W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters
SALMSON 3 France
In the autumn of 1917, Society des Moteurs Salmson designed a single-seat fighter powered by the unusual Salmson 9Z nine-cylinder water-cooled radial engine successfully employed for the Sal 2 A2 two-seat reconnaissance aircraft. This, the Sal 3, was undergoing testing, according to an official report, on 1 December 1917, which commented ‘‘Visibility bad in all directions and fatiguing to fly.” A two-bay equi-span biplane, the Sal 3 fighter was at Villacoublay in January 1918 with a 230 hp Salmson 9Za engine "having its radiator fitted”, suggesting that modifications had been made to the design. Despite the initially unfavourable official opinion of this type, the makers persevered, and although the Sal 3 was not accepted for series production, it was listed in an October 1918 data chart of ‘ ‘New experimental aeroplanes", this indicating that the Sal 3 then had a 260 hp Salmson 9Zm engine. Armament comprised two 7,7-mm Vickers guns. No subsequent development was undertaken. The following data relate to the fighter with the higher-powered engine.
Max speed, 134 mph (215 km/h) at 6,560 ft (2 000 m).
Time to 6,560 ft (2 000 m), 5.73 min.
Empty weight, 1,537 lb (697 kg).
Loaded weight, 2,264 lb (1027 kg).
Span, 32 ft 3 4/5 in (9,85m).
Length, 21 ft 0 in (6,40 m).
Height, 8 ft 1 2/3 in (2,48 m).
Wing area, 257.69 sqft (23,94 m2).