Bréguet 901 Mouette
| 901 Mouette | |
|---|---|
.JPG)
| |
| Breguet Br 901 Mouette (F-CAJA) | |
| Role | Single seat competition sailplane
|
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Société des Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet (Breguet Aviation) |
| Designer | Jean Cayla |
| First flight | 11 March 1954 |
| Produced | 1955-9 |
| Number built | c.36 |
The Breguet 901 Mouette (English: Seagull) is a single seat
Design and development
Breguet's first sailplane, the
The first two 901s built retained the curved vertical tail of the 900[4][5] but the third[2][5] had a straight topped shape with a rudder that was straight edged except at the heel. The 901's undercarriage is a retractable monowheel, fitted with a brake, plus a tail bumper.[2]
The 901 flew for the first time in March 1954. In 1956 it was developed into the 901S, which had a fuselage 510 mm (20 in) longer with a similar large area rudder like that of the 901 third prototype. A further development, the 901S1, had a more angular rudder and a fin without a fuselage fillet.[3]
Operational history
Gerard Pierre won the 1954 World Gliding Championships in the first prototype 901 only four months after its first flight. The second prototype, flown by G. Rousselet, finished in seventh place.[6] By the time of the 1956 Championships the 901 had been developed into the 901S; Paul MacCready piloted it to a second Breguet championship victory.[6]
As well as its international achievements the 901 set, and sometimes reset, numerous French national records.[3]
Nine 901S remained on the French register in 2010.[7]
Variants
Production numbers from[5]
- 901
- Original version. Third example had a straight topped vertical tail with a straight edged rudder apart from a rounded heel. Retained fin-fuselage fillet. 3 built.
- 901S
- 510 mm longer, larger, tail similar to third 901, modified flaps, heavier. 21 built.
- 901S1
- As 901 but with rudder straight edged without rounded heel, no fillet. 9 built.
- 901S2
- 3 built.
Aircraft on display
Of the numerous 901s with French museums, two are on public display:
- Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Le Bourget, 901; F-CAJA the first prototype and 1954 World Championship winner.
- Musée Régional de l'Air, Marcé, 901S; F-CCCP
Specifications (901S)
Data from Die berümtesten Segelflugzeuge[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 7.57 m (24 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 17.32 m (56 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 15.0 m2 (161 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio: 20
- NACA 63series
- Empty weight: 265 kg (584 lb)
- Gross weight: 430 kg (948 lb)
Performance
- Stall speed: 62 km/h (39 mph, 33 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)
- Rough air speed max: 180 km/h (111.8 mph; 97.2 kn)
- Aerotow speed: 150 km/h (93.2 mph; 81.0 kn)
- Maximum glide ratio: 35 at 85 km/h (52.8 mph; 45.9 kn)
- Rate of sink: 0.60 m/s (118 ft/min) at 72 km/h (44.7 mph; 38.9 kn)
- Wing loading: 28.0 kg/m2 (5.7 lb/sq ft)
References
- ^ ISBN 3-9807977-4-0.
- ^ a b c Bridgman, Leonard (1956). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956-57. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 131.
- ^ ISBN 3-87943171-X.
- ^ "First prototpye 901 production list". Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ a b c "Breguet production list". Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Single-Seater Championship Results" (PDF). Gliding. 5 (3): 79. Autumn 1954.
- ISBN 978-0-85130-425-0.
Bibliography
- Cuny, Jean & Leyvastre, Pierre (1977). Les Avions Breguet (1940/1971). DOCAVIA (in French). Vol. 6. Paris: Editions Larivière. OCLC 440863702.
- Lacaze, Henri (2016). Les avions Louis Breguet Paris [The Aircraft of Louis Breguet, Paris] (in French). Vol. 2: le règne du monoplan. Le Vigen, France. ISBN 978-2-914017-89-3.)
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Further reading
- "1956 World Gliding Championship Results" (PDF). Sailplane & Gliding. VII (4): 170. August 1956. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-06.
External links
