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René Couzinet (born 20 July 1904, Saint-Martin-des-Noyers, Vendée, died 16 December 1956) was a French aeronautics engineer and aircraft manufacturer. The Société des Avions René Couzinet manufactured a range of Couzinet aircraft during the 1920s and 30s.〔(AeroStories Biographie of René Couzinet. (1904-1956) Glory to forfeiture )〕 ==Biography== Couzinet's father was a school teacher, and from a very young age he was fascinated by aviation and observing the flight of swallows. In 1921 he enrolled at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) (School of Arts and Crafts) at Angers (with Louis Béchereau), where he both graduated and filed several aviation patents. In 1924 he attended the École supérieure de l’aéronautique (Graduate School of Aeronautics). He financed his studies by working in a turbine factory, before joining the French Air Force (''Armée de l'air'') in November 1925, where he became a lieutenant.〔 In 1927 he built the Couzinet 10 ''Arc en Ciel'' (''Rainbow'') No 1, a modern shape for its time. It was a three-engined monoplane with thick wings and a tapered body and tailplane, which was characteristic of all ''Arcs-en-Ciel'' to follow. Jacques Lacoste, managing director of engine manufacturer Hispano-Suiza, lent him three engines without charge, and additionally he raised a loan of $50,000 US Dollars. The ''Arc en Ciels first flight was on 7 May 1928.〔 The aircraft manufacturer ANF Les Mureaux agreed to take charge of the first prototype, with Couzinet consulting, making observations and studies. The leading French engineer Albert Caquot was also involved with the project.〔 In 1928, he built the Couzinet 27, a four-seater which crashed during trials on August 8, 1928. The mechanic Lanet was killed immediately, the pilot Drouin died a few days later, and Manuel Gianoli survived.〔 On 17 February 1930 a fire destroyed the workshops of Émile-Louis Letord at Meudon, losses these included a twin tri-motor engined Couzinet 20 and a Couzinet 27 ''Arc-en-ciel II''.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=René Couzinet: from glory to decline )〕〔(Aerostories. René Couzinet - from glory to decline )〕 The Couzinet 33 Biarritz, a four-seater passenger plane, made its first flight on 25 November 1931. From March 6 to April 5, 1932, it completed the first air link from France to New Caledonia piloted by Charles de Verneilh Puyraseau, Max Dévé second pilot and radio operator, and Emile Munch mechanic. The crew were unharmed by its rough landing at Tontouta Nouméa but it was dismantled and shipped back to France by sea. The Biarritz, repaired and equipped with more powerful engines, went on to perform in Europe and Africa including carrying Pierre Cot, The Air Minister, between Moscow and Paris; plus several flights in Africa including the islands of Cape Verde. Returning from North Africa it crashed at Blaisy-Bas in the Côte-d'Or on 30 October 1933.〔 The Couzinet 70 ''Arc-en-ciel III'' made its first flight on 11 February 1932. On 16 January 1933, piloted by Jean Mermoz and accompanied by Couzinet himself, he crossed the South Atlantic from Saint-Louis, Senegal to Natal in less than twelve hours. Their triumphant return to Le Bourget on May 21 was greeted by 15,000 people, and the aircraft was then operated by Air France until 1937.〔 All the aircraft retained the same three-engined layout but were never fully accepted by the officials of the French aeronautics industry. In 1933, separated from ANF Les Mureaux, Couzinet was on the verge of bankruptcy so the research agency was integrated with the Breguet Aviation (Société anonyme des ateliers d’aviation Louis Breguet) in Vélizy-Villacoublay.〔 In 1952 he released photographs of a model for his Flying saucer the Couzinet RC-360. A Vertical takeoff aircraft (VTOL) that used two contra-rotating discs powered by three engines. A second model was designed with six Lycoming engines (180 hp each) and one Marcel Dassault Viper turbojet.〔(René Couzinet's RC-360 -L'Aérodyne (1952) - ''Flying saucer'' )〕〔(USAF Air Intelligence Digest. Mentioning René Couzinet’s Circular Planform, VTOL Aircraft (France) )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「René Couzinet」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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