JOHAN VISSCHEDIJK COLLECTION
No. 7311. Transall C-160NG (203 c/n F-203) French Air Force
Photographs from Aérospatiale

Transall C-160NG

01/31/2008. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The Transporter Allianz (abbreviated to Transall) was a joint venture formed January 1959 of one French (Nord Aviation) and three German companies (Hamburger Flugzeugbau, Weser Flugzeugbau, Blume) to develop and produce a medium transport aircraft for European air forces.

Under the command of test pilot Jean Lanvario the C-160 was first flown from Melun-Villaroche, France on February 25, 1963. Exactly three months later the German prototype flew for the first time from Bremen-Lemwerder. In 1972 production was ended, a total of 178 aircraft had been built: 3 prototypes, 6 pre-series (3 to France, 3 to Germany), and 169 production (50 to France, 110 to Germany of which 20 were transferred to Turkey, 9 to South Africa).

In 1976 production was reinstated by the joint venture (comprising Aérospatiale of France, and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm and Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke of Germany, all successors to the earlier companies) to built the C-160 NG (Nouvelle Génération) to meet an additional French requirement.

The C-160 NG featured updated avionics and an in-flight refueling probe, hence the nickname "Lanceur" ("Lancers"). The first was flown by Jean Franchi on April 9, 1981, and a total of 35 were delivered: 29 to France and 6 to Indonesia. The pictured aircraft was built in 1981, and coded 64-CG, it is still active with Escadre de Transport 64, at Evreux/Fauville."


Created January 31, 2008