The Languedoc first flew as the Bloch MB.161 on 15 December 1939, then quite a modern medium-range airliner. Moved to Sud-Ouest (SNCASE) in Toulouse, production did not get under way until after the war. No 9 is listed as the first airframe completed in 1946. Early Languedocs entered service with Air France powered by Gnome-Rhône 14N engines on the Paris to Algiers route from 28 May 1946, but were withdrawn within a few months to be re-engined with R-1830 Twin Wasps. This registration was cancelled in October 1951. Photo from: Sud-Ouest