De Havilland Biplane No. 1 is a name applied retrospectively to the first aircraft constructed by Geoffrey de Havilland, who built and flew it once in December 1909. De Havilland undertook the project with the assistance of his friend, and soon to be brother-in-law, Frank Hearle, and financed the project with £1,000 borrowed from his maternal grandfather as an advance on his inheritance.
The resulting design was a three-bay biplane with an open-truss fuselage, equal-span unstaggeredwings, and a four-wheeled undercarriage. Power was provided by a 45 hp (30 kW) de Havilland Irisflat-four engine[1] (custom-built by the Iris Car Company for £220) driving two pusher propellers mounted behind the wings. A fin and stabiliser were carried to the rear, with a large elevator at the front of the aircraft. Lateral control was provided by ailerons attached to the upper wing, de Havilland's wife, Louise, sewed the linen surfaces of the wings.
With construction continuing at Fulham, de Havilland and Hearle looked for a site to test the aircraft. During a visit to Crux Easton in the summer, they discovered unused sheds that had been built on Lord Carnarvon's estate at Seven Barrows by John Moore-Brabazon. De Havilland purchased them in August for £150 and secured Lord Carnarvon's permission to fly from his land.
By December, de Havilland and Hearle relocated the aircraft to the sheds and took rooms at a nearby inn. After ground tests, they sent the aircraft rolling down Beacon Hill with de Havilland at the controls. It became airborne briefly, covering some 100 ft (35 m) before the left wing failed, and the aircraft crashed. De Havilland's most serious injury was a blow to the wrist from one of the still-spinning propellers, received after extricating himself from the wreckage. The engine was salvaged and powered the team's next aircraft, the de Havilland Biplane No. 2, which first flew in September 1910, also at Beacon Hill.
Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Iris water-cooled flat-4, 45 hp (34 kW)
Referencesedit
^anon (9 April 1909). "Another All-British Biplane". Flight. Vol. II, no. 15. London, UK: The New Yorker Magazine, Inc. pp. 266–268. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
^Jackson, A. J. (1987). De Havilland Aircraft Since 1909. London: Putnam Aeronautical. p. 32. ISBN9780851778020.
Bibliography
Taylor M.J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation London: Studio Editions, 1989 p. 308
Jackson, A. J. de Havilland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1962
Jackson, A. J. de Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN0-85177-802-X.
Munson - Pioneer Aircraft 1969
External linksedit
Details of the De Havilland machineFlight magazine 9 April 1910
January 01, 1970
havilland, biplane, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources De Havilland Biplane No 1 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message De Havilland Biplane No 1 is a name applied retrospectively to the first aircraft constructed by Geoffrey de Havilland who built and flew it once in December 1909 De Havilland undertook the project with the assistance of his friend and soon to be brother in law Frank Hearle and financed the project with 1 000 borrowed from his maternal grandfather as an advance on his inheritance Biplane No 1 Role Experimental aircraft Manufacturer Geoffrey de Havilland First flight December 1909 Status Destroyed Number built 1 The resulting design was a three bay biplane with an open truss fuselage equal span unstaggered wings and a four wheeled undercarriage Power was provided by a 45 hp 30 kW de Havilland Iris flat four engine 1 custom built by the Iris Car Company for 220 driving two pusher propellers mounted behind the wings A fin and stabiliser were carried to the rear with a large elevator at the front of the aircraft Lateral control was provided by ailerons attached to the upper wing de Havilland s wife Louise sewed the linen surfaces of the wings With construction continuing at Fulham de Havilland and Hearle looked for a site to test the aircraft During a visit to Crux Easton in the summer they discovered unused sheds that had been built on Lord Carnarvon s estate at Seven Barrows by John Moore Brabazon De Havilland purchased them in August for 150 and secured Lord Carnarvon s permission to fly from his land By December de Havilland and Hearle relocated the aircraft to the sheds and took rooms at a nearby inn After ground tests they sent the aircraft rolling down Beacon Hill with de Havilland at the controls It became airborne briefly covering some 100 ft 35 m before the left wing failed and the aircraft crashed De Havilland s most serious injury was a blow to the wrist from one of the still spinning propellers received after extricating himself from the wreckage The engine was salvaged and powered the team s next aircraft the de Havilland Biplane No 2 which first flew in September 1910 also at Beacon Hill Specifications editData from 2 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 29 ft 0 in 8 84 m Wingspan 36 ft 0 in 10 97 m Wing area 408 sq ft 37 9 m2 Gross weight 850 lb 386 kg Powerplant 1 de Havilland Iris water cooled flat 4 45 hp 34 kW References edit anon 9 April 1909 Another All British Biplane Flight Vol II no 15 London UK The New Yorker Magazine Inc pp 266 268 Retrieved 25 November 2023 Jackson A J 1987 De Havilland Aircraft Since 1909 London Putnam Aeronautical p 32 ISBN 9780851778020 Bibliography Taylor M J H Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions 1989 p 308 Jackson A J de Havilland Aircraft since 1915 London Putnam 1962 Jackson A J de Havilland Aircraft since 1909 London Putnam 1987 ISBN 0 85177 802 X Munson Pioneer Aircraft 1969External links editDetails of the De Havilland machineFlight magazine 9 April 1910 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title De Havilland Biplane No 1 amp oldid 1186710471, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
