Morane Saulnier L - Franco-British users

The Morane-Saulnier L (AKA Morane-Saulnier MS.3) was a French single or double seater parasol scout airplane. It became one of the first successful fighters when it was fitted with a machine gun and the blades were protected by armoured deflector wedges. It was powered by a single Le-Rhône engine that delivered 80hp of power. It was, however, quickly outdated at the beginning of the World War I.
It made history when flying with the French Aéronautique Militaire as in December 1914 the French Aviator Roland Garros, serving with the Escadrille 23, teamed up with Raymond Saulnier to create a gun synchronizer using a Hotchkiss light machine gun. The first synchronizers fluctuated too much to operate properly so it was chosen to install some deflector metal wedges on the rear surfaces of the propeller blades at the points where they could be hit by one of the bullets. Roland Garros took his armed synchronized type L in March 1915 and scored inmediate success as he managed to shot down three German airplanes in April, a true achievement at the time, specially considering the technological superiority of the German aircrafts during that period. However, on 18th April 1915, Roland Garros was shot down behind the frontlines and the Germans captured him and the airplane before he could burn it.
Around 50 Type Ls served with the British Royal Flying Corps, that were used as scout airplanes in 1915 plus further 25 being used by the Royal Naval Air Service. One of them, flown by Flight Sub-Lieutenant Reginal A.J. Warneford serving with the 1 Squadron RNAS, intercepted the German Army's Zeppelin LZ.37 on 7th June 1915 making it the first Zeppelin to be destroyed in the war and granting Warneford with the Victoria Cross for such achievement.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_L
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Morane Saulnier L - Russian users

The Morane-Saulnier L was also license built in Russia. In 1914 the Joint-Stock Company Dux Y.U. A. Meller (commonly known as Dux) based in Moscow, got the license and later, in 1915 the Aeronautical Joint-Stock Company VA Lebedev (commonly known as Lebedev) got the license to produce it. Later, after the Russian Civil War, Bolsheviks nationalized both companies and Dux was called Moscow Aircraft Factory Number 1 and Lebedev simply was dissolved. A total of approximate 400 Type L were manufactured by Dux and around 30 of them were manufactured by Lebedev.
Of those around 430 Russian built Type L, it's known that most of them served with the Imperial Russian Air Service during the eastern front of the World War I where they served mainly as scouts and improvised bombers specially in the period of 1915-1916. Later when the revolutions sparked in 1917, they served with many sides of the conflict as it saw service with the Siberian White Army in the vastly enormous Siberian-Ural region from 1918-1919, when that army was disbanded as the front collapsed.
The Workers and Peasants' Air Fleet (the name of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic's early air force) also used some of them with the curiosity that at least one of them was damaged in the tail and they got it replaced with another one. It was also up-armoured with two American built M1895 Colt-Browning machine guns, one at the front, synchronized with the propellers and a defensive one at the back in the place of the observer. Their fate is unknown, but they were most probably destroyed during the Russian Civil War or salvaged for spare parts.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_L
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Army
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Air_Forces
4. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Morane-Saulnier L - Various European users

We keep on going with the various users of the Morane-Saulnier Type L and today we cover its European and Turkish users except for French, British and Russian ones which will have their own post.

• Belgium: The Belgian Aviation Militaire adquired some Morane-Saulnier L prior to the World War I together with the Morane-Saulnier Type G. The type L was employed in the scout role during the early days of the World War I and was outdated and quickly replaced. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of the type L in Belgian service, the colours should be considered as speculative.
• Czechoslovakia: Apparently, the Czechoslovak state had at least one Type L in service, however any further information is unknown and the drawing must be considered as speculative.
• Finland: This country had also some Type L that adquired together with the modified licensed Swedish version Thulin D. Apparently it served its role as scout/trainer in the early Finnish Army Corps of Aviation.
• Holland: Apparently at least one airplane served with the Dutch Aviation corps. However, as we couldn't find any further information, the drawing is speculative.
• Poland: Somehow, the early Polish Air Force got a Type L that was probably used as a trainer during its early days. As we couldn't find further info the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Romania: Prior to World War I the Romanian Army bought a Type L and it served as scout during the war. As there isn't graphical evidence to support the claim, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Ottoman Empire: The Ottoman Aviation Commission bought a Type L before the war and it was used in the early war. It was widely liked and later they bought the German Pfalz copy.
• West Ukrainian People's Republic (ZUNR): Apparently some ex-Russian built Type L served with the ZUNR during their convoluted existance.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_L

2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Morane-Saulnier L - South American users

We're back with another French aircraft... but this time from the early World War I era and covering the Southern American users of them.
The Morane-Saulnier L was a French parasol one or two-seater that was used as a scout and even as a fighter. In South America it was used by the next countries:

• Argentina: The Morane-Saulnier L nicknamed "Mendoza" made history there as it was the first airplane to cross the Andean mountains by taking off from Neuquen, in Argentina and landing in Cunco, Chile on 13th April 1918. The airplane was part of the flying school of the Argentinean Aviación Militar (Military Aviation) that served from 1915 until 1923.
• Brazil: The Brazilian Army's Serviço de Aviaçao Naval adquired at least one armed Morane-Saulnier L in 1916. However we couldn't find more information about its usage and fate.
• Bolivia: Somehow Bolivian Cuerpo de Aviación got a type L, however as we couldn't find neither graphical nor text evidence of it, the drawing should be considered as speculative. 
• Peru: Peru was another user of the type L. Most probably it was adquired during late World War I when the type L was already outdated and it served with the Peruvian Aviación Militar. However, as we couldn't find graphical or text evidence about it, the drawing should be considered as speculative.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_L

2. https://aerospotter.blogspot.com.es/2014/04/el-morane-saulnier-l-parasol-y-el.html (translated)

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters