Canard Voisin
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The Canard Voisin was a plane developed by Gabriel and Charles Voisin in 1910. Original in design, with its main wings positioned at the back, the Canard Voisin was a very popular aircraft during the first decades of the 20th century. With the addition of floats, it also became the first seaplane of the French Navy.
[edit] Land version
The Canard Voisin expanded on a design previously experimented by Alberto Santos-Dumont with his 14-bis airplane, in which the main wings were placed at the aft of the aircraft in order to facilitate horizontal control and stability at landing. At the front, a small horizontal stabilizer was installed. The plane, named "Canard" because of its aft-heavy shape, was successfully tested by Maurice Colliex at Issy-les-Moulinaux between March and May 1910. The Canard was equipped with a 60HP Anzani radial engine (among others).
[edit] Seaplane version
In the meantime, Henri Fabre successfully flew a seaplane, the Canard (also canard-shaped), for the first time in history, by having it take-off and land without trouble. His floats, developed by engineer Bonnelaison, were patented by Fabre.
Eager to try flying a seaplane as well, Voisin purchased several of the Fabre floats and fitted them to his Canard airplane. In October 1910, the Canard-Voisin became the first seaplane to fly over the river Seine.
The new Canard Voisin, equipped with four Fabre floats and six wheels fixed underneath, thus became the first amphibious seaplane to fly. It weighed 650 kg, plus 230 kg for the floats.
One of the Canard Voisin planes was bought by the Navy in March 1912 to equip the seaplane tender La Foudre (the first seaplane carrier in history).
