In 1937, the Ministry of
Air issued a new program C1. The previous one, in 1934 had seen
the victory of the Morane-Saulnier MS405 to the detriment especially
of the Loire-Nieuport LN161. For this new program C1, the Company
has become SNCAO after the nationalizations, conceives the CAO
200. This one is of modern design with a tubular structure welded
covered with Duralumin. Wings are equipped with beaks of leading
edges. It is expected to equip it with the Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51
engine of 1100hp, but it is a 12Y-31, less powerful, 830hp, which
is mounted for its first flight on 31st January 1939.
This first flight caused
some modifications: the stabilizer receives small vertical rudders
at the ends, and the aircraft is equipped with propulsion exhaust
pipes that can gain about 15 km / h. approximately. The performances
obtained are interesting, but it is finally the Dewoitine D520
that is retained and launched in series. A pre-series of 12 aircraft
is nevertheless ordered, but none of them will be built before
the Armistice.
The prototype continues
its attempts to prepare this pre-series and is assigned to the
defense of Villacoublay. On 24 May 1940, the civilian pilot, M.
Demazière, even managed to shot down a Heinkel 111! At the Armistice,
the aircraft was captured by the Germans at Villacoublay, and
it disappeared in the turmoil.
