SCA Type CAPRN.10: a mysterious pre-WW2 light plane

fabulousfour

fabulousfour

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Hello.
I own a photo with a French aircraft that I'm unable to identify.
According to another forum the picture was taken probably in Saint-Nazaire Escoublac after the German occupation. I assume that the engine is a Salmson.
img735a 1700px.jpg
The registration F-AROR was given to a Morane-Saulnier MS.138 but that type can be excluded.
In another forum there are some different pictures of that aircraft, one shows the tail with what may be the type designation:

SCA type CAPRN 10 N.01

3677_Capture 2020-07-02 à 16.37.12.jpg

https://www.39-45.org/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=43539&sid=21afcd475bab0f3ce88fb39b887c2019&start=1190
SCA could be the Societe Commerciale Aeronautique, but what is CAPRN?

In the link from above it is suggested that the unknown plane is the SCA SFR-10, however, according to this thread here at secretprojects this can probably excluded as well.

Is there anything more about this little plane which could help to identify it?
 
Fabulousfour, I think that your mystery aeroplane is the C.A.P.R.N. type 10. It was wind tested in 1937 (see https://www.servicehistorique.sga.d...s/2019-12/SHDAA_REP_5F9_NO_1054_1923_1978.pdf, p.51) and the resulting report is 336/E. There is a sketch and a three view drawing of it in the February 1938 issue of L'Aérophile (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6555153t/f19.item, p.31) but I've failed to find any mention of it in the other French aeronautical journals around this time. It was a two seater powered by a 60hp Salmson 9 ADR, designed to be used in the state flying training programme (Aviation Populaire). I suspect that it was one of the very many French light aeroplanes which failed to make the grade at this time and simply disappeared off the radar during the subsequent German Occupation of France. I've failed to ascertain for what the initials C.A.P.R.N. stood. As for S.C.A., I think that we've discussed this elsewhere before and, whilst I can't presently find that discussion, my memory tells me that the company built aeroplanes for third parties. So I suspect that C.A.P.R.N. designed and S.C.A. built the aeroplane in your photograph.
 
Hi, Mike ;)
Many, many thanks for your research, I think that doesn't leave any question open.
According to the post at 12oclockhigh CAPRN means "Centre d'Aviation Populaire de la Région Nazairienne" so that would match with the assumption that the photo was taken in Saint Nazaire.
 
'Twas a pleasure, Robert, but it still leaves one mystery, namely why the registration mark F-AROR had been applied to it, when it was photographed, when the records indicate that such was or should have been carried by a M.S.138.
 
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avion ancien said:
As for S.C.A., I think that we've discussed this elsewhere before and, whilst I can't presently find that discussion, my memory tells me that the company built aeroplanes for third parties.
Click to expand...
I think that I was slightly mistaken when I posted the above information. I think that what we'd discussed elsewhere was the S.C.A.M. rather than the S.C.A.. The former was the Société des Constructions Aéronautiques du Maine, based at Pont-de-Braye in the Sarthe Département (although one might have expected it to be based in Maine-et-Loire). Has it been established whether the latter was the Société Commerciale Aeronautique? Judging by the little information that I've found online, the Société Commerciale Aeronautique (including those companies that use this name with a geographical suffix) seems to be far more recently established rather than dating back to the 1930s. Thus I wonder whether the S.C.A. and the S.C.A.M. might have been one and the same enterprise? Unfortunately none of my books contain reference to either and the online references are few and scant in content. Can anyone else shed light on this?
 
Moderators, I wonder whether it might be more appropriate to pare off the C.A.P.R.N./S.C.A./S.C.A.M. Type 10 posts into a discrete topic, rather than leaving them floundering in the generic Little Known French Projects & Prototypes topic?
 
Yes, that's exactly what I said in my prepenultimate post. If you know any more than that, about this specific entreprise, I shall be grateful if you'll provide details.
 
avion ancien said:
Yes, that's exactly what I said in my prepenultimate post. If you know any more than that, about this specific entreprise, I shall be grateful if you'll provide details.
Click to expand...

In the topic,which I shared its link all you want.
 
avion ancien said:
Moderators, I wonder whether it might be more appropriate to pare off the C.A.P.R.N./S.C.A./S.C.A.M. Type 10 posts into a discrete topic, rather than leaving them floundering in the generic Little Known French Projects & Prototypes topic?
Click to expand...
Though I'm not a "moderator" per se (only a backstage "reorganizer") I've performed the operation as required!
 
For what it's worth, the aircraft designed by the CAPRN was one of the three types chosen by the Commission d'examen des projets d'appareils nouveaux d'aéronautique (CEPANA) in late October or early November 1937 to provide the first level training of pilots in the popular aviation sections which were to operate throughout France. The other two were the Bassou F.B. 4 and the Mauboussin 160.

It is worth noting that, in 1937, one could also find the expression Société d'aviation populaire de la région nazairienne (SAPRN) in French publications.
 

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