L.Opdyke French Aeroplanes Before the Great War (Schiffer)

Jane's All The World Aircraft 1913

BLERIOT Monoplanes. L. Bleriot, "Bleriot-Aeronautique," 39, Route de la Revolte, Paris-Levallois. Flying grounds: Buc Etampes and Pau.

L. Bleriot began to experiment in 1906, along Langley lines. By 1909 he was one of the leading French firms; and the first cross Channel flight was made by him.

Details of standard types:--

   XI bis. XXI. XXVII. XXVIII. XXVIII. Monocoque
   2-seater Military Single Single 2-Seater 2-Seater
   mono side by seat seater
   (1911 side mono. 1913. 1913. 1913.
   onward) 2-seater 1912.
   mono. 1912

Length....feet(m) 27(8.40) 27? (8.24) 28 (8.5) 25 (7.60) 27 (8.20) ...
Span......feet(m) 36 (11) 36 (11) 29? (9) 29 (8.80) 32 (9.75) 40(12.25)
Area..sq.ft.(m?.) 349 (33) 268 (25) 129 (18) 162 (15) 215 (20) 270 (25)
Weight, unladen...
........lbs.(kgs) ... 727 (330) 529 (240) 530 (240) 660 (300) 830 (375)
Weight, useful...
.......lbs.(kgs.) ... ... ... 286 (129) 550 (250) ...
Motor.......h.p. 50 Gnome 70 Gnome 70 Gnome 50 Gnome 70 Gnome 80 Gnome
Speed,max...
.......m.p.h.(km) 56 (90) 56 (90) 78 (125) 62 (100) 71 (115) 75 (150)
Endurance...hrs. ... ... ... ... ... ...
Number built
   during 1912 ... ... ... ... ... ...

Note.--The monos., as usual, are of wood construction; wheels only for landing. Rectangular section bodies. Warping wings, elevator in rear. Chauviere propeller. The monocoque has wood, steel and cork construction. Coque body. Skids to landing chassis. Levasseur propeller. Otherwise as the other monos.

Principal Bleriot flyers are or have been:--Aubrun, Balsan, Bleriot, Busson, Chavez, Cordonnier, Delagrange, Drexel, Efimoff, Gibbs, Hubert, Hamel, Moissant, Paulhan, Prevetau, Prevot, Prier, Radley, Thorup, Tyck, Wienzciers, and many others.

Журнал Flight

Flight, December 13, 1913.

THE STANDS AT THE PARIS AERO SHOW.

BLERIOT.

   On the Bleriot stand are shown no less than six machines and fuselages of various types, and when one considers that there are at the Salon two more Bleriot stands - one for aeroplanes and one for bateaux glisseur - one begins to realise the activity of this well-known firm.
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   The fuselage coque type of machine is a tandem two-seater of very good streamline form and is probably a good deal faster than the older type Bleriots, as the head resistance has been considerably decreased.
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Flight, December 20, 1913.

THE PARIS AERO SALON - 1913.

BLERIOT.

   THE Bleriot exhibit is certainly the largest at the Show and one of the most interesting, consisting as it does of no less than six machines and fuselages. One of these is the well-known type XI, and the other the equally well-known tandem two-seater, of which we need give no description here, as they are already known to our readers. Of the other machines, probably the most interesting is the tandem two-seater monocoque. This machine, which has, as the name implies, a fuselage of the coque type, is one of the neatest at the Show, and, as far as comfort is concerned, it is one of the best thought out that we have ever seen. It would almost seem impossible to provide such comfort and protection for pilot and passenger in so small a space as is available in this type of machine. The pilot occupies the front seat, which is situated well forward, thus allowing of a very good view in all directions. The passenger's seat is situated in a separate cockpit on line with the trailing edge of the wings, and consists simply of a cushion placed loosely on the floor of the fuselage. By sliding the seat along, the passenger may squat down and lie fully stretched out on the floor, and may inspect the country underneath through an oval opening cut out of the bottom of the coque. By these means he obtains an absolutely unrestricted view in a downward direction, as no part of the chassis interferes in the slightest degree with his observation. For communication between pilot and passenger a speaking tube is provided, and it is fitted with a microphone which allows of conversation being carried on without the necessity of stopping the engine.
   The engine, an 80 h.p. Gnome, is mounted on overhung bearings in the nose of the fuselage. It is partly covered in by an aluminium cowl, which has one opening on each side of the fuselage, thus allowing the air to escape. This should, we think, provide excellent cooling for the engine, and at the same time prevent any oil from being blown back in the faces of the pilot and passenger.
   The chassis is of the usual Bleriot type, to which M. Bleriot seems to return after having tried various other types, so that one must conclude that he has found it absolutely successful, and it is certain that for landing side to the wind it would be difficult to imagine a more suitable chassis. The tail skid, which is of V shape, consists of two flattened steel tubes, pivoted on the coque and sprung forwards and backwards by wires and shock absorbers, attached to the chassis and the tail, respectively. The tail planes are of the usual Bleriot type, and consist of a fixed tail plane attached to the coque, and a divided elevator of the negatively cambered type.
   The main planes are attached to the fuselage by fitting the spars into two transverse tubes, and are braced downwards to the chassis and upwards to a very high cabane.
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Flight, March 14, 1914.

WHAT THERE WILL BE TO SEE AT OLYMPIA.

THE EXHIBITS.

Bleriot (L. Bleriot). (60.)

   M. BLERIOT will have a most comprehensive exhibit, no less than four machines being shown, as well as sand yachts.
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   The third type of machine is similar in design to the No. XI-2 monoplane referred to above, the principal difference being in its adaptation for sea service by the substitution of floats for the ordinary wheels. The landing gear follows the usual Bleriot practice, excepting that the struts are placed wider apart to as to give greater stability to the machine on the water, and the floats are capable of articulating independently of one another, to allow of ample freedom of movement when landing or riding a rough sea.
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