record of 2,320 kilometres per hour (1,440 mph) on 5 October 1959. It attained a peak speed of Mach 2.19 at 15,240 m (50,000 ft) while being piloted by Turcat on 13 October. Turcat had earlier broken the world record for the 100 km (62 mi) closed-circuit course by over 400 km/h (250 mph) with a speed of 1,643 km/h (1,021 mph) on 25 February, an achievement for which he was honored with the
355:. Flight testing quickly proved the aircraft to be underpowered, a determination that was compounded by the cancellation of plans to install the planned ramjet propulsion system. Despite this reported lack of power, the Griffon I still managed to attain a maximum speed of Mach 1.15 on its first supersonic flight on 11 January 1956. At some point during its life the air intake was enlarged, probably when the more powerful Atar 101E engine was installed and before the aircraft attained its maximum speed of Mach 1.3 at an altitude of 8,560 m (28,080 ft). Although the initial flight testing showed that engine performance above 9,144 m (30,000 ft) suffered, the aircraft's handling qualities were excellent. Its nose gear collapsed on 19 June when Turcat was
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383:-alloy skin. Flight tests also focused on trying to control the ramjet, which could not be throttled up or down, just on or off, via adjusting the fuel/air ratio. Pilots reported that the Griffon II's flight characteristics were excellent at all speeds: the ramjet could be ignited across a very wide band of speeds and its air intake was insensitive to
359:
across a grass field and the aircraft did not fly again until 26 July. The
Griffon I was largely similar to the later ramjet-equipped Griffon II; amongst the few visible differences between the two aircraft were the smaller intake and the two-position exhaust nozzle used only on the Griffon I. It was
363:
The
Griffon II was fitted with the combination of an Atar 101E-3 turbojet and Nord ramjet. To accommodate the 1.5-metre (4 ft 11 in) diameter of the latter, the aft fuselage was lengthened and widened and its greater requirement for air meant that the ventral air intake had to be enlarged.
164:
in 1955 and eventually reached a speed of Mach 1.3. Because it lacked the ramjet engine, it was mostly used for exploring the aircraft's aerodynamic properties and its systems. Its flight testing was terminated shortly after the ramjet-equipped
Griffon II made its first flight two years later. This
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powerplant. The turbojet would enable the aircraft to perform unassisted takeoffs (ramjets cannot produce thrust at zero airspeed, and thus cannot move an aircraft from a standstill) while the ramjet would provide additional thrust once the aircraft had attained an airspeed in excess of
271:
Much like he did with the
Gerfaut, Gaultier opted for a straight-through air duct to keep the air entering the engines as calm as possible and positioned the single-seat cockpit immediately above the semi-circular ventral air intake. The large tubular fuselage supported the same
232:
To utilise this data SFECMAS's chief designer, Jean
Galtier, initiated the 1400, 1500 and 1910 interceptor projects with delta wings and different types of propulsion systems. The 1400 developed into the
488:
X-Planes of Europe: Secret
Research Aircraft From the Golden Age 1946–1974; Concept Aircraft: Prototypes, X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft; Les oubliés du Salon de l'Aeronautique (5): les experimentaux
140:
research aircraft. Development of the aircraft began in earnest after the receipt of a letter of intent in 1953 for a pair of unarmed research aircraft. The design featured an innovative dual propulsion
264:
On 24 August 1953, a pair of prototypes were ordered, although the final contract (No. 2003/55) would not be issued until 1955. Although intended by Nord to eventually fulfil a requirement for a light
372:(USAF) contributed some money for the flight testing until 1960. No flights were made at all between February and July of that year and the Griffon II made its last flight on 5 June 1961.
916:
Gaillard, Pierre (August 1985). "Les oubliés du Salon de l'Aeronautique (5): les experimentaux" [The
Forgotten Ones of the Paris Air Show, Part 5: The Experimental Ones].
379:-generated heat. One particular area of concern was the ramjet exhaust temperature which frequently damaged the tailpipe, another was the skin temperature of the airframe's
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engines, was never pursued. Galtier envisioned the
Griffon as the Mach 2 successor to the supersonic Gerfaut. By this time Arsenal had been privatised as
308:
1,000 km/h (600 mph). To reduce risks in using the turbo-ramjet powerplant, the first
Griffon (Nord 1500-01 Griffon I) was built with only the
268:
capable of using grass airfields, these two aircraft were ordered without any military equipment installed, being intended for research purposes only.
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issues. Furthermore its ability to maintain acceleration in a turn was instrumental to its success in the closed-circuit record performance.
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The flight-test program had revealed several technical difficulties were present in the aircraft, including concerns regarding
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The Nord 1500 Griffon originated from a state-sponsored study into delta and swept wings. To provide data for these studies
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aircraft attained a maximum speed of Mach 2.19 and set a world record for a small closed course in 1959. According to the
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A key innovation of the Griffon was its dual-propulsion arrangement, which incorporated a
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series, the 1500 became the Griffon, while the 1910, ambitiously specified with two large
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The original designation and name of the initial design studies carried out at SFECMAS.
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249:. Powered by a large ramjet with turbojet sustainer, the Griffon was renamed from the
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transport aircraft, the glider provided valuable data for the design of the Gerfaut.
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from 5 to 31 October of 1959, with a speed of 1,441.6 mph (2,320 km/h) attributed to
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Les avions de combat français, 2: Chasse lourde, bombardement, assaut, exploration
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2,320 km/h (1,440 mph, 1,250 kn) @ 3,300 m (10,800 ft)
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Société Française d'Etude et de Construction de Matériel Aéronautiques Spéciaux
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of the delta wing's tendency to depress the nose as the aircraft approached
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G21 turbojet engine installed with the ramjet to be added at a later date.
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X-Planes of Europe: Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946-1974
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French Combat Aircraft 2: Heavy Fighters, Bombers, Attack, Reconnaissance
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The second aircraft fitted with the definitive turbo-ramjet powerplant.
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afterburning turbojet component of the planned turbo-ramjet powerplant.
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that retracted into the wings and the underside of the air intake.
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Société nationale de constructions aéronautiques du Nord (SNCAN)
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Concept Aircraft: Prototypes, X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft
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Buttler & Delezenne 2010, pp. 162–163; Carbonel 2016, p. 57
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positioned at either side of this cockpit to counteract the
731:
Buttler & Delezenne 2010, p. 186; Carbonel 2016, p. 92
465:
988:]. Docavia (in French). Vol. 30. Ed. Larivière.
177:. It was last flown in 1961 and currently resides in the
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The Nord 1500 Griffon II is presently on display in the
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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
153:and attain sufficient speed to start the latter.
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902:Fundamentals of Aircraft and Rocket Propulsion.
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802:Buttler & Delezenne 2010, pp. 191, 193–194
190:
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876:. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2010.
284:. The forward fuselage had small triangular
937:[The Aeronautical Arsenal Company]
888:French Secret Projects 1: Post War Fighters
405:The first aircraft completed with only the
16:1950s French prototype interceptor aircraft
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890:. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing, 2016
793:Buttler & Delezenne 2010, p. 191, 193
740:Buttler & Delezenne 2010, pp. 184–186
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872:Buttler, Tony and Jean-Louis Delezenne.
477:turbojet engine and Nord Stato-Réacteur
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450:Forward view of the preserved Griffon II
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253:(Cheetah) after SFECMAS was merged with
149:configuration; the former being used to
132:. The Griffon was developed to become a
831:"Nord-Aviation Nord 1500-02 Griffon II"
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556:, 67.8 kN (15,200 lbf) thrust
466:Specifications (Nord 1500-2 Griffon II)
296:speeds. The aircraft was fitted with a
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546:, 34.3 kN (7,700 lbf) thrust
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167:Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
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759:
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713:Buttler & Delezenne 2010, p. 184.
276:as used on the Gerfaut and the swept
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851:Buttler & Delezenne 2010, p. 184
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763:Buttler & Delezenne 2010, p. 186
339:The Griffon I during a test flight,
933:Hartmann, Gérard (18 August 2007).
583:86.67 m/s (17,061 ft/min)
508:14.54 m (47 ft 8 in)
13:
1435:1950s French experimental aircraft
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128:state-owned aircraft manufacturer
14:
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520:5.0 m (16 ft 5 in)
514:8.1 m (26 ft 7 in)
351:on 20 September 1955, piloted by
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205:, that could be fitted with both
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217:. Towed to the release point by
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1008:Overview of the Griffon program
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532:6,745 kg (14,870 lb)
136:2 follow on to the supersonic
1:
954:Winchester, Jim, ed. (2005).
935:"L'Arsenal de l'aéronautique"
678:
456:Musée de l'air et de l'espace
340:
180:Musée de l'air et de l'espace
38:Musée de l'air et de l'espace
1460:Aircraft first flown in 1955
683:
651:Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor
419:
160:, named Griffon I, made its
7:
941:(in French). Gérard Hartman
886:Carbonel, Jean-Christophe.
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191:Development and description
10:
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920:(in French) (189): 35–37.
722:Hartman 2007, pp. 9–10, 13
360:retired on 16 April 1957.
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958:. Hoo, UK: Grange Books.
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552:1 × Nord Stato-Réacteur
169:, the aircraft held the
54:Experimental interceptor
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860:Winchester 2005, p. 179
493:General characteristics
412:Nord 1500-02 Griffon II
370:United States Air Force
347:The Griffon I made its
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402:Nord 1500-01 Griffon I
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298:tricycle undercarriage
171:flight airspeed record
124:designed and built by
918:Le Fana de l'Aviation
749:El-Sayed 2016, p. 478
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213:and with and without
1031:Turbo-ramjet genesis
811:Hartmann 2007, p. 14
772:Carbonel 2016, p. 93
634:French space program
396:SFECMAS 1500 Guépard
251:SFECMAS 1500 Guépard
122:interceptor aircraft
1020:Griffon derivatives
980:Cuny, Jean (1989).
900:El-Sayed, Ahmed F.
833:. museeairespace.fr
704:Hartman 2007, p. 12
666:Saunders-Roe SR.177
623:Related development
530:Max takeoff weight:
442:Aircraft on display
278:vertical stabilizer
46:General information
661:Saunders-Roe SR.53
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475:SNECMA ATAR 101E-3
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290:center of pressure
35:Griffon II in the
1445:Low-wing aircraft
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896:978-1-91080-900-6
882:978-1-902-10921-3
481:on static display
175:Maj. André Turcat
111:Nord 1500 Griffon
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95:20 September 1955
24:Nord 1500 Griffon
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1080:Manufacturer
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867:Bibliography
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353:André Turcat
346:
316:(8,400
310:afterburning
302:
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263:
250:
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235:Nord Gerfaut
231:
223:Douglas DC-3
202:Arsenal 1301
200:
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155:
138:Nord Gerfaut
115:experimental
110:
108:
92:First flight
79:Number built
68:Manufacturer
36:
18:
1372:Helicopters
1033:(in French)
1022:(in French)
1016:(in French)
1010:(in French)
562:Performance
550:Powerplant:
536:Powerplant:
377:kinetically
266:interceptor
211:swept wings
1429:Categories
1346:Transports
1014:Griffon II
945:31 January
837:7 November
679:References
524:Wing area:
460:Le Bourget
314:kilonewton
274:delta wing
187:, France.
156:The first
926:0757-4169
684:Citations
577:Mach 2.19
512:Wingspan:
486:Data from
420:Operators
381:Duralumin
294:transonic
158:prototype
120:-powered
1398:Missiles
1363:Noratlas
1289:Research
1231:Trainers
1222:Pingouin
1217:Norécrin
1212:Noralpha
1074:aircraft
994:36836833
588:See also
391:Variants
257:to form
183:outside
143:turbojet
1389:Norelfe
1379:Norélic
1358:Norazur
1311:Norelfe
1306:Griffon
1301:Gerfaut
1238:Norélan
1198:By role
518:Height:
506:Length:
357:taxiing
286:canards
243:SFECMAS
215:canards
151:takeoff
100:Retired
87:History
1280:Noroit
992:
962:
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554:ramjet
479:ramjet
435:France
432:
368:. The
282:rudder
239:ramjet
147:ramjet
126:French
118:ramjet
113:is an
62:France
1410:AA.20
1405:SS.10
1337:CT 41
1332:CT 20
1327:CT 10
984:[
939:(PDF)
500:Crew:
458:, at
312:37.3-
280:with
255:SNCAN
207:delta
185:Paris
1384:1710
1296:1601
1264:3400
1248:3200
1243:2800
1189:3400
1184:3200
1179:2800
1174:2500
1169:2200
1164:2100
1159:1750
1154:1710
1149:1700
1144:1601
1139:1500
1134:1405
1129:1400
1124:1300
1119:1220
1114:1200
1109:1100
1104:1000
990:OCLC
960:ISBN
947:2021
922:ISSN
906:ISBN
892:ISBN
878:ISBN
839:2020
542:E-3
538:1 ×
343:1956
209:and
134:Mach
109:The
103:1961
51:Type
1353:262
1099:500
1094:262
1089:260
225:or
1431::
777:^
754:^
341:c.
323:)
318:lb
261:.
245:-
221:,
1070:/
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1053:t
1046:v
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502:1
320:f
145:-
82:2
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