he
French were in the air and in the news in the spring of 1908. Gabriel
Voison was manufacturing airplanes made to order. He had formed a brief
partnership with Louis Bleriot and built two airplanes with him � a
biplane glider and a powered biplane. The glider flew poorly and the
powered version didn't fly at all, which Voisin blamed on Bleriot's
unusual ideas and his erratic approach to aeronautical engineering.
Bleriot would try anything, sometimes making drastic changes to the
aircraft such as substituting elliptical wings for conventional wings.
So Voison left Bleriot to his own devices and teamed up with his
brother Charles. They established the first airplane factory in the world
at Billancourt, France, making any design that a customer wanted. A
Russian prince ordered a craft with a propeller in the shape of a spiral
staircase. A Dutchman paid for a set of wings grafted onto a "kind of
car" � it failed to fly. But their most successful aircraft were
those they designed themselves. Earlier, they had made a float-glider for
Archdeacon with biplane wings and an elevator in front, similar to the
standard Wright configuration. But they had added a box-kite tail and side
curtains between the wings. The craft, which was in fact a giant box kite
with an elevator and a rudder, flew reasonably well.
In 1907, they made a similar airplane for Leon Delagrange, mounting a
50-horsepower Antionette engine and a propeller on the lower wing to push
it through the air. Although it had no roll control, Delagrange was able
to make short hops of up to 500 meters (1650 feet). As such, the Voisin-Delagrange
I was the first European airplane to best the Wright's first powered
flights in 1903.
Later on that year, Henri Farman found his way to the Voison aircraft
plant. Farman was the son of a prominent journalist who had been bitten by
the aviation bug. He first took to the air in a home-built Chanuet-Herring
glider, then sought out the Voison brothers for something with power.
Farman carefully looked over the plans Gabriel and Charles laid before
him, then ordered a Voison aircraft with a few minor � but important �
modifications.
Farman began to fly the Voison-Farman I on September 30, 1907,
making a modest hop of just 30 meters (100 feet). Thereafter, he began to
stretch the distance little by little. He also modified the airplane as he
gained more flying experience, eliminating the side curtains, reducing the
size of the tail, and adjusting the dihedral angle of the wings, all to
reduce drag, improve stability, and make the airplane more maneuverable.
However, even in its final form, it had no roll control � Farman made do
with an elevator and rudder only.
On October 26, 1907, Farman made a flight of 712 meters (2,350 feet)
and won a second Archdeacon Cup. This was a prize that Ernest
Archdeacon had offered to the aviator who made the longest flight during
the year. On November 19, 1907, Farman made a run at the Grand Prix de
Aviation, but didn't quite complete the circular course. Orville
Wright, who was still in Europe, witnessed Farman's flight. When asked by
the reporters for a comment on the rapid progress of French aviation, he
was cool and criticized the French airplane's control system obliquely.
"Time will show whether the methods of control used in the Farman
machine are adequate to meet the conditions encountered in windy
weather," he was quoted. Privately, he wrote to Chanute that the
French were busy but "we see no indication of a practical machine in
the near future."
Archdeacon, ever the Wright detractor, took affront at Orville's
attitude. "The famous Wright brothers may claim all they wish,"
he blustered. "If it were true � and I doubt it more and more �
that they were the first to fly through the air, they will not have the
glory�The first authentic experiments in powered aviation have
taken place in France; they will progress in France; and the�Wrights
will, I am sure, be beaten by us as well before they will have decided to
show their phantom machine."
On January 13, 1908, Farman took off again in pursuit of the Grand
Prix de Aviation and its 50,000 franc purse. He made a flying start,
crossing the starting poles about 4 meters or 13 feet off the ground. He
flew straight out for about 500 meters, slowly climbing to 12 meters or 40
feet, then made a wide, flat turn, using rudder alone to slide around the
marker. He came back and made another turn, crossed the point at which he
started, and landed gently. The entire flight lasted 28 seconds, and
covered the prescribed kilometer. It didn't matter that his turns were
clumsy and he was in constant danger of losing control of the Voison-Farman
I. Henri Farman had won the most coveted prize in aviation, and for
the moment � as far as the French were concerned � the Wright brothers
were beaten.
he
French were in the air and in the news in the spring of 1908. Gabriel
Voison was manufacturing airplanes made to order. He had formed a brief
partnership with Louis Bleriot and built two airplanes with him � a
biplane glider and a powered biplane. The glider flew poorly and the
powered version didn't fly at all, which Voisin blamed on Bleriot's
unusual ideas and his erratic approach to aeronautical engineering.
Bleriot would try anything, sometimes making drastic changes to the
aircraft such as substituting elliptical wings for conventional wings.
