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Deperdussin 1911 Type Militaire
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| Deperdussin 1911 Type Militaire | ||
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With the assistance of aircraft engineers Louis Béchereau and André
Herbemont, Frenchman Armand Deperdussin began producing aircraft in 1910 under
Société pour les Appareils Deperdussin, or S.P.A.D. By far the most
successful designs of the company were the Deperdussin racing monoplanes of 1911-1913
that won numerous air races in America and Europe. Characteristic of these monoplanes
was the monocoque construction of the fuselages, whereby the shape of the fuselage was
formed by the outer skin of the aircraft instead of internal braces. This allowed for
light weight, strength and aerodynamic efficiency. This advanced design enabled
Deperdussin's 1912 racer to become the first aircraft to exceed 100 miles per hour.
During the bried history of his company, the eccentric Deperdussin was awarded a number of rich contracts by the French government. He was in the process of finalizing deals with the Russian government when he was charged with fraud, forgery and embezzlement and sent to prison in disgrace. His designer, Béchereau soon after joined forces with Deperdussin's rival Blériot to reorganize Deperdussin as Société pour l'Aviation et ses Dérives, retaining the S.P.A.D. acronym. Under Bleriot's tutelage, the company went on to manufacture some of the greatest fighters of the First World War. |
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| Specifications | |
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MANUFACTURER
TYPE ENGINE WINGSPAN LENGTH HEIGHT GROSS WEIGHT MAXIMUM SPEED RANGE CEILING CREW |
Société pour les Appareils Deperdussin
(S.P.A.D.), France Single-seat civil racer, trainer Gnome rotary; 50hp air-cooled 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m) 18 ft 6 in (2.59 m) 6 ft 10 in (2.80 m) 792 lbs (359.25 kg) 81 mph (130 km/h) Unknown Unknown 1 |
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| About the Museum's Aircraft |
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This aircraft was purchased from the Wings and Wheels Museum in Orlando, Florida
in 1981. Prior to that, the aircraft had been on exhibit as part of the Jean
Salis Collection in Paris, France. For years, the aircraft had been thought to
be a Model C; however, recent closer examination by the Museum verified that it is
an equally rare 1911 Type Militaire.
The San Diego Aerospace Museum was able to acquire the aircraft through the generous donations of: |
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The Parker Foundation
The Gildred Foundation The late Mr. & Mrs. T. Claude Ryan |
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Items of Interest...
| Related Links |
| SPAD - Kens Aviation |
| Early Aviation Industry in France |
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