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Unknown VIP aircraft visitor to Jever sometime in 1958.   This has the French Air Force colours and may have carried a VIP mission visiting the German Navy at Wilhelmshaven?   Anyone know the occasion?   The aircraft is a:
SNCASO Sud-Ouest SO.30P Bretagne
The SO.30 Bretagne twin-engined transport was designed in the early part of World War II, in spite of the difficulties facing the project given the German occupation of France.   Indeed, the two prototypes were damaged during Allied bombardment of Cannes.   It was resurrected once peace had been restored. In its definitive form, the SO.30P, the aircraft first flew on 11 december 1947.   The subsequent production run totalled 45 examples, four of which were used for a time by Air France.   Eight SO.30Ps served with Air Algerie and 12 with Air Maroc.   Some were bought by charter companies, continuing in service for a number of years.   Others were operated, sometimes under charter, by units of the French Air Force's Transport Command.   Crew: 2; Powerplant: two 1,209kW (1,620hp) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-B43 Double Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines; Performance: Max speed 416kph (258mph); Range: 1,500km (932 miles); Service ceiling: 6,500m (21,325ft).Dimensions: Wingspan: 26.89m (88ft 3in); Length: 18.95m (62ft 2in); Height: 5.89m (19ft 4in); Weight: 18,900Kg (39,881lb) loaded; Payload: 30-37 passengers.   (Thanks to The Encyclopedia of Aircraft by Silverdale Books).    (Thanks to Jack Goldthorpe.)
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