Capy, Xavier - The Nord 2501 Noratlas (1997) (Ebook)

The Nord 2501 Noratlas (1997)
Xavier Capy

The Noratlas was one of the major elements in the revival of the French aeronautical industry in the aftermath of the second war. The French Air Force needed a transport aircraft; the industry needed a mass production program. With 321 copies built, the Nord 2500 Noratlas has perfectly fulfilled its role.

Incorporating innovative formulas for the time, such as the twin-boom, the rear shell opening or the lowering of the fuselage for loading, it found its field of excellence in Africa where it was perfectly adapted to tropical conditions or desert operations. The Israeli and Portuguese air forces, and airlines such as UAT and Air Algeria quickly understood this. Its transport capabilities made it an essential tactical element for NATO at the height of the Cold War, in the Suez crisis or in the Algerian conflict. It dropped paratroopers, assisted in polar exploration missions, provided humanitarian assistance and was even part of an aerobatic display patrol.
Its flexibility of use made it possible to derive several versions specialized in electronic warfare, weapon system or navigation training, calibration, VIP transport, flying command post ... and even an unmanned version!

This book deals with the Noratlas in an incredibly exhaustive way: the industrial program, all the operational versions and those that never saw the light of day, all the units of the French Air Force and Luftwaffe which operated it, are analyzed one by one. The different military and civilian customers are reviewed and the fate of each of each aircraft is faithfully reported. Almost 300 pages of in-depth work by one of the most renowned specialists in the history of this aircraft. The book is enhanced by an extremely rich iconography.

An essential reference work in the field of military air transport.
297 pages - in English