Can anyone identify these french a/c?

[RudiS]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-...oAAOSw8q9eElfg

[rof120]

SO "Espadon"?? SO (SNCASO or Sud-Ouest Aviation) is followed by a number but I'm not sure: perhaps SO 4000.

The big four-engined monster carrying the "Espadon": ??? Looks like a Heinkel 177 but with 4 separate engines. Don't know.

[Leendert]

Looks like a Heinkel 274, produced by SAUF (Farman).

Leendert

[RSwank]

Leendert, Yes a Heinkel He274 with rocket glider COM.1 (a ½ half scale Sud Ouest SO.4000 Vautour I).

https://www.tumblr.com/search/heinkel%20he%20274

[Stig Jarlevik]

Rudi

The carrier is the captured He 274 and the aircraft on top is the SNCASO M1 glider. The latter was miniature (half scale) test airframe for a rather ambitious French bomber project in 1945, where the full scale SO model was the S.O. 4000.
First flight of the He 274/M1 combination was 6 April 1948 but the two never separated as far as I know.

The Heinkel was later switched for a SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc (production No 31). The little M1 was developed into the M2 which could take off on its own power.

The S.O. 4000 was not a success, its undercarriage collapsed during ground handling trials 23 April 1950 and after repairs it again collapsed after the first flight 15 March 1951. I don't think it ever flew again.

Rof120
The Espadon (S.O. 6020 etc) was a totally different French project

Cheers
Stig

[Alfred.MONZAT]

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[RudiS]

Thanks everyone for your input. Very much appreciated.