The Antoinette III, originally called the Ferber IX or Aeroplane Ferber n° 9,[Note 1] was an early experimental aircraft flown in France. It was based on Ferdinand Ferber's previous design the Ferber n°8, and was quite unlike other Antoinette aircraft. It was renamed when Ferber became a director of the Antoinette company.

III
General information
TypeExperimental aircraft
ManufacturerAntoinette
Designer
Number built1
History
First flight1908

The Antoinette III was a two-bay biplane without a fuselage or any other enclosure for the pilot. A single elevator was carried on outriggers ahead of the aircraft, and a fixed fin and horizontal stabiliser behind. The undercarriage was of bicycle configuration and included small outriggers near the wingtips. Power was provided by an Antoinette 8V water cooled V-8 engine driving a tractor propeller.

Between July and September 1908, Ferber made a series of progressively longer flights in the machine, the longest recorded being on 15 September when he covered 9.65 km (6.00 mi) in 9 minutes.

Specifications

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General characteristics

  • Length: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Antoinette 8V , 50 kW (67 hp)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ in Ferber book L'aviation; ses débuts- son développement, pages 81-82

References

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  • Opdycke Leonard E. French Aeroplanes Before the Great War Atglen, PA: 1999 ISBN 0-7643-0752-5
  • Taylor M.J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989 p. 63
  • World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing: London. File 889 Sheet 63.
  • The Pioneers:An Anthology