François Denhaut
Encyclopedia
François Denhaut was a French
aviator
notable for designing, constructing and flying the first flying boat
, or seaplane
with a hull
, in 1912.
He was born on 4 October 1877 at Champagnat
, Creuse
and died at Bellegarde-en-Marche
in 1952. He was the chief pilot of Pierre Levasseur's
flying school.
, and which was placed up high, behind the pilot seat. To allow for maneuvering on the ground, an undercarriage was fitted, with two wheels attached. Denhaut took particular advantage of this aspect of the design by taking off from the ground when he made the initial tests. This project was financed by Jacques Donnet, and the craft was later named after him.
The first proper test of the craft took place on 12 March 1912. Denhaut took off and flew over the River Seine. However, when preparing to land, the aircraft didn't straighten out properly, and the plates were submerged under the water while the it was still flying. This caused the aircraft to flip over; Denhaut managed to escape from the waterlogged cockpit
, and took refuge on the bottom of the upturned hull. The craft was towed back to shore.
He tested the modified design on a stretch of water behind Port Aviation, where he had first tested the older model. After this test, the wheels were, temporarily, replaced with water floats.
On 13 April 1912, slightly over a month since the initial test of the first design, Denhaut's craft flew from Juvisy airfield, and landed on muddy ground close to the River Seine. The aircraft was pushed into the water where it took off and alighted seven or eight times. Denhaut then returned to the bank of the River Seine. Denhaut's second model had succeeded in becoming the world's first flying boat. Many later designs for flying boats can be seen to be very clearly based upon Denhaut's design.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
notable for designing, constructing and flying the first flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
, or seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
with a hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
, in 1912.
He was born on 4 October 1877 at Champagnat
Champagnat
Champagnat may refer to the following places in France:* Champagnat, Creuse, in the Creuse department* Champagnat, Saône-et-Loire, in the Saône-et-Loire department* Champagnat-le-Jeune, in the Puy-de-Dôme department-See also:...
, Creuse
Creuse
Creuse is a department in central France named after the Creuse River.-History:Creuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the former province of La Marche....
and died at Bellegarde-en-Marche
Bellegarde-en-Marche
Bellegarde-en-Marche is a commune in the Creuse department in the Limousin region in central France.-Geography:A farming village situated some northeast of Aubusson at the junction of the D9, D39, D40a and the D988 roads.-Population:-Sights:...
in 1952. He was the chief pilot of Pierre Levasseur's
Pierre Levasseur (aircraft builder)
Pierre Levasseur was a French aircraft manufacturer. He produced aircraft for the French Navy.François Denhaut was the chief pilot of Pierre Levasseur's flying school...
flying school.
1911 Model
The endeavour to build a flying boat began following Denham's construction of a seaplane with a hull in 1911. This design marked one of the first large steps forward in marine aviation, and constituted a pioneering leap in this area. The hull was triangular in shape, with the apex at the top. To achieve successful hydrodynamic lift, the hull was fitted with styled lift-off plates. It had a 50 hp engine that was of a unique make driving a pusher propellerPropeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
, and which was placed up high, behind the pilot seat. To allow for maneuvering on the ground, an undercarriage was fitted, with two wheels attached. Denhaut took particular advantage of this aspect of the design by taking off from the ground when he made the initial tests. This project was financed by Jacques Donnet, and the craft was later named after him.
The first proper test of the craft took place on 12 March 1912. Denhaut took off and flew over the River Seine. However, when preparing to land, the aircraft didn't straighten out properly, and the plates were submerged under the water while the it was still flying. This caused the aircraft to flip over; Denhaut managed to escape from the waterlogged cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
, and took refuge on the bottom of the upturned hull. The craft was towed back to shore.
1912 modifications
Denhaut, with the advice of Robert Duhamel, decided to rebuild the aircraft, making the necessary modifications to the first design model. He changed the hull to be rectangular in shape, because it had previously been very slender, and had tended to dip into the water. He also made slight modifications to the position of the undercarriage.He tested the modified design on a stretch of water behind Port Aviation, where he had first tested the older model. After this test, the wheels were, temporarily, replaced with water floats.
On 13 April 1912, slightly over a month since the initial test of the first design, Denhaut's craft flew from Juvisy airfield, and landed on muddy ground close to the River Seine. The aircraft was pushed into the water where it took off and alighted seven or eight times. Denhaut then returned to the bank of the River Seine. Denhaut's second model had succeeded in becoming the world's first flying boat. Many later designs for flying boats can be seen to be very clearly based upon Denhaut's design.
| Wingspan | 10.86 m |
|---|---|
| Length | 8.40 m |
| Wing area | 21.80 meters |
| Curb weight | 436 kg |
| Total weight | 650 kg |
| Max. speed | 97 km/h |
| Max. on board | 1 pilot, 1 passenger |