avia.wikisort.org - Aeroplane

The 1910 Deperdussin monoplane, is a general term for a variety of Deperdussin aircraft models built between 1910 and 1911. Initially released in August 1910, it was the first aircraft to be built in significant quantities by Aéroplanes Deperdussin. Many variations of the aircraft were produced, differing in size, engine type and horsepower and tail configuration. These were loosely labelled as the "Deperdussin monoplane", but were sometimes more specifically classified either by function or by seating-type. A number of Deperdussin monoplanes were flown successfully in air races and gained several speed and endurance records during 1911–1912. Several have survived, including an airworthy example in the Shuttleworth Collection in England.

1910 Monoplane
3-view drawing of the Deperdussin 1910 Monoplane
Role	General aviation Type of aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Aéroplanes Deperdussin
Designer	Louis Béchereau
First flight	1910
Variants	Deperdussin TT

Background

Aéroplanes Deperdussin was established in 1909 by the silk broker Armand Deperdussin with Louis Béchereau acting as the technical director. The first product of their aircraft works at Laon was a joint design by Georges de Feure and Louis Béchereau in 1909, a canard configuration that was not a success. The 1910 monoplane was their first successful design. The prototype, which was first flown by Guillaume Busson at Issy-les-Moulineaux in October 1910,[1] possibly powered by a water-cooled inline 4-cylinder Clerget engine.

The Deperdussin 1910 and 1911 production models were a commercial successful, with a number of variants being built. "Sports" variants won a number of racing contests during 1910–1911.

Type A 1910–1911

The 1910 Deperdussin monoplane was a tractor configuration mid-wing monoplane, designed by Louis Béchereau. It had very narrow fuselage composed of ash longerons connected by spruce struts, covered with fabric. It had a 7. 35 m wingspan, with wing warping used for control, and an arrow-shaped tail plane, characteristic of Béchereau's creations.[2]

The initial production Deperdussin Type A from 1910 was powered by an Anzani fixed star three-cylinder engine developing 35 hp and a wooden Chauvière two-blade propeller 2.50 m in diameter. Later variants were powered by Gnome rotary engines.

Aircraft controls consisted of a wheel mounted on an inverted U-shaped yoke, the uprights of which were outside the fuselage structure. Fore and aft movement of the entire yoke operated the elevator and the wheel operated the wing warping. The rudder was controlled by pedals. The undercarriage consisted of a pair of trapezoidal frames, each braced by a diagonal member extended forwards to form a short upcurved skid to protect the propeller in the case of nose-overs, with a pair of wheels carried on a sprung cross axle between the two frames.[3]

The wings were mounted below the upper longerons and were slightly tapered. Lateral control was by wing warping. In earlier aircraft the warping and bracing wires were attached to a pair of vertical kingposts just aft of the leading edge of the wing: in later aircraft these were braced by diagonal struts leading back to the fuselage longerons. The empennage of early examples consisted of an elongated triangular vertical fin with a cutout to allow elevator travel with a rectangular rudder hinged to the trailing edge, and a similarly elongated triangular tailplane with an elevator.[4] In later examples, such as that in the Shuttleworth Collection, the horizontal tail surface was shorter, the leading edges being swept at about 45°. A distinctive feature of the type was that the trailing edge of the rudder and elevator was braced by wires leading to the control horns.

The early 1910 variant was exported and used by the Australian Central Flying School at Point Cook, Victoria.

Type A 1910 (Anzani engine)

Data from Gérard Harmtmann[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 6 m (19 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 7.35 m (24 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 14 m² (150 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 280 kg (617 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 400 kg (882 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Anzani 3-cylinder fan engines 3 cylinder air-cooled Y-radial, 26 kW (35 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Chauvière, 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 70 km/h (43 mph, 38 kn)

Type A 1910–1911 (Gnome engine)

Data from Aérostation - Aviation, Paris, 1911

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 16 m² (170 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 350 kg (772 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome 7 cylinder air-cooled rotary, 37 kW (50 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Chauvière, 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)

Type B 1911

For the 1911 racing season, designer Louis Béchereau prepared a new monoplane, known as the Type B, which took a number of characteristics from the previous one, with similar: wings; profile; V-shaped cabane struts tilted forward; landing gear; control surfaces; tail, and small boat steering wheel, but with significant improvements. The engine was uprated to an Anzani 60 hp fixed six-cylinder or a 70 hp Gnome rotary 7-cyl, more powerful and more enduring than the Anzani. Other engines were also used: e.g. Clerget 50 or 100 hp (manufactured by Clément-Bayard), Gnome 50 hp. A wooden, leather-covered hood protected the pilot from the castor oil splashes, used as a lubricant.[2] The fuel tank, which was often mounted directly in front of the pilot in the Type A, was now moved under the hood.

What is remarkable, and for the first time on an airplane, was that the entire front of the aircraft, from the engine cover to the location of the pilot's seat, was treated in a semi-monocoque fashion: the depth of the front section of the fuselage was increased by a shallow shell of wood veneer built over curved formers. Due to the extremely shallow fuselage, the pilot was almost completely exposed, sitting on rather than in the fuselage.[5]

Many variations of the aircraft were produced: in 1911 there were eleven models, and in 1912 there were a further four.[6] These differed in size, engine type and horsepower, tail configuration, and were loosely classified either by function or by seating-type. Some were "one-off" aircraft built for a single-purpose, either for demonstration, or for racing. For example, an unusual Deperdussin demonstration aircraft shown at the 1910 Paris Aero Salon was powered by a 4-cylinder water-cooled Clerget engine driving a six-bladed propeller. It had had a length and wingspan of 9  m (29 ft 6 in), and a wing area of 15  m³ (161  ft³).[4]

At the 1911 Paris Aero Salon, Deperdussin exhibited four aircraft: these were described as the "School Type", the "Military single-seater", the "Military two-seater" and the "Military three-seater".[7]

Deperdussin Monoplane types displayed at the 1911 Paris Aero Salon

Type	H.P. and Powerplant	Cylinders	Length	Wingspan	Wing area	Speed	Empty weight	Useful load	Price
"School"	30–35 hp (22–26 kW) Anzani Y-Radial	3	7.45 m (24.4 ft)	8.50 m (27.9 ft)	15 m2 (160 sq ft)	85 km/h (53 mph)		72.3 kilograms (159 lb)	11,500 francs
"Military" single-seater	50 hp (37 kW) Gnome Omega	7	7.50 m (24.6 ft)	8.50 m (27.9 ft)	24 m2 (260 sq ft)	110 km/h (68 mph)	250 kilograms (550 lb)	260 kilograms (570 lb)	23,000 francs
"Military" two-seater	70 hp (52 kW) Gnome Gamma	7	8.00 m (26.25 ft)	10 m (33 ft)	28 m2 (300 sq ft)	110 km/h (68 mph)	420 kilograms (930 lb)	300 kilograms (660 lb)	27,000 francs
"Military" three-seater	100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Gamma-Gamma	14	7.50 m (24.6 ft)	13 m (43 ft)	32 sq ft (32 sq ft)	110 km/h (68 mph)	450 kilograms (990 lb)	420 kilograms (930 lb)	45,000 francs

During the Reims military competition of November 1911, a Deperussin Type B "Sport", piloted by Maurice Prévost, came 3rd. Powered by a 100 hp Gnome engine monoplane, it achieved a speed of 89 km/h.[8] A further development of the Type B 1911 "Sport" was the highly successful Deperdussin 1912 Racing Monoplane.

In 1911, the Deperdussin Type B started service with the French military. Three planes of the Type B 1911 model were engaged in supporting roles during the French Armies Eastern and Ardennes maneuvers of September 1911. The Deperdussin de Maubeuge squadron was formed at this time with aircraft of this type, with at least two single-seaters being used at the Moroccan aviation center in Oudjda.[8] A three-seater military version, first presented at the Reims military competition in November 1911, saw its wingspan increase, and larger wheels were mounted.[2] The Type B "Military" developed into the Deperdussin TT, which saw service in a number of countries.

Type B "Sport" 1911

Data from Gérard Harmtmann[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Capacity: One passenger
• Length: 7.45 m (24 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 15.35 m² (165.2 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 230 kg (507 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 400 kg (882 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome , 0.47 kW (50⁄80 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Chauvière, 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)

Type B "Military" 1911

Data from Gérard Harmtmann[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: Three: Pilot, Navigator and Observer
• Length: 8.9 m (29 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 29 m² (310 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 260 kg (573 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 500 kg (1,102 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome 100 hp or Anzani 80 hp
• Propellers: 2-bladed Chauvière, 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)

Operational history

• On 13 February 1911 Guillaume Busson set a new speed record for an aircraft carrying a passenger at Reims, flying 100 km (62 mi) in 1 h 1 min 32 s, a speed of 98.74 km/h (61.35 mph), bettering the previous record over the distance by more than 15 minutes. The aircraft was described as a "Military type 2/3 seater" [9]
• On 10 March 1911 Busson set two more records over a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) circuit, carrying 3 passengers 50 km (31 mi) in 31 min 31.2 s, a speed of over 95 km/h (59 mph) and four passengers 25 km (16 mi) in 17 min 28.2 s.[10]
• Rene Vidart won third place in the 1911 Circuit of Europe.[11] Seven Deperdussins were entered in the race.
• James Valentine won third place in the Daily Mail 1911 Circuit of Britain race.[12] Although Valentine did not succeed in completing the course inside the stipulated time limit, the simple fact of his finishing the course provided good publicity for Deperdussin.
• Second and third places in the Belgian National Circuit race, flown by Lanser and Hessel[13]

Deperdussin, like most contemporary French aircraft manufacturers, also ran their own flying schools, at Étampes, Pau, and Betheny in France and at Brooklands in England, and many early aviators learned to fly on Deperdussin aircraft.

Two examples were bought by the Australian government and formed part of the equipment of the Central Flying School at Point Cook, together with two Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2as and a Bristol Boxkite[14]

Survivors

• The Shuttleworth Collection based at Old Warden Aerodrome in Bedfordshire, UK has a Type A 1910 airworthy example (G-AANH) powered by an Anzani Y-Type 30 hp 3-cylinder radial engine. The example is believed to be the 43rd Deperdussin produced and the world's second oldest airworthy type. It is flown at home airshows during the summer months subject to weather and serviceability.[15]
• Norsk Teknisk Museum, Oslo has a Type A[16]
• RAAF Museum, Point Cook, Australia has a replica of an "School" Type A[17]
• Australian War Memorial[18]

See also

• Deperdussin TT, a military aircraft developed from the Type B 1911 "Military"
• Deperdussin 1912 Racing Monoplane, a racing monoplane developed from the Type B 1911 "Sport"

Notes

References

• Hallion, Richard P. (2003). Taking Flight. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195160352.
• Opdycke, Leonard E. (1999). French Aeroplanes Before the Great War. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. ISBN 978-0764307522.

Further reading

• Hartmann, Gérard. "Le grand concours d'aviation militaire de Reims 1911" [The Reims Military Aviation Competition, 1911] (PDF). Dossiers historiques et techniques aéronautique française (in French). Gérard Hartmann. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
• Moulin, Jean (October 2004). "Reims 1911, le premier concours d'appareils militaires au monde!" [Reims 1911, the First Military Aircraft Concours in the World!]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (139): 51–58. ISSN 1243-8650.

---