Voisin 10 - restauration of a French 3-seater from 1918

[+Olham]

Great pics and info here about a Voisin 10 restauration!
Make sure you also click on the link below the 4 colour pics about the restaurated nacelle.

http://memorial.flight.free.fr/Voisin10uk.html

There is even a colour chart for French aircraft, compiled after original samples.

http://memorial.flight.free.fr/nuancier1418uk.html

 

[UK_Widowmaker]

wow

[fallenphoenix1986]

For the WW1 uninitiated - what the heck is that whatchamajig up front?

 

Craig

Edited October 31, 2013 by fallenphoenix1986

[+Olham]

It is a cannon - Voisin experimented with the M1902 cannon, which had a calibre of 37 mm.

Not sure though, if this is that same model. See more here:

 

http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/knights-of-the-air-sky-cannons

Edited October 31, 2013 by Olham

[fallenphoenix1986]

Thanks - thought that looked like a breech at the back, still  I didn't realise WW1 birds carried anything that heavy.

Craig

Edited October 31, 2013 by fallenphoenix1986

[+Olham]

Not sure how successful these cannons were - French ace Guynemer experimented with a cannon

on his SPAD, but he went back to twin machine guns.

[+RAF_Louvert]

.

 

What an outstanding project!  I'd love to go to that museum and see it for myself.  Olham, to your pondering on the effectiveness of the cannons on those SPADs: I believe Guynemer had 2 confirmed kills with the 37mm while Fonck had 11 confirmed with it.  I know there were a few others but I can't recall the figures on those at the moment.

 

.

[+Olham]

Interesting info, Lou - never read much about those cannons.

But didn't they all switch back to twin machine guns? I thought I read that somewhere.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Olham

[+RAF_Louvert]

.

 

Actually Olham, it wasn't an "either/or" situation for them.  They each had their own kites with standard guns AND another bus at their disposal with the cannon fitted to it.  I believe it was Guynemer who noted how gawd-awful it was to reload the beast in flight because as soon as you opened the breech block the pressure in the barrel, (due to the forward motion of the plane), filled the cockpit with smoke and gas and damned near chocked you out while temporarily blinding you at the same time.  Now also imagine at that same time you're trying to get rid of the hot empty shell that is conveniently located down below your knees and then load a fresh round.  Oh yes, and you have to keep tabs on your flying and your SA too.  Good fun.

 

.

Edited November 1, 2013 by RAF_Louvert