Voisin V
Encyclopedia
The Voisin V was a French pusher-type
bomber aircraft of World War I
.
had proved a successful bomber, but its payload was limited by the Salmson
M9 engine, which produced only 120-hp. With an already identified need to develop a heavier and more powerful aircraft to deliver a larger bomb-load, an interim measure was taken to produce a Voisin Type III with a 150-hp Salmson P9 engine.
At the same time, the airframe was strengthened and the central nacelle
streamlined. The new engine was placed on a raised platform to provide clearance for the propeller and was angled to provide downward thrust. In addition, the landing gear was strengthened and the wing chord
was increased from the roots to the wing tips.
The new aircraft was given the STAé designation Voisin Type V, while the factory designation was Voisin LAS. The S stood for surélevé (raised) which indicated the raised engine mount. The previous Type III variant had an exhaust system which permitted fumes to escape freely; the Type V incorporated a more effective system of twin exhaust pipes.
One Voisin Type V was transformed into a twin-engine aircraft in 1916 by adding a second Salmson in the front of the fuselage driving a tractor
propeller. It is believed that the intention was to test a possible twin pusher and tractor propellor configuration for a new bomber planned by Voisin. The twin-engine Voisin Type 5 first flew in early 1916 but appears not to have been developed further.
The first Voisin Type V came into operational use in 1915 and not long after replaced the Voisin Type III on the production lines. However, the Voisins 150 hp (as they were referred to at the Western Front
) were held in low regard by their crews. Despite the more powerful engine, the Voisin Type Vs' payload was only marginally better and the maximum speed was only 13 km/h faster.
In common with other Voisin variants, the pusher engine configuration of the Type V resulted in the aircraft being defenceless against attacks from the rear. However this variant continued the operational use of all of the types both in training and bombing roles.
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
bomber aircraft of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Development history
The Voisin IIIVoisin III
-Survivors and replicas:There is a Full-scale replica of the Voisin III La on display at the Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver, WA near Portland Oregon-References:* * archived from www.caedmon.n-yorks.sch.uk* archived from www.csd.uwo.ca...
had proved a successful bomber, but its payload was limited by the Salmson
Salmson
Salmson was a French engineering company, initially in the automobile and aeroplane manufacturing area,turning to pump manufacturing in the 1960s.-History:...
M9 engine, which produced only 120-hp. With an already identified need to develop a heavier and more powerful aircraft to deliver a larger bomb-load, an interim measure was taken to produce a Voisin Type III with a 150-hp Salmson P9 engine.
At the same time, the airframe was strengthened and the central nacelle
Nacelle
The nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. In some cases—for instance in the typical "Farman" type "pusher" aircraft, or the World War II-era P-38 Lightning—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle, which essentially fills the...
streamlined. The new engine was placed on a raised platform to provide clearance for the propeller and was angled to provide downward thrust. In addition, the landing gear was strengthened and the wing chord
Chord (aircraft)
In aeronautics, chord refers to the imaginary straight line joining the trailing edge and the center of curvature of the leading edge of the cross-section of an airfoil...
was increased from the roots to the wing tips.
The new aircraft was given the STAé designation Voisin Type V, while the factory designation was Voisin LAS. The S stood for surélevé (raised) which indicated the raised engine mount. The previous Type III variant had an exhaust system which permitted fumes to escape freely; the Type V incorporated a more effective system of twin exhaust pipes.
One Voisin Type V was transformed into a twin-engine aircraft in 1916 by adding a second Salmson in the front of the fuselage driving a tractor
Tractor configuration
thumb|right|[[Evektor-Aerotechnik|Aerotechnik EV97A Eurostar]], a tractor configuration aircraft, being pulled into position by its pilot for refuelling....
propeller. It is believed that the intention was to test a possible twin pusher and tractor propellor configuration for a new bomber planned by Voisin. The twin-engine Voisin Type 5 first flew in early 1916 but appears not to have been developed further.
The first Voisin Type V came into operational use in 1915 and not long after replaced the Voisin Type III on the production lines. However, the Voisins 150 hp (as they were referred to at the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
) were held in low regard by their crews. Despite the more powerful engine, the Voisin Type Vs' payload was only marginally better and the maximum speed was only 13 km/h faster.
Operational use
Approximately 300 Voisin Type Vs were built, and these served alongside the Voisin Type IIIs in front-line escadrilles during 1915 and well into 1916.In common with other Voisin variants, the pusher engine configuration of the Type V resulted in the aircraft being defenceless against attacks from the rear. However this variant continued the operational use of all of the types both in training and bombing roles.