Manufacturer: Nord Aviation (SNCAN)

Model: N. 6000

Name: Girafe

Type: VTO convoy fighter

Date: 1954

Status: Experimental

Country: France

Service: Armée de l'air

Designation: none

In 1953, the team who was working on the Nord Griffon at SNCAN also developed in secrecy a tailsitter designated the Nord 6000 Girafe.

This project would have been forgotten were it not for the patient work of researcher Sophie Twiga. It is possible that a prototype was started but photos, of any, seem lost; at any rate it never flew.

The image was reworked from existing Griffon II artwork.

I have absolutely no recollection of where I got the name Sophie Twiga from or whether there was a pun intended!

 The original Griffon profile, a superlative piece of artwork by Damon Moran (see below right), can also be found online here: [link] (actually I worked from one of the unfinished profiles which Damon shared on the What If forum during the elaboration of the image — not the final version that appears on that page).

• Unique looking aircraft (Jamesanthony Flanagan)
• *Love* (Caravellarella)
• Great transformation, thanks. (Tophe)
• Cool! Looks like a rocketship! (Tony Harris)
• I love it. The French did love their tail-sitters.  BTW, have you considered a Leduc Ramjet? (David R. Townend)

Oh, David, that would be aviation porn! ROTFL