Форум Breguet's Aircraft Challenge

The almost forgotten Andermat bomber of 1916, of USA origin. The machine was built by the Andermat Aeroplane Co at Sunnyvale CA. The name Andermat is formed of the names of the man that initiated the firm (M stands for Robert P Matches, the rest is not known).
   Their intention was to built a bomber for the US Army, which resulted in a big machine (span: 72'0" length: c.38'0"), with some remarkable engineering aspects. So there was a double tail (closely mounted together), double interplane ailerons and two tractor engines closely placed together alsmost at the nose of the craft.
   The machine was first flown by Roy Francis on 16 April 1916. You can find here a unique picture of Francis in the cockpit of the Andermat bomber. Interesting to view the early flight control apparatus and to see that he is right in the neighbourhood of the radiators, definitely blocking a part of the forwqard vision.
   The machine was evaluated by the US Army (San Diego and Kelly Field in Texas) but was not ordered. A military contract of 21 machines was not fufilled.
   What we see here is the one-and-only Andermat bomber.
   The machine has been covered in the magazine WW1 Aero No. 94, 100, 142, 176. I have not studied these at the moment, but there may be a lot in it about this rarity.