Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace
Encyclopedia
The French Air and Space Museum (French: Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace) is a French museum
, located in the south-eastern edge of Le Bourget Airport
, north of Paris, and in the commune of Le Bourget
. It was created in 1919 from a proposition of Albert Caquot
(1881–1976).
and Swiss
and Soviet rocket
s. The museum also has the only remaining piece of L'Oiseau Blanc
(The White Bird), the 1927 aircraft which attempted to make the first Transatlantic crossing
from Paris to New York. The aircraft took off from Le Bourget on May 8, 1927, jettisoning its landing gear (which is stored at the museum), but then disappearing over the Atlantic.
Other items of interest range from a gilded bronze medallion of the Montgolfier brothers
, created in 1783 by Jean-Antoine Houdon
(1741–1828), the Glider Massia-Biot (1879), an 1884 electric motor by Arthur Constantin Krebs (1850–1935), the rear gondola of the 1915 Zeppelin
LZ 113, equipped with 3 Maybach
engines, type HS, a 1916 SPAD VII aircraft by Blériot-SPAD, a 1917 Airco DH.9
aircraft by Geoffrey de Havilland
(1882–1965), and a 1918 Junkers D.I
aircraft by Hugo Junkers
(1859–1935), to the 1961 Dassault Mirage III
C by Marcel Dassault
(1892–1986), an SSBS S3 surface-to-surface ballistic missile
commissioned in 1981, and a 2002 Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard model.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, located in the south-eastern edge of Le Bourget Airport
Le Bourget Airport
Paris – Le Bourget Airport is an airport located in Le Bourget, Bonneuil-en-France, and Dugny, north-northeast of Paris, France. It is now used only for general aviation as well as air shows...
, north of Paris, and in the commune of Le Bourget
Le Bourget
Le Bourget is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.A very small part of Le Bourget airport lies on the territory of the commune of Le Bourget, which nonetheless gave its name to the airport. Most of the airport lies on the territory of the...
. It was created in 1919 from a proposition of Albert Caquot
Albert Caquot
Albert Caquot was considered as the "best living French engineer" during half a century. He received the “Croix de guerre 1914-1918” and was Grand-croix of the Légion d’Honneur...
(1881–1976).
Description
Occupying over 150000 sqm of land and hangars, it is one of the oldest aviation museums in the world. The museum's collection contains more than 19,595 items, including 150 aircraft, and material from as far back as the 16th Century. Displayed also are more modern air and spacecraft, including the prototype for ConcordeConcorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
and Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Soviet rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
s. The museum also has the only remaining piece of L'Oiseau Blanc
The White Bird
The White Bird was a French biplane which disappeared in 1927, during an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight between Paris and New York...
(The White Bird), the 1927 aircraft which attempted to make the first Transatlantic crossing
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
from Paris to New York. The aircraft took off from Le Bourget on May 8, 1927, jettisoning its landing gear (which is stored at the museum), but then disappearing over the Atlantic.
Other items of interest range from a gilded bronze medallion of the Montgolfier brothers
Montgolfier brothers
Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier were the inventors of the montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent, carrying Étienne into the sky...
, created in 1783 by Jean-Antoine Houdon
Jean-Antoine Houdon
Jean-Antoine Houdon was a French neoclassical sculptor. Houdon is famous for his portrait busts and statues of philosophers, inventors and political figures of the Enlightenment...
(1741–1828), the Glider Massia-Biot (1879), an 1884 electric motor by Arthur Constantin Krebs (1850–1935), the rear gondola of the 1915 Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
LZ 113, equipped with 3 Maybach
Maybach
Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH is a German luxury car manufacturer. It was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son. The company was originally a subsidiary of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH and was itself known as Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH until 1912.Today, the ultra-luxury car brand is owned by...
engines, type HS, a 1916 SPAD VII aircraft by Blériot-SPAD, a 1917 Airco DH.9
Airco DH.9
The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
aircraft by Geoffrey de Havilland
Geoffrey de Havilland
Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS, was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft engineer...
(1882–1965), and a 1918 Junkers D.I
Junkers D.I
-External links:* *...
aircraft by Hugo Junkers
Hugo Junkers
Hugo Junkers was an innovative German engineer, as his many patents in varied areas show...
(1859–1935), to the 1961 Dassault Mirage III
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
C by Marcel Dassault
Marcel Dassault
Marcel Dassault, born Marcel Bloch was a French aircraft industrialist.-Biography:Dassault was born in Paris. After graduating from the lycée Condorcet, Breguet School and Supaero, he invented a type of aircraft propeller used by the French army during World War I and founded the Société des...
(1892–1986), an SSBS S3 surface-to-surface ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
commissioned in 1981, and a 2002 Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard model.
Grand gallery
- Antoinette VIIAntoinette VII|-See also:* Antoinette III* Antoinette IV* Antoinette V* Antoinette VI* Antoinette military monoplane-References:* World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing: London. File 889 Sheet 63....
- Blériot XIBlériot XIThe Blériot XI is the aircraft in which, on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel made in a heavier-than-air aircraft . This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the early years of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in...
- Farman Voisin
- Santos-Dumont DemoiselleSantos-Dumont Demoiselle-External links:...
Rosette Hall
- Dassault OuraganDassault OuraganThe Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan was the first French-designed jet fighter-bomber to enter production, playing a key role in resurgence of the French aviation industry after World War II. The Ouragan was operated by France, Israel, India and El Salvador...
- Dassault Mirage IIIDassault Mirage IIIThe Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
- Dassault Mystère IVDassault Mystère IV|-See also:-External links:*...
- Sud Aviation VautourSud Aviation Vautour|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.-External links:*...
Prototype Hall
- Dassault Balzac VDassault Balzac V|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Breffort, Dominique and Andre Jouineau. "The Mirage III, 5, 50 and derivatives from 1955 to 2000." Planes and Pilots 6. Paris: Histoire et Collections, 2004. ISBN 2-913903-92-4....
- Leduc 0.10
- Nord 1500 GriffonNord 1500 Griffon-See also:-Bibliography:*Taylor, John W.R. Jane's Pocket Book of Research and Experimental Aircraft, London, Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd, 1976. ISBN 0356 08409 4.- External links :* *****...
- SNCASO TridentSNCASO Trident-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4* Taylor, John W.R. Jane's Pocket Book of Research and Experimental Aircraft, London, Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd, 1976. ISBN 0356 08409 4.-External links:*...
- Sud-Ouest SO.6000 Triton
Concorde Hall
- ConcordeConcordeAérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
(two, F-WTSS prototype and Air France F-BTSD) - Dassault Mirage IVDassault Mirage IVThe Dassault Mirage IV was a French jet-propelled supersonic strategic bomber and deep-reconnaissance aircraft. For many years it was a vital part of the nuclear triad of the Force de Frappe, France's nuclear deterrent striking force.-Development:...