CB wrote:
......a Belgian Stampe??! Man, that goes back a ways. I think they made
trainer types as far back as the 1920's.
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Actually, the Belgian production of the Stampe biplane stopped in 1939, with
the German invasion. After the war, France restarted the production of the
Stampe SV4, most of which were fitted with the Renault PO-4 engine, across
the Belgian border. From 1945 to 1949, the SNCAN (Societe nationale de
Construction Aoeronautique du Nord) manufactured about 700 SV4 planes.
In 1947, the Algerian (North Africa) Atelier Industriel de L'air built 150
planes. Algeria was then a French colony. I think this is one of these
planes the local LBC group member has, and it is rumored these were better
made than the previous post-war planes (better alloys and wood). I think
the last Stampe made was made in 1950 or 1951.
I remember the Stampe as a plane commonly used in Aerobatics in France in
the 1960s, despite the fact it could not fly upside down for more than a few
seconds if my memory serves me right (fuel starvation problem?) In the
1970s, other aerobatics planes, purpose built, came to the forefront and the
aging Stampe was retired. I was very surprised to see two of them here in
Colorado Springs!
Have a great weekend!
JLC
Stampe photo here:
http://www.military-aircraft.org.uk/trainers/stampe-sv4.htm
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