Noel

   At least 3 Noels were involved in pre-WWI French aviation. Andre Noel was an oft-publicized Bleriot XI pilot; Jules Noel was a pilot for Roger Sommer and was killed in a Sommer on 9 February 1911; and Louis Noel was a designer and builder.
   While still flying his Bleriot, Andre was reported building an "extra rapide" monoplane; and at the end of October 1910 he claimed a top speed of 100 kmh with a 5-cylinder 50 hp Anzani in his new machine, Le Moineau (sparrow). At about the same time, Alessandro Anzani is reported to have bought from a Noel - very likely Andre - a shed at Issy "with everything locked inside."
   Before becoming a Sommer pilot, Jules had built at least 3 aeroplanes of his own at Carignan, in the south of France. A postcard dated 1910 shows his No 3, a monoplane with an uncovered rear fuselage, and Bleriot-style kingposts; the undercarriage consisted of 2 vertical struts side by side with a long cross-axle, the whole wirebraced.

   (Empty weight: 210 kg; 25 hp Anzani)

   The first aeroplane designed by Louis Noel (sometimes mistakenly called Paul Noel) appeared in 1911; completed in April, it was flying in June. An unequal-span biplane with an all-tubing airframe for disassembly, it had an uncovered box fuselage with a rudder hinged at the tail and a huge tail plane set ahead of it. After brief testing at the end of June, the Anzani was replaced with a Viale - itself an Anzani copy - and the balance was changed. Later a Gnome was installed.

   (Span: (upper) 12 m; (lower) 8 m; length: 9.5 m; wing area: 32 sqm)