de Bruyere C1

History of de Bruyere C1

Before World War I (1914-1918), heavier-than-air flight was possible, but it was this war that drove the innovation of certain conceptssometimes to extremes. The de Bruyere C1 embodies one of the most extreme design attempts of the First World War, with its canard configuration combined with a thrust engine arrangement and tricycle landing gear.

This unorthodox approach was unsuccessful, however, as the only prototype - intended as a fighter jet - barely lifted off on its first flight and crashed quickly after reaching low altitudes.

C1 Tour

French engineer Marcel de Bruyere is credited with this forward-thinking design, built around a round, sleek fuselage structure that places the midship ahead of the pilot in an open-air cockpit. The engine was mounted behind him, driving a multi-blade "propeller" propeller unit at the rear of the fuselage.

Compared to contemporary biplanes, this positioning leaves the nose unobstructed and, thanks to its downward sloping attitude, provides the pilot with an inherently superior view outside the cockpit. The nose also features canards (small forward-wing aircraft), which appear to be a fully mobile design for maximum control - another nod to the future of fighter jets.

While canards are used to control the pitch of the aircraft, full-chord ailerons are located on the upper wing elements to control roll during flight.

The De Bruyere C1 has a single-cabin biplane wing arrangement, these are typical "up and down" aircraft, although offset to the left with the upper elements moved slightly forward. From the front profile, the span of the wings is unequal, and the upper element has a larger surface area than the lower element.

These two elements are supported by inverted "V" struts and the necessary wiring common to WWI-era aircraft. The main aircraft is located amidships.

The tail is as unique as any other part of this interesting aircraft, containing a single, back-mounted vertical tail in a flat circular design. There is also a ventral vertical plane with the two tail fins directly in front of the rotating propeller blades at the extreme end of the aircraft.

The tail skid is located under the pelvic fins to prevent the aircraft from taking a "nose up" position at any point close to (or at) the ground.

In addition to various forward-looking qualities, the C1 also intends to use a tricycle landing gear, in which all three units are mounted on wheels. While these units remain stationary in flight, nearly all aircraft use a "trail" landing gear arrangement.

Known structural dimensions include an overall length of 24.6 feet and a wingspan of 26.10 feet.

Power and Performance

Inside the aircraft is a water-cooled Hispano-Suiza 8Aa V-8 piston engine that drives the two-bladed wooden propellers in the above "thrust" arrangement - that is, the engine will be used to "drive the aircraft through the air" the aircraft instead of "pulling" it; like an aircraft with the engine and propeller assembly mounted in the usual position of the nose. Due to the C1's short time in the air, no official performance data has been recorded, so all such on this page Figures are estimated by the author.

Proposed Weapon

The C1 is designed to (rather optimistically) play the role of a fighter, so the proposed armament should focus on a 37mm Hotchkiss automatic cannon - giving it a strong "bite" to contemporaries (including enemy bombers) force". It is believed that the desire to install such a powerful weapon led De Bruyere to adopt this unorthodox design for the draft fighter.

First and last flight

The first and only flight of the C1 took place in April 1917, as World War I continued. The flight, which took place in Etempes, France, reached an altitude of just 25 feet before accidentally rolling over.

The fuselage landed on its back, although the pilot survived the controls without being crushed. This seems to be the last time the C1 design was heard, as it was not repaired, re-flyed or further developed any later in the war.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Armor

Changes