Antoinette IV

Antoinette IV
Antoinette IV in flight
Role	Experimental aircraft
Manufacturer	Antoinette
Designer	Léon Levavasseur
First flight	19 October 1908
Number built	1

The Antoinette IV was an early French monoplane. It was a high-wing aircraft with a fuselage of extremely narrow triangular cross-section and a cruciform tail. Power was provided by a V8 engine of Léon Levavasseur's own design driving a paddle-bladed tractor propeller. Lateral control was at first effected with large triangular, and shortly afterwards trapezoidal, ailerons hinged to the trailing edge of the wings, although wing-warping was substituted at an early stage in flight trials, and in this type proved more effective.

On 19 February 1909, the Antoinette IV flew 5 km (3.1 mi) at Mourmelon-le-Grand, and on 19 July, Hubert Latham attempted to cross the English Channel in it, covering 11 km (6.8 mi) out of Sangatte before making a forced water landing due to engine failure.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 11.50 m (37 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 12.80 m (42 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 50 m² (538 ft²)
• Empty weight: 250 kg (550 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Antoinette 8V, 37 kW (50 hp)

Performance

See also

• Antoinette III
• Antoinette V
• Antoinette VI
• Antoinette VII
• Antoinette military monoplane

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antoinette aircraft.

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 63. 
• World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing: London. File 889 Sheet 63.
• Hubert Latham: Windkiller
• Hubert Latham