The Blériot XXIII was a racing monoplane produced in 1911 by Blériot Aéronautique. Two were built, both of which were flown in the 1911 Gordon Bennett Trophy competition at Eastchurch; one, flown by Alfred Leblanc, achieving second place. Leblanc had previously set a world speed record of 125 km/h (78 mph) on 12 June 1911 at the eliminating trial for the French Gordon Bennett entrant.[1]
Blériot XXIII
Gustave Hamel's Type XXIII about to start the Gordon Bennett race.
The Blériot XXIII was a shoulder-wing monoplane with a fully covered square-section fuselage with a down-curved appearance and extremely narrow chord wings.
After it was apparent that the aircraft was some five seconds a lap slower than the Nieuport II being flown by Charles Weymann, Blériot altered both machines by shortening the wings, reducing the span to around 5.2 m (17 ft).[2] The result was described by C. G. Grey, editor of The Aeroplane, as looking "more like the latter half of a dogfish with a couple of visiting cards stuck on it than anything else".[3]
Gustav Hamel was the first competitor to start, but after misjudging a turn on the first lap he crashed spectacularly, throwing him out of the aircraft. Miraculously, he only sustained minor injuries. The second aircraft, flown by Alfred Leblanc finished second, his time of 73 minutes 40.2 seconds putting him just over two minutes behind Charles Weymann, who won the event.[4]
Specificationsedit
Data from Opdycke 1990, p.56
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 7.62 m (25 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 7.16 m (23 ft 6 in) Before reduction in span
Wing area: 9.0 m2 (96.87 sq ft) Before reduction in span
blériot, xxiii, racing, monoplane, produced, 1911, blériot, aéronautique, were, built, both, which, were, flown, 1911, gordon, bennett, trophy, competition, eastchurch, flown, alfred, leblanc, achieving, second, place, leblanc, previously, world, speed, record. The Bleriot XXIII was a racing monoplane produced in 1911 by Bleriot Aeronautique Two were built both of which were flown in the 1911 Gordon Bennett Trophy competition at Eastchurch one flown by Alfred Leblanc achieving second place Leblanc had previously set a world speed record of 125 km h 78 mph on 12 June 1911 at the eliminating trial for the French Gordon Bennett entrant 1 Bleriot XXIII Gustave Hamel s Type XXIII about to start the Gordon Bennett race Role Racing aircraft National origin France Manufacturer Bleriot Aeronautique First flight 1911 Number built 2 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Specifications 3 References 4 BibliographyDesign and development editThe Bleriot XXIII was a shoulder wing monoplane with a fully covered square section fuselage with a down curved appearance and extremely narrow chord wings After it was apparent that the aircraft was some five seconds a lap slower than the Nieuport II being flown by Charles Weymann Bleriot altered both machines by shortening the wings reducing the span to around 5 2 m 17 ft 2 The result was described by C G Grey editor of The Aeroplane as looking more like the latter half of a dogfish with a couple of visiting cards stuck on it than anything else 3 Gustav Hamel was the first competitor to start but after misjudging a turn on the first lap he crashed spectacularly throwing him out of the aircraft Miraculously he only sustained minor injuries The second aircraft flown by Alfred Leblanc finished second his time of 73 minutes 40 2 seconds putting him just over two minutes behind Charles Weymann who won the event 4 Specifications editData from Opdycke 1990 p 56General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 7 62 m 25 ft 0 in Wingspan 7 16 m 23 ft 6 in Before reduction in span Wing area 9 0 m2 96 87 sq ft Before reduction in span Powerplant 1 Gnome Omega Omega 14 cylinder two row air cooled rotary engine 75 kW 100 hp Propellers 2 bladedReferences edit les Records du Vitesse battus L Aerophile in French 268 15 June 1911 The Gordon Bennett Cup RaceFlight 8 July 1911 Villard 1987 p 106 Gordon Bennett Competition Table of cumulative lap timesFlight 8 July 1911Bibliography edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bleriot XXIII Opdycke Leonard E French Aeroplanes Before the Great War Atglen PA Schiffer 1999 ISBN 0 7643 0752 5 Villard Henry Serrano Blue Ribbon of the Air Washington Smithsonian Press 1987 ISBN 0 87474 942 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bleriot XXIII amp oldid 1162972402, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
