According to some sources, it seems that Morane-Saulnier was granted the contract for the Type T in consolation for the failure of the Type S. The original Type T was powered by two 80 hp Le Rhône engines. The angular fuselage had initially a gunner's position with a large number of portholes. However, it was later redesigned and the portholes were eliminated.
The pilot was placed beneath the top wing with a second gunner position placed just behind. The rear fuselage tapered sharply with a triangular fin and rudder mounted on the extreme tail. The undercarriage had an unusual configuration with a pair of wheels beneath the center of the fuselage and one wheel under each engine nacelle. A single nose wheel, larger than the main ones, was placed in the extreme nose. The engines were tightly cowled and the propellers had spinners which almost completely covered the engines. The nacelles were suspended between the upper and lower wings and were located on both sides of the pilot's cockpit.
The Type T was tested in mid 1916 with the first flight being satisfactory and an order for 90 machines being placed on 22nd August 1916. Static testing revealed, however, some structural weakness and it was stated that deliveries would be held until this problem was solved. However, attending the problems that the aircraft had to cope with when in service, it seems that those were never fixed.
They received the official denomination of MoS.25A3 by the Aeronautique Militaire (French Military Aeronautics - the forerunner of the French Air Force). The A3 designation meaning a three-manned reconnaissance and army cooperation airplane. On the field, the Type S was powered by the more powerful 110 hp Le-Rhône engines. They were armed with two 0.303in Lewis guns placed on scarff rings at the nose and behind the pilot's cockpit.
Deliveries began on 1st August 1917, almost one year after the first prototype was ordered and until then, only 13 machines had been completed at Morane-Saulnier's factory in Villacoublay.
There were no escadrilles (squadrons) fully equipped with the Type T, but they were supplied to various army cooperation escadrilles which operated either the Caudron G.6, R.4 and SM.1, so they were given the Type T to have long-range reconnaissance capabilities. It is known that they served with C 4, C 11, C 17, C 30, C 39 and C47 escadrilles.
A report from late 1917 shows also that the Type T suffered various problems resulting in many accidents. The cause seemed the awkward position of the tail skid, which resulted in debris being thrown against tail surfaced during landing which caused structural failure of the tail assemble, probably at the elevator hinges, which were found to be weak. This often caused the loss of the airplane and crew. The forward gunner position had to be loaded with ballast if no gunner was carried and they were also warned to not flight the type with bad weather. A report claims that Morane-Saulnier was working to solve those problems, but other suggest that they were being withdrawn from active service in late 1917.
Sources:
1. Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_T
3. https://www.valka.cz/Morane-Saulnier-T-t18281
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