The Lafay Independência was a Brazilian twin-engine, biplane aircraft, the first of its kind built in Latin America.[1]
| Lafay Independência | |
|---|---|
| Role | Experimental aircraft |
| National origin | Brazil |
| Manufacturer | Mr. Braconnot |
| Designer | Louis Etienne Lafay |
| First flight | 25 May 1922 |
| Number built | 1 |
Background edit
After unsuccessfully trying to build a multipurpose aircraft in partnership with Blackburn Aircraft. Henrique Lage, with the help of the French military attaché Louis Lafay, the Rio de Janeiro airplane was designed, of which there are no technical records about the aircraft, but it served as the basis for Indepêndencia.[2]
Design and development edit
With the help of a engineer named Braconnot, he built a twin-engine biplane with the capacity to carry five people on board. Built with Brazilian wood and canvas, it resembled the Caudron G.3, even though it was bigger and heavier. It used a Clerget engine push-pull type, each with two fixed pitch propellers.
Operational history edit
The aircraft participated in the welcome flock to Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, upon their arrival in Rio de Janeiro during first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic. Her fate after June 1922 is unknown.[2][1]
References edit
- ^ a b Pereira, Roberto (1997). Enciclopédia de Aviões Brasileiros. Vol. 1. São Paulo: Editora Globo. p. 254-255. ISBN 9788525021373.
- ^ a b Pereira, Roberto (1986). História da Construção Aeronáutica no Brasil 1910-1976. Vol. 1. São Paulo: Editora Aquarius. p. 12-16. ISBN 9788585262693.
External links edit
Henrique Lage and Cpt Lafay in the Independência airplane
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