Breguet's Aircraft ID Challenge #866

[Varese2002]

Breguet's Aircraft ID Challenge #866

A new one. Have a go at this characteristic machine ...

Kees

Scoreboard at the start of Challenge #866:

149.40 Varese2002 ¤¤
117.20 Dave_Kent ¤¤
102.70 Rbailey ¤
42.40 richard B ¤
33.30 Cruze ¤
31.25 Aquilius ¤
29.55 Lodzermensch ¤
24.40 YavorD
22.55 Froggy
16.90 Flamingo
14.80 Rod Filan
12.00 Breguet
10.45 GregE
10.30 Patrick
09.70 Dan-San
09.70 FOKKERJ Feuchtwanger
09.50 matte_kudasai
08.40 JohnMacG
07.70 EdStevens
07.60 trp81
07.10 Colin A. Owers
07.25 Ermeio
06.70 Ampovandak
06.70 Berman
06.10 joegertler
06.00 Eric Goedkoop
05.90 Doc
05.70 AROTH
05.70 dpolglaze
05.60 ercoupepilot
05.30 Crimso
05.30 Der Grüne Flieger
05.20 Maze
05.20 Gilles
05.10 bshatzer
05.00 Old Man
05.00 Tom L
05.00 sobrien .......................... have to wait 12 hours

04.75 SCMc ............................ may start immediately
04.40 Ross Moorhouse
04.30 edmondthieffry
04.30 HoHun
04.20 Rufe
04.00 greenknight
04.00 John McKenzie
04.00 Luf-Rick
03.90 Brad
03.50 '14-'18aviationcollector
03.00 Catfish
03.00 Linhawk
02.50 Gregoire
02.50 Rexee
02.30 ckingh5
02.10 Crankcase
02.00 AL FORBES
02.00 albatros1234
02.00 austin08
02.00 Rickenbaron
01.70 Kilian
01.60 airplane176
01.60 sergio_vitalio
01.50 Albatros_Ace
01.30 Cigogne
01.20 Ransom E. Olds
01.00 Cliff
01.00 cubsfan4life
01.00 gregorydquist
01.00 Mike Westorp
01.00 paolomiana
01.00 Peter Zambori
01.00 rammjaeger
01.00 SL DIII
01.00 Tripehound
00.90 Stig Jarlevik
00.80 Machinbird
00.80 Mad Mac
00.80 tbstreet
00.80 toxisch
00.60 Sreiko
00.50 Douglas7
00.50 Martin Irvine
00.40 Vilkata
00.30 albapfalzd30
00.30 Miroslav Pokorny
00.30 Nieuport14
00.20 Paul_J._Fisher

Rules:

1. The thread title must be "Breguet's Aircraft ID Challenge #......"
2. The score board, link and rules must be copied to the beginning of each thread, so that we know where we are. The score board and the correct answer to the challenge must also be placed at end of each thread.
3. The completed aircraft must have been either; designed, built or have left the ground during the '14-'18 period and be identifiable by the poster.
4. The photo must show the whole aircraft - from whatever angle, or at least 2 views of a 3 view drawing (photo by preference).
5. Challenges which depict a machine already earlier presented are disqualified (always check the list at Aeroplanes 1914 - 1918* -* Breguet's -Aircraft Challenge* -- when in doubt !).
6. If there is any doubt as to the eligibility of an aircraft for the challenge details should be PM'd to Breguet BEFORE the aircraft is submitted.
7. Once someone has got 5 correct answers under their belt they become an ACE. Once they become an ACE they must wait 12hrs after the posting of the new challenge before they can post an answer.
8. To be eligible for correct ID an answer must include at least one characteristic of the aircraft that helped in its identification.
9. The first person to ID the challenge correctly gets to post the next challenge. If this can not be done for any reason Breguet himself will post the next challenge.
10. If an ace gives the correct answer too early, the challenge is over, he gets no point but has to post the next one. In lieu of the fact that the "novices" have in effect been "cheated" of their "exclusive" time that next post should be a relatively easy one. Anyone repeating the correct answer at the right time gets neither a point nor the right to post the next challenge.
11. The final arbiter in relation to questions about the rules is BREGUET.


Aeroplanes 1914 - 1918* -* Breguet's Aircraft Challenge* --

[Rbailey]

Bruce Airbirde - forked tail, fuselage shape.

[Varese2002]

This is the shortest answer I have ever seen in a Challenge, but it is correct and within the rules.

This beautiful monoplane was designed and built in 1914 by Robert D. Bruce of Pittsburgh, Pa. Characteristic is the Taube-like wing and the almost bird-like construction of the rudder and elevator. the tail / rudder construction is probably unique for that time.
Robert Bruce also made an effort to mount the engine with a three-bladed propeller, which for that time was also very rare, probably by the effort that was needed to build a wooden three-bladed propeller (most were two- or four-bladed models). The propeller is given as a Paragon model. The engine fitted to this advanced machine was a 70 hp four-cylinder water-cooled engine.

The machine of Robert D. Bruce was patented on April 7, 1914 as Patent D45550. The patent clearly gives the bird like construction of this machine. The construction of Bruce is here described as an Air-navigation Vessel, an old term first used in US Patents in 1875 (Improvement in aerial vessels - Patent 168788), later fallen in disuse completely.

There is a small advertisement in Aeronautics October 15, 1914 (p.107) quoting:

WANTED - Party with $2.500 to take half interest in Airbirde Exhibition Co.: can book machine solid season 1915: will give same interest to flyer having 80-hp Gyro motor, or to manufacturer of financial responsibility who can assume the manufacturing license; will furnish the machine for affirmative tests. Robert D. Bruce, 338 Hastings St. Pittsburgh, Pa.

Obviously the Airbirde Exhibition Company was in need of financing.

Kees

[Varese2002]

Correct identification

The air-navigation vessel designed by Robert D. Bruce of Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1914 and built by his firm Airbirde Exhibition Company.

Scoreboard at the end of Challenge #866:

149.40 Varese2002 ¤¤
117.20 Dave_Kent ¤¤
103.70 Rbailey ¤
42.40 richard B ¤
33.30 Cruze ¤
31.25 Aquilius ¤
29.55 Lodzermensch ¤
24.40 YavorD
22.55 Froggy
16.90 Flamingo
14.80 Rod Filan
12.00 Breguet
10.45 GregE
10.30 Patrick
09.70 Dan-San
09.70 FOKKERJ Feuchtwanger
09.50 matte_kudasai
08.40 JohnMacG
07.70 EdStevens
07.60 trp81
07.10 Colin A. Owers
07.25 Ermeio
06.70 Ampovandak
06.70 Berman
06.10 joegertler
06.00 Eric Goedkoop
05.90 Doc
05.70 AROTH
05.70 dpolglaze
05.60 ercoupepilot
05.30 Crimso
05.30 Der Grüne Flieger
05.20 Maze
05.20 Gilles
05.10 bshatzer
05.00 Old Man
05.00 Tom L
05.00 sobrien .......................... have to wait 12 hours

04.75 SCMc ............................ may start immediately
04.40 Ross Moorhouse
04.30 edmondthieffry
04.30 HoHun
04.20 Rufe
04.00 greenknight
04.00 John McKenzie
04.00 Luf-Rick
03.90 Brad
03.50 '14-'18aviationcollector
03.00 Catfish
03.00 Linhawk
02.50 Gregoire
02.50 Rexee
02.30 ckingh5
02.10 Crankcase
02.00 AL FORBES
02.00 albatros1234
02.00 austin08
02.00 Rickenbaron
01.70 Kilian
01.60 airplane176
01.60 sergio_vitalio
01.50 Albatros_Ace
01.30 Cigogne
01.20 Ransom E. Olds
01.00 Cliff
01.00 cubsfan4life
01.00 gregorydquist
01.00 Mike Westorp
01.00 paolomiana
01.00 Peter Zambori
01.00 rammjaeger
01.00 SL DIII
01.00 Tripehound
00.90 Stig Jarlevik
00.80 Machinbird
00.80 Mad Mac
00.80 tbstreet
00.80 toxisch
00.60 Sreiko
00.50 Douglas7
00.50 Martin Irvine
00.40 Vilkata
00.30 albapfalzd30
00.30 Miroslav Pokorny
00.30 Nieuport14
00.20 Paul_J._Fisher

Kees

[Rbailey]

Originally Posted by Varese2002

This is the shortest answer I have ever seen in a Challenge, but it is correct and within the rules.
Kees

Short because: A. It was late in my time zone, and B. I was fighting with a computer virus and wasn't sure I could post anything.

[Rbailey]

The name to be given to it by Bruce was to be Airbirde Flyer. I did not know that last night.