SNCAO

Slagorde · Vliegtuigfabrikanten · Frankrijk

SNCAO

Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques de l’Ouest

One of six state aircraft groups born of France’s 1936 nationalisation, SNCAO lived barely four years before being folded into SNCASO.

1936Opgericht
Samengevoegd in SNCASO (Sud-Ouest) in 1941Status
3Vliegtuigen geregistreerd
Foto: Rama / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0 fr)
LandFrankrijkOpgericht1936-11-16HoofdkwartierWestern France (Bouguenais, Saint-Nazaire and Issy-les-Moulineaux)StatusSamengevoegd in SNCASO (Sud-Ouest) in 1941
Het verhaal

SNCAO: the company and the aircraft that made its name

Born of nationalisation

SNCAO was created on 16 November 1936, one of six state-owned Sociétés Nationales formed when France nationalised its military aircraft industry. It took over the Breguet factory at Bouguenais near Nantes and the Loire-Nieuport plants at Saint-Nazaire and Issy-les-Moulineaux, inheriting their designs in mid-development. It also inherited a rivalry: Loire and Nieuport had recently competed against each other for the same fighter contract, which went to Morane-Saulnier with the MS.406.

Chasing the D.520

The inheritance included the Loire-Nieuport LN.40 naval dive bomber, built from 1938, and a flying-boat trainer renamed the SNCAO 30. SNCAO’s own big bid was the CAO.200 fighter, based on the rejected Loire-Nieuport 161 and aimed at the same 1937 requirement that produced the Dewoitine D.520. Its prototype flew on 31 January 1939 with a lower-powered engine than planned, and only one was built. The SNCAO 30 disappointed as well, nose-heavy and with a vibrating, overheating engine; a Navy order for 12 was placed, but only the two prototypes were built.

Absorbed

War cut the story short. At the end of 1940 the state groups were reorganised and SNCAO was absorbed into SNCASO, which in 1957 became part of Sud Aviation. SNCAO’s one production aircraft of note, the LN.40, was built in a run of only 68 between 1938 and 1942. Its factories at Bouguenais, Saint-Nazaire and Issy-les-Moulineaux passed with it into SNCASO. SNCASO itself merged into Sud Aviation in 1957. Its CAO.200 prototype remained a one-off.

One of six state aircraft groups born of France’s 1936 nationalisation, SNCAO lived barely four years before being folded into SNCASO.SNCAO · verified 2026-10-03
In één oogopslag

SNCAO in numbers

Het bedrijf

Kortom
Opgericht in 1936

  • Formed 16 November 1936 by nationalisation
  • Breguet and Loire-Nieuport plants
  • Absorbed by SNCASO

Productie

Het meest bekend om
LN.40 dive bomber

  • Loire-Nieuport LN.40 naval dive bomber
  • CAO.200 fighter prototype
  • SNCAO 30 flying-boat trainer

Vandaag

Nu
Part of SNCASO from 1941

  • SNCASO merged into Sud Aviation in 1957
Het vliegtuig

Every notable SNCAO aircraft

Vliegtuig Rol Eerste vlucht Gebouwd Status Opmerking
SNCAO 30 Flying-boat trainer 1938 2 Gepensioneerd Ordered into production for the Navy but only prototypes built
Loire-Nieuport LN.40 Marine duikbommenwerper 1938 68 Gepensioneerd Inherited Loire-Nieuport design
SNCAO CAO.200 Prototype van een gevechtsvliegtuig 1939 1 Gepensioneerd Rival to the Dewoitine D.520
Plaatsen, mensen, archieven

Where SNCAO built, who led it, what it achieved

Fabrieken

  • Bouguenais works · Bouguenais, near Nantes — Former Breguet plant
  • Saint-Nazaire-werken · Saint-Nazaire — Former Loire plant
  • Issy-les-Moulineaux works · Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris — Former Nieuport plant
Tijdlijn

SNCAO, year by year

1936

SNCAO formed from Breguet Bouguenais and Loire-Nieuport

1937

Air Ministry issues the fighter requirement answered by the CAO.200

1938

CAO.200 mock-up shown at the Paris Air Show

1938

LN.40 dive bomber first flies

1938

SNCAO 30 trainer first flies

1939

CAO.200 prototype first flies

1940

State groups reorganised at the end of the year

1941

SNCAO absorbed by SNCASO

1957

SNCASO merges into Sud Aviation

De stamboom

Before and after SNCAO

Kwam eerderBreguetBouguenais factory nationalised, 1936Read the Breguet pageKwam eerderLoire AviationSaint-Nazaire plant, via Loire-NieuportRead the Loire Aviation pageKwam eerderNieuportIssy-les-Moulineaux plant, via Loire-NieuportLees de Nieuport-paginaKwam daarnaSNCASO (Sud-Ouest)Absorbed SNCAO in the 1940–1941 reorganisationRead the SNCASO (Sud-Ouest) page
Vragen en antwoorden

Everything people ask about SNCAO

What does SNCAO stand for?
Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques de l’Ouest, the national aircraft company of the West.
When was SNCAO formed?
On 16 November 1936, during the nationalisation of the French military aircraft industry.
What did SNCAO build?
The LN.40 naval dive bomber and prototypes such as the CAO.200 fighter and SNCAO 30 trainer.
What happened to SNCAO?
It was absorbed into SNCASO after the end-1940 reorganisation.

Vervolg de rondleiding

Around SNCAO

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Geverifieerd op 3 oktober 2026.