Review: Camille Bachmann’s SA-316 Alouette III for FSX and Prepar3D

The lineage of the Alouette series of helicopters can be traced back to WWII. The French company Sud-Est manufactured three examples of the German Focke Achgelis FA-223 in 1948. The struggle to make the aircraft stable soon gave way to the more conventional, if slightly odd looking single seat SE3101 which was designed by German engineer Henrich Focke. This aircraft did away with the two contra-rotating three bladed main rotor systems for a single three bladed head and two ‘tail rotors’ mounted at 45 degrees in a ‘V’ configuration. This development then lead to the SE3120 Alouette which ditched the twin tail rotors for a now more conventional single tail rotor and provided a three seat cabin. Although the new design broke helicopter speed and distance records, it was complex and difficult to maintain. The French government (who were funding the project) laid down an ultimatum to get a helicopter into production within two years, or all funding would cease. Out of a number of other designs, one officially labelled as the X-310G was chosen to be mated to the new 260hp Artouste turbine engine and the Alouette II was born.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.helisimmer.com/reviews/review-camille-bachmanns-sa-316-alouette-iii-for-fsx-and-prepar3d/