The Fouga CM.170 Magister was the brainchild of French aviation designers Pierre Mauboussin and Robert Castello (formerly with Dewoitine). The “CM” designation in CM.170 derived from Castello and Mauboussin. The Magister was developed and initially manufactured by Air Fouga in France but due to multiple mergers, the aircraft has been variously known as the Fouga CM.170 Magister, Potez (Fouga) CM.170 Magister, Sud Aviation (Fouga) CM.170 Magister and Aérospatiale (Fouga) CM.170 Magister, depending on where, when, and by whom they were built.
Development of the Magister commenced in 1948 as a primary trainer designed to utilize newly developed turbojet engines. The results of an evaluation by the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air, AdA) indicated that the aircraft lacked sufficient power for their requirements. In response the design was enlarged and modified to accommodate a pair of Turbomeca Marboré turbojet engines. The upgraded version first flew on 23 July 1952 and a production order for the type was received on 13 January 1954. A navalized version, the CM-175 Zephyr with strengthened landing gear and a tail hook, was developed for the Aéronavale (French Navy) with 32 being produced. Export orders for the Magister included arrangements to produce the type under license in Germany, Finland, and Israel.
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