L.Opdyke French Aeroplanes Before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
XXXIX: A single-seater armored monocoque monoplane, this handsome machine intended for reconnaissance appeared in October 1913. The triangular stabilizer was soon replaced with a smaller rectangular lifting tail, and the rudder replaced with a rudder like the Type XI-2.
Журнал Flight
Flight, December 20, 1913.
THE PARIS AERO SALON - 1913.
BLERIOT.
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One of the other machines, of which only the fuselage is shown, is also of the monocoque type, but differs from the one just described in that it is a single-seater. The front portion from the nose of the fuselage to a point behind the pilot's seat is armoured with 3 mm. thick chrome nickel steel. During some experiments carried out it was found that rifle bullets fired from a distance of 400 yds. either glanced off or made but a small dent in the armour, while it was found that the rear wooden portion of the fuselage could be pierced with a great number of bullets without impairing the strength of that structure, so that for military purposes this machine ought to provide comparative safety for the pilot without necessitating flying at a very great altitude. Naturally the armour makes the machine heavier, and as a matter of fact the weight of the armour has been found to be equal to that of a passenger; hence the reason for making the machine a single-seater with the same engine.
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