Socata MS.880B Rallye Club G-BFTZ Ser. No. 1269 NAHR – Noteworthy
G-BFTZ arrived at the museum on 27th January 1996. Around 1,000 MS.880B Rallye Club airframes were built and this example is believed to be one of oldest of its type on museum display in the country. By Jan McGeachie
The SOCATA Rallye is a single-engined, low-wing monoplane light aircraft, capable of STOL (short take-off and landing) performance. It is composed of all metal construction, fitted with a fixed tricycle landing gear with dual flying controls.
The prototype Socata MS.880, powered by a 90 hp (67 kW) engine, first flew on 10th June 1959, having originally been developed by French aircraft manufacturer Morane-Saulnier. Their first production versions gained certification on 21st November 1961, these were designated as the MS.880B.
Changes were made to later models of the Rallye, becoming the MS.890 Rallye Commodore series with seating for four. Described in the magazine ‘Flying’ as, “..a slow-moving and affordable fixed-wing aircraft with a simplistic design for the aircraft's capable STOL performance”. It was designed to appeal to the North American market; through distribution agreements with Waco Aircraft Company and later in the early 1970s BFA Aviation, to market, sell, and service the type.
SOCATA having renamed the Rallye series in 1979 with individual Gallic names, soon phased out their French production. These were replaced by the newer Socata TB series, after the last of 3,300 SOCATA-built aircraft was delivered during December 1984. However, the Rallye production continued in Poland with PZL, using the name, PZL Koliber (meaning, Hummingbird); their prototype first flew on 18th April 1978.
These later Polish derivatives were also sold to the North American market. They are reported to have had generous cockpit visibility; aerobatic manoeuvres were not officially approved by the manufacturer and the canopy could remain open up to a maximum speed of 94 knots.
With the three passengers, one pilot configuration; G-BFTZ has a wingspan of 31 feet 6 inches, length 22 feet 9 inches and a maximum speed of 121mph. It could climb to an altitude of 10,500ft; had a range of 530 miles; and was powered by a single 100h.p. Rolls-Royce Continental O-200-A engine.
Built in France in 1968 by SOCATA and registered F-BPAX, (construction Number 1269) it was re-registered when G-BFTZ arrived in the UK some ten years later. It was registered to Mr. T. Shore of Tredegar on 2nd June 1978 who sold it in 1981. After flying with other owners it was removed from the list of serviceable aircraft in 1994.
G-BFTZ, passed through various aviation collections, before arrived at the museum in 1996. The museum archive still retains the original 1976 UK flight manual, with its last in-service ownership being R & R Legge Ltd.
Back in 2012 the aircraft was repainted into a house colour scheme, which was suggested by the museum’s then Archivist, Kathy Smith. In a surprise move Kathy was invited to unveil the Rallye, only to reveal that the aircraft was wearing the name Kathy S on its nose.
Photo credit: Jan McGeachie