F-BXDR —

Nice toy

This airplane looks like it was way ahead of it's time. I imagine it was a great short field performer.

leading edge slats for short fields :)

Also rear view mirror and cable might suggest a glider tug. Tough bugger, this. Trailing link suspension designed for some banging around -- like they use for carrier-landing aircraft (and Ercoupes!) Slats retractable. French machinery can be pleasantly different!

SOCATA (Morane Saulnier) MS893E GT Rallye 180hp, C/N 12602. Couldn't find the manufacturing date at the moment but she sure is an old lady. And, yes, it's a glider tug, tugging as shown by the stretched out cable. A very traditional role in which she has been (is) widely used, as well as in-flight school. The leading edge slats are 100% automatic (spring-loaded), making her quite hard (though not impossible) to stall. She is the first aircraft I have ever flown (the 100hp variant). That was long ago, almost in a former life. :)

We had these in DGAC (french Aviation Author) similar to FAA. I flew on it : 180CV , not very fast , heavy, but easy for short airstrips. We used to fly them for ATC trainings Some of them are remaining specially for gliders tugs. A small version with a 110CV , have been used for airclubs pilots schooling.(slow but an exceptional stall speed) And a version with a 235CV ahve been built for some Army training (called Guerrier) I guess the licence was sold to Poland..

le bon rallye des familles !