This machine, built by the Voisins and first experimented with in the late part of l909, embodied several unorthodox biplane features, but had little success. The Goupy and the Breguet, aeroplanes of this type, however, turned out to be much more practical.
Top Speed: 50 m.p.h.
Engine: 40 horse-power 4-cylinder Voisin
Wingspan: 37 feet
Weight: 800 pounds
Specifications from “Monoplanes and Biplanes,†by Grover Loening, 1911
The Frame
In this type the central chassis extended far out to the rear. At the front were situated the motor and the propeller, and directly behind the propeller was the main cell. At the extreme rear was an auxiliary cell. Ash. steel joints and steel tubing were used throughout.
The Main Wings
The two carrying planes, placed at the front on the central chassis, were identical and superposed directly. Their spread was 37 feet, the depth 5 feet, and the area 370 square feet.
The Direction Rudder and Elevators
The rear box cell was pivoted on a universal joint, and capable of being moved up and down or to either side. It consisted of two horizontal surfaces about 80 square feet in area and two vertical surfaces 50 square feet in area. The vertical surfaces acted as the direction rudder, when the cell was moved from side to side. The horizontal surfaces served to control the elevation when the cell was moved up or down. The movement of the cell was controlled by cables leading to a large steering wheel in front of the aviator. To turn to the right, the cell was turned toward the right. To ascend, the inclination of the cell relative to the line of flight was decreased, the leverage desired being opposite in nature to that of a front elevation rudder.
Roll Control
There was no transverse control in this type.
Keel
Four vertical partitions were placed between the two main planes, as in the other type of Voisin biplane.
Propulsion
A 40 horse-power 4-cylinder Voisin motor placed at the front end of the chassis drove direct a two-bladed metal propeller of 7.2 feet diameter and 4 feet pitch at 1,300 r.p.m. The Seat was situated on the central frame at the rear of the main cell. The Landing Gear was on two large rubber-tired wheels in front, fitted with shock-absorbing springs and a single wheel at the rear.
Weight, Speed, Loading and Aspect Ratio
The total weight was from 800 to 950 pounds; the speed was said to be 50 miles per hour: 19 pounds were lifted per horse-power, and 2.36 pounds carried per square foot of surface. The aspect ratio was 7.4 to 1.