On this day in aviation history, 58 years ago (September 11, 1968), the Dassault MD.320 Hirondelle took flight for the first time from Bordeaux-Mérignac, France. Meaning “Swallow” in French, the Hirondelle was a twin-engine turboprop utility transport developed for the French Air Force. Only one prototype was completed. Development began in response to a 1967 French Air Force requirement seeking a replacement for its aging Douglas DC-3 and Beechcraft 18 aircraft, which were being used for light transport and navigation training. Dassault developed the Hirondelle rapidly by incorporating elements of the Falcon 20 business jet. Its pressurized fuselage shared the same length and volume as the Falcon 20, while its wings and control surfaces were adaptations of the earlier design.
The Hirondelle could accommodate up to 14 passengers and appeared promising, but the requirement changed almost as quickly as the aircraft had been developed. In 1968, the French Air Force announced that it now wanted a jet-powered aircraft to replace its DC-3s and Beechcraft 18s. With no further official interest, Dassault abandoned the project after completing the sole prototype. Experience from the Hirondelle was subsequently applied to the Falcon 10, while the MD.320 became the last propeller-powered aircraft designed by Dassault. The Hirondelle measured 41 feet 9 inches in length with a wingspan of 47 feet 9 inches and was powered by two 920-horsepower Turbomeca Astazou XIVD turboprops. It could reach a maximum speed of approximately 310 mph, had a range of 1,900 miles, and a service ceiling of 30,000 feet. The aircraft carried a crew of two with accommodations for six to 14 passengers or up to 2,600 pounds of cargo.
