L.Opdyke French Aeroplanes Before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
Ornis-1 was a heavy wooden-framed helicopter machine built in 1906 which never flew. The pilot sat forward in a half-covered nacelle with an up-curved skid in front.
Ornis-2 was Villard's second version in 1913 at Schaerbeek, and it was shown in 1914 at the third and last Salon de l'Automobile, du Cycle, et de l'Aeronautique in the great hall which is now occupied by the Belgian Air and Space Museum. A small 4-bladed rotor turned immediately above a long drooping wing of deeply arched airfoil section built on 2 spars. The small openwork fuselage, similar to that of Ornis-1, was covered in front, and sat on 2 wheels. A contemporary account of the flight trials follows:
The Burgermaster of Schaerbeek, M Kennis, allowed M Villard to install his machine in the courtyard of the town hall, where he made a hellish noise, without succeeding in rising due to the weight of his motor. Learning of this, Albert I summoned M Villard and offered him an 80 hp Anzani and the use of a shed at the Pare du Cinquantenaire so that he could pursue his experiments.
They proceeded successfully, since the helicopter, piloted by Tony Orta and Henry Gerard, began by lifting itself a meter off the ground. On 28 June 1914 the machine was taken to Berchem-Ste-Agathe, and Albert I went himself went to watch the trials each time more convincing; but not attentive to the presence of his sovereign, M Villard, quite distracted, greeted him with "Good day, Mr Lord!" Baptized l'Ornis, the helicopter was taken and destroyed when the Germans took Berchem-Ste-Agathe, several months later.