Sud-Ouest / SNCASE SE 580

History

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the French aviation industry faced various disruptions. With the fall of France in May/June 1940, many projects were cancelled, put on hold or handed over to the Germans for the foreseeable future. SNCASE/Sud-Est SE.

Introduced as a potential high-performance fighter for the French Air Force and Navy, the 580 was a product that had a place before, during and after the war. However, as the 1940s drew to a close, technical problems and external influences quickly ended the project.

SE. The 580 originated from a design study conducted by SNCAM in 1940 and was then known as the M. 580. When the company was taken over by SNCASE (Sud-Est), it was renamed SE. 580. Work on this product progressed slowly due to the German invasion, and much more slowly during the occupation.

Wind tunnel testing finally took place in 1943, by which time the aircraft would have two Hispano-Suiza 12Z series engines mounted side by side, driving counter-rotating propeller units on the nose. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with modern equipment features such as retractable landing gear, enclosed cockpit and low-lying monoplane wings. The all-metal structure will welcome its makeup, while the control surfaces will be finished in fabric.

An unconventional key design element for aircraft of that era was a large back scoop located at the rear of the cockpit for cooling the radiators. Excess air will be expelled through the ventral opening.

as SE. The 580 was built to fulfill the role of a dedicated fighter, capable of anything the Germans had at the time, the aircraft was equipped with 1 x 30mm autocannon through the propeller hub and 4 x 20mm autocannons (2 per wing) plus each There are 8 x 7.5mm machine guns on the wings (4 per wing).

This armament battery was quite powerful compared to its contemporaries and allowed the fighter to deliver a useful blow against enemy fighter jets and larger bomber types. There are also provisions for underwing hardpoints (one per wing), each of which can handle conventional throwing weapons up to 1,100 pounds.

During development, it was decided to move from the proposed tandem engine arrangement to a single engine installation. This became the 3,600 hp Hispano-Suiza 24Z (24 cylinder) engine (counter-rotating propellers are still in use).

This promising work led to a contract with the French Air Force for two prototypes, followed by a separate commitment by the French Navy for another pair of aircraft to be tested as SEs. 582. Working on SE as the war ended in 1945. The 580 series continued until 1946, although technical problems with the intended engine forced engineers to opt for the 4,000 hp Arsenal 24H series engine.

This inevitably meant modifications to the airframe to accommodate the new powerplant, and the abandonment of the contra-rotating propellers in favor of simpler five-bladed units. These issues, along with the rise of jet military fighter jets, led to the cancellation of the SE, although the design work had been completed.

580/SE. 582 in 1947.

By design, SE. Estimated performance specs for the 580 include a top speed of 465 miles per hour (30,500 feet), a service ceiling of 44,620 feet, a range of up to 1,710 miles, and a rate of climb approaching 3,280 feet per minute.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes