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Experiments of French inventor Joseph Albessart on the tandem wing formula started before WW1 and his researches did last for 20 years.
By increasing the number of wings along the fuselage, a considerable increase in comfort and stability was made possible, compared to the behaviour of that time's airplanes. Multiple scaled models with rubber engines were experimented between 1910 and 1912.
The first real aircraft was built in 1913 and took off in the hands of Jules Védrines. A second machine was completed in 1914 and one pilot could say about it "Once in level flight, the only handling manoeuvre consists in putting your hands off the controls, as long as you want to go straight".
Because of the war, researches stopped until 1916, but during the 20 years period that started then, real advantages of the tandem wing formula came more and more to evidence. The first wing was mounted in a normal position and a second one, quite similar in shape and surface, was placed at mid way on the fuselage, between engine and tail. This median wing's performance was further improved by adding a neutral surface in its centre. It's from the splitting of surfaces in 3 major ones (including the tail) that the name "Triavion" was later used.
First results were very encouraging, but some domains were still to be improved, like an increase in range and payload. Researches stopped again for a 6 years period because of lack of financial support.
It's finally in 1924 that a new model was tested at the Eiffel laboratories. This time, expectations in the domain of stability were fulfilled and furthermore, general performance stayed good, compared to the conventional formulas.
Construction of a two seater aircraft was finished in Augustus 1926, the machine flying for the first time some days later. Stability and security-wise, advantages were evident, specially in the range of low speed manoeuvres and pilot Bossoutrot declared: "This machine flies in idle power and high angle of attack, without any problem and this, no other aircraft can do today".
Despite those encouraging results, the inventor never could get the necessary found for the project to be completely optimized. Albessart brought again new modifications on his own and flights started again in 1927 until the aircraft got its navigability certificate.
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