Borel military monoplane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Military monoplane | |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-balloon fighter |
| Manufacturer | Borel |
| Maiden flight | 1913 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Borel Military Monoplane was a French single-engine, two-seat aircraft designed shortly before World War I in response to a French Army requirement for an aircraft to seek and destroy enemy balloon airships.
[edit] Design
The Military Monoplane had an unconventional design, owing to its unique mission requirement. The pilot and observer sat side-by-side in an open cockpit within a pod that also carried a high monoplane wing and the engine driving a pusher propeller. The pod also featured windows on each side, near the crewmembers' feet to facilitate downwards visibility when hunting balloons. A cruciform empennage was carried on an open truss of triangular cross-section, the upper longeron of which passed through the propeller hub. Despite reportedly good flying characteristics, the idea never passed beyond the construction of a single prototype.
[edit] Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: two, pilot and observer
- Length: 7.52 m (24 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 11.58 m (38 ft 0 in)
- Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 19.1 m² (205 ft²)
- Powerplant: 1 × Gnome rotary, 37 kW (50 hp)
Performance
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 193.
- Flight August 23, 1913
- Aero and Hydro September 13, 1913
[edit] See also
|
||||||||||||||
