The Mauboussin M.120 was based on a 1931 collaboration between Louis Peyret and Pierre Mauboussin, the Peyret-Mauboussin PM.XII, and like it, was a low-wing cantilever monoplane of wooden construction. The undercarriage was of fixed tailskid type, and the pilot and instructor sat in tandem, open cockpits. Mauboussin built a number of prototypes himself, followed by a small series manufactured for him by Breguet in 1934.

 

One of first M.120s took part in the international touring aircraft contest Challenge 1932, flown by André Nicolle. It completed contest on the last 24th place, but it had the weakest engine of all participants and completing this contest was quite a success anyway.

 

In 1935 Maryse Hilz set a women's altitude record of 7,388 metres on 24 September in the M.122.

 

In 1936, Fouga, then a builder of railway rolling stock, purchased all rights to the design as part of an effort to enter the aircraft industry, and was able to secure a contract from the Armée de l'Air to supply the type as the M.123.

 

The Mauboussin 123 was built 1937-1938.

 

Production was restarted by Fouga after the war for the French flying clubs.

 

The Mauboussin M.129 was built 1947-1948.

 

Mauboussin M.123 derivative Metalair 1 at Persan airfield in northern France in 1957

 

One of first M.120s took part in the international touring aircraft contest Challenge 1932, flown by André Nicolle. It completed contest on the last 24th place, but it had the weakest engine of all participants and completing this contest was quite a success anyway. Two competed the following year, one of them with an all-women crew for probably the first time. Again, low engine power left them low in the final table.

 

After the Angers competition on 2 August 1933, one of the women (Hélène Boucher) set a new women's world altitude record at 5,900 m (19,357 ft) in the M.120. In 1935 Maryse Hilsz increased it to 7,388 m (24,239 ft) on 24 September in the M.122.

 

Maryse Hilsz holding the propeller of her Mauboussin M.122, 1935

M.120 - 1932 low-wing monoplane trainer/tourer, 1 x 60 hp Salmson 9Adr, 116 built

M.120: PM XII deriv. (PM XII consid. prototype), wooden constr.

M.120/32: 1932 Zodiac-built M.120, 3 built (c/n 104, 106, 109)

NB: M.120/32 c/n 106 subsequently rebuilt by Brequet as an M.120/34

M.120/34: Breguet-built M.120, 10 built (c/n 111-121, 113 was rebuilt M.112)

NB: count incl. c/n 113 (rebuilt M.112) but not c/n 106 (rebuilt 120/32)

M.120/37: [Project] 2-seat tandem trainer, became M.123 Corsaire

M.121: as M.120 but with supercharged Salmson 9A 68–80 hp (51–60 kW) (2 built)

M.121P 1935 Corsaire Major: version with 75 hp Pobjoy R Cataract engine, aka M.121-35, (1 built F-AMHS)

M.122 - 1935 Corsaire Major, record a/c for Maryse Hilz, 75 hp Salmson 9 Aers, 1 built

For women's light aircraft altitude record (7338 m category), 24 Sept 1935

M.123 - 1937 2-seat low-wing monoplane trainer, 1 x 60 hp Salmson 9Adr, 11.75m span (65 built)

M.123: Corsaire, 60 for Aviation Populaire, wooden const., 1st flight Dec 1937

M.123 stemmed from 1936 Fouga contract for para-military training aircraft

M.123C: M 129/48 (F-PJKQ) with Minié replaced by flat 4-cyl Continental

M.123M: [Project] 70 hp Minié flat 4-cyl, later produced with 75hp Minié

M.123M Corsaire: post-WWII mod, 75 hp Minié 4DC32 flat 4-cyl, canopy, M = Minié

M.123M re-engined with 60 hp geared Salmson 9Adr by Gilbert Pollono, 1954

NB: 1958 Pollono re-engined with 75 hp Régnier, turning M.123M into M.125

M.123M (F-BCEP) re-engined with a Continental by Simon Glotin at Nates

M.123M re-engined with a 105 hp Hirth engine by M Grenet of Beynes, 1960

M.123R: [Project] 60 hp Régnier inverted 4 cyl engine, not built

M.123T: [Project] 60 hp Train 6T 6-cyl inline, not built

M.124 - first postwar version with 1 x 60 hp Aster 4A inline 4-cyl, 1 built

Aster engine (a licenced Walter Mikron) produced 100 hp

M.125 - 1946 M.123 variant, 1 x 60 hp Régnier 4Jo inline 4-cyl, 5 built

Differed from M.123 in powerplant and shorter 10.35 m wingspan

M.126 - 1946 M.123 variant, 1 x 80 hp Salmson Salmson 5Ap radial, 1 built

Differed from M.123 in powerplant and shorter 10.35 m wingspan

M.127 - 1946 M.123 variant, 1 x 95 hp Régnier 4Eo inline 4-cyl, 2 built

M.128 - 1946 M.123 variant, 1 x 95 hp Mathis G4G flat 4-cyl, 1 built

M.129 - 1939, sim, to M-123M, 1 x 75 hp Minié flat 4-cyl, 29 built

M.129-48: 1944 M-123 variant (F-BBSK, c/n 191), 1 x 75 hp Régnier 157 4.JO 4-cy l (23 built)

M.129-48: postwar production by Fouga, 1 x 75 hp Minié flat 4-cyl

M.129 (F-PJKQ) re-engined with Minié replaced by flat 4-cyl Continental

Metalair 1: a derivative of the M.123

Grenet PG-2 Bison

Mauboussin-Zodiac 17: Designation for Zodiac produced M.120 aircraft

Mauboussin 123