septum

Manufacturer: Societe des Avions Septum.

Purpose: High altitude bomber.

During the middle thirties, the French Armee de l'Air determined that a high altitute bomber was needed to offset the ominous growth of the Luftwaffe's strategic capabilities. Designed by winemaker, Maurice Lebouge and built by the Avions Septum aircraft cartel, the NC 2501.2 was powered by a pair of nine-cylinder, inline, Gnome-Rhone Petite engines that developed 165hp at the aircraft's intended altitude of 19,400ft. Unfortunately the Petites were not powerful enough to lift the NC 2501.2 to that height, forcing it to fly at a more prudent 5,600ft. Bomb load was limited by the necessity of carrying a committee of bombardiers - four in number - who voted on the proper time to drop their death-dealing cargo. This system was adopted because all necessary optics for bombsights were being used at the time for land based artillery sighting systems on the Maginot line, where France chose to make her first (and as it turned out, her last) gallant stand against the Hun. A total of eleven NC 2501.2s were built, although none were completed in time to see action before the republic was forced to surrender. However, the Germans evaluated one on the recommendation of the Vichy government. After it crashed, Lebouge, facing a firing squad, said defiantly, "We are lovers, not engineers!"

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That says it all cause that thing was butt ugly and useless if you have a committee debating on when to release. What is the pilot suppose to do during this discussion?

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

I´ve been looking for info on other sites on this plane and it seems everyone´s just asking if it´s a real plane or not. Unfortunately thus I must come to the conclusion this model did not exist. Sorry for wasting your time. Hope you even had a good laugh!

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Is this some Monty Python skit or something?

it's the first time I hear about this prototype. It's not that ugly, I've seen worse. The nose reminds me of the Heinkel 111, the tail of the Potez 163 , but the engines were way to vulnerable if you ask me. The side turrets seemed a good idea, but they are too large.
It's always the same story: so much money wasted on so many prototyes instead of focussing massively on a few good designs.

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Yes it is. I am trying to find the webpage that has this and other "airplanes" like it. Seems like we talked about these aircraft on WW2Talk last Fall. There were about 15-20 drawn, some so ludicrous to leave no doubt as to the comedic intent.

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Best Regards,
JW

No doubt that its defensive "armament" consisted of a crewman using a megaphone to shout gallic insults at attacking fighters. This saved ammunition and was more effective than the previously installed 7.5mm machinegun designed by a socialist committee in Paris!

It's a joke and not real, all part of a larger list of ridiculous designs for humorous intent. There's one silly plane for each country on a page called "8 On the Lighter Side", which can be seen here:

index

My favorite is the Caproni-Maroni C2 "Scud".

Thanks for confirming this. No wonder I had never heard of it. I thought it was peculiar to see an aircraft that was inspired by the HE111 and with the engines of an Amiot from the 1920s. Apparently it's more like a crossing of existing ac's. Funny, but quite dangerous as it could be considered as a real thing.

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