Dassault Communauté

MD.415 Communauté
Role	Light turboprop civil transport
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
First flight	1959
Number built	1

The Dassault MD.415 Communauté was a 1950s French twin-engined light turboprop transport monoplane built by Dassault Aviation. Only one prototype was built and flown.

Development

The Dassault company designed a light transport aircraft in the late 1950s, designated MD.415 and later named Communauté, as a potential replacement of the Dassault MD 315 Flamant in its trainer, command trasport or ambulance aircraft roles. The Communauté was a cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear with room for two crew and up to ten passengers. Powered by two wing-mounted Turbomeca Bastan turboprops, the prototype (F-WJDN) first flew on 10 May 1959.

The company also developed a military version designated the MD.410 Spirale. Retaining 90% commonality with the Communauté, the Spirale had all the windows removed and a transparent nose-panels added. It also had provision for cannon or machine-gun armaments and was fitted with underwing hard-points for weapons. It was intended that the Spirale could be used for close-support, reconnaissance or transport roles.

Neither the Communauté nor the Spirale received any production orders and a high-wing development designated Spirale III was also abandoned.

Variants

MD.415 Communauté

Prototype light transport, one built.

MD.410 Spirale

Prototype military version, one built.

MD.455 Spirale III

Proposed high-wing transport version, not built.

Specifications (Communauté)

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1315 & 1316

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 6-10 passengers
• Length: 13.00 m (42 ft 7¾ in)
• Wingspan: 16.43 m (53 ft 10¾ in)
• Height: 4.31 m (14 ft 1¾ in)
• Wing area: 36 m² (387.51 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3610 kg (7959 lb)
• Gross weight: 5900 kg (13007 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Turbomeca Bastan turboprop, 746 kW (1000 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 500 km/h (311 mph)
• Range: 2500 km (1553 miles)
• Service ceiling: 11000 m (36090 ft)

References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1315 & 1316