A rugged STOL transport aircraft, the Max Holste MH1521 Broussard survives in military service only with the Chad Air Force, France having retired its examples.

Differing considerably from the company’s first product, the Max Holste MH 152 was designed to meet a French army requirement for a light – weight liaison/observation aircraft.

Of braced high-wing monoplane configuration, it had fixed tail-wheel landing gear, a tail unit similar to that of the MH 52, and accommodated a pilot and four passengers.

The prototype, first flown on 12 June 1951, was powered by a 164-kW (220-hp) Salmson 8 AS Argus engine, but by the time that it had flown the French army had changed its ideas and was no longer interested in the low-powered MH 152. While hoping to market this aircraft for civil use in agricultural, ambulance, light transport or photographic roles, the company decided to develop a slightly larger and considerably more powerful version.

Designated MH 1521 and later named Broussard, this generally similar aircraft seated a pilot and five passengers and had a Pratt & Whitney engine more than double the power of the Salmson Argus ; an alternative ambulance interior was available to accommodate two stretchers and two sitting casualties or medical attendants.

Flown initially in prototype form on 17 November 1952, the first civil production aircraft was flown on 16 June 1954, followed eight days later by the first specially equipped military aircraft. Built in considerable numbers for both civil and military use, very few MH 1521 Broussard remain in use.

Variants:

• MH1521A: designation of version of MH 1521 which was equipped specifically for agricultural use
• MH1522: designation of prototype conversion, first flown on 11 February 1952, with a wing incorporating full span leading-edge slots and doubles-slotted trailing edge flaps to improve STOL performance

Data:

• Powerplant: one 336-kW (450-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 radial piston engine
• Performance: speed 120kt, range 680NM
• Weights: empty 1530kg (3 373 lbs); maximum take-off 2500 kg (5 512 lbs)
• Dimensions: span 13.75m (45 ft 1¼ in), length 8.65 m (28 ft 4 ½ in), height 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in), wing area 25.20 m2 (271.26sq ft)

Profile:

What to do with a broussard?
The NASA has a B747 and the space-shuttle, the Russians had an Antonov and the Buran and some Frenchman had another idea.