271:
366:
197:
354:, the billionaire politician and philanthropist, who was to finance Wibault for the rest of his career, mainly through an entity called the Vibrane Corporation which supported him and sponsored his US patent applications. After the war, Wibault divided his time between New York and Paris. He became increasingly interested in vertical take-off and landing (
286:
low-wing trimotor transport. This was the first of a series of airliners that was vitally important to the development of commercial aviation in France in the 1930s. The collaboration was successful, with Penhoët merging with
Wibault in 1931, forming the Chantiers Aeronautiques Wibault-Penhoët. Then
294:
In 1937 the French Air
Ministry awarded Wibault a contract for a large four-engined double-deck airliner carrying up to 72 passengers. An early version, carrying 25 passengers in some luxury, including a lower deck bar and restaurant was named the Air-Wibault 1.00. The prototype was completed, but
149:
In August 1914 Douai was captured by the
Germans, and German officers occupied the family mansion. Michel made visits to the occupied La Brayelle airfield. The Germans took little notice of the disabled young man and, understanding German, he was able to observe the activities and take extensive
99:(born 5 June 1897, died 23 January 1963) was a French aircraft designer. He was a strong advocate of metal construction, and his airliners were important in the development of French commercial aviation in the 1930s. He is especially known for his invention of
137:
affecting all his limbs. As a result, he did not attend school, and was entirely home- and self-educated. He also had a German nanny. His disability precluded him from military service. During his childhood he often visited
358:) aircraft, with projects ranging from interceptors to large airliners, most of which he classified as a “Gyropter” (French – “Gyroptère”). His starting point was a circular aircraft comparable to the
412:. Soon Wibault agreed to work with Bristol, and they worked to lighten and simplify the engine design, leading to a new patent in 1957, jointly authored by Michel Wibault and Hooker’s assistant,
393:. The compressor outlet nozzles were able to swivel between pointing straight down for take-off and landing, and pointing horizontally backwards for forward flight. He obtained patents for his
154:, who was staying with family friends while demonstrating his designs to the Germans. Michel built his own wind tunnel for testing models. Disliking the Germans, he was able to move to
279:
330:, and for the Wibault company, leaving for America in 1927, and was a strong proponent of metal construction methods. For Republic, Wibault worked on the design of the
869:
235:. Wibault and Vickers jointly developed more metal construction patents. By 1925 Vickers had adopted Wibault’s construction methods, and produced the
175:
193:
engine. Tests were very successful, achieving a top speed of 237km/h and an altitude of 7,500m, but development was abandoned at the end of the war.
270:
130:, on 5 June 1897 to Achille and Madelaine Wibault. Achille owned a chain of about a hundred grocery shops. They had three sons and three daughters.
178:(STAĂ©) in Paris, and with financial assistance from his maternal uncle, made in December 1917, built a model which was successfully tested in the
464:
1130:
427:, had developed an interest in VTOL aircraft, which he expressed in a letter to Hooker, and thus the scene was set for the development of the
300:
511:
1125:
369:
The first prototype Hawker P.1127 XP831 which made its first vertical take-off on 21 October 1960, over two years before
Wibault's death
803:
757:
645:
601:
573:
220:
construction, flying from 1920. At first the aircraft were all military types, with
Wibault turning to civil transports from 1930.
365:
296:
862:
227:, starting in 1922. As a pioneer of metal construction for which he held patents, he closely followed the design methods of
318:, a support organisation for de Gaulle in the USA, and he was very active in the group. Moving to America, Wibault joined
452:
1120:
196:
1135:
855:
409:
826:
359:
413:
107:
539:
432:
386:
331:
143:
400:
Unable to interest the French government or industry in the idea, in 1955 Wibault submitted it to the
1115:
1110:
707:
351:
335:
303:
on 3 June 1940. It is said that
Wibault himself set fire to it to stop it falling into German hands.
209:
139:
274:
Wibault-Penhoët 281T F-ADEK, the prototype 280T with
Hispano-Wright engines replaced by Gnome-RhĂ´nes
988:
983:
680:
428:
288:
1003:
978:
973:
963:
958:
953:
424:
323:
943:
799:
753:
641:
597:
569:
507:
390:
378:
319:
311:
244:
793:
933:
448:
436:
394:
326:. Kartveli, a Soviet émigré, had trained at an aviation school in Paris and then worked for
185:
With French engineer Paul
Boccaccio, in 1918 he designed and built his first aeroplane, the
100:
1089:
1079:
374:
264:
260:
256:
236:
447:
In March 1930 he married Marie-Rose
Boistel. In 1931 he was appointed a Chevalier of the
171:
847:
405:
315:
252:
232:
151:
142:, where the world's first aviation meeting took place. It was home to the workshops of
1104:
1084:
948:
382:
347:
327:
248:
190:
228:
501:
295:
only three engines could be obtained, and it was destroyed in an air raid on the
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
998:
993:
968:
420:
283:
179:
159:
87:
723:
938:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
706:
Ross, Harold
Wallace; White, Katharine Sergeant Angell (November 16, 1940).
240:
217:
213:
186:
506:. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword Aviation. pp. 29–46.
773:
Matthews, Henry (November 2002). "Database: Hawker P.1127 & Kestrel".
617:
Stroud, John (September 1984). "Wings of Peace 12: Wibault-Penhoët 280T".
322:
where he worked with the company’s major driving force and chief designer
200:
The company's first aircraft, the Wibault 2 night bomber - only one built
404:
Mutual Weapons Development Programme and was subsequently introduced to
879:
306:
On 17 June 1940 Wibault escaped with his wife Marie-Rose from Paris to
224:
205:
170:
In March 1917 Wibault presented a fighter design to Lieutenant-Colonel
155:
373:
In 1954, one of his projects was for a vertical take-off and landing
307:
127:
104:
48:
364:
269:
195:
146:
whom he met and with whom he later formed a lasting acquaintance.
134:
123:
119:
66:
44:
640:(2nd ed.). London, UK: Peerage Books. pp. 87, 174–175.
401:
355:
851:
596:(2nd ed.). London, UK: Putnam. pp. 9, 207–231.
724:"Michel Wibault - the Frenchman who foresaw the Harrier"
752:. London, UK: Arms & Armour Press Ltd. p. 13.
681:"L'avion géant de transport Air-Wibault (in French)"
291:, which went on to produce several Wibault designs.
1072:
886:
82:
74:
55:
30:
23:
103:for aircraft, which led to the development of the
389:mounted on the sides of the airframe around the
863:
8:
534:
532:
530:
287:in 1934 Wibault-Penhoët itself was sold to
133:At the age of four, Michel was disabled by
870:
856:
848:
568:. London, UK: Bracken Books. p. 895.
20:
712:. F-R Publishing Corporation. p. 23.
495:
493:
491:
489:
487:
485:
483:
481:
223:Wibault became a consulting engineer for
176:Technical Section of Military Aeronautics
587:
585:
540:"Pioneers of Aviation - Michel Wibault"
477:
314:appointed him as technical director of
638:Airliners from 1919 to the Present Day
544:Air France - A Love Story (in French)
431:engine. This was at the heart of the
16:French aircraft designer and inventor
7:
419:Meanwhile, Hawker’s chief designer
408:who was then technical director of
243:) - 26 of which were bought by the
798:. London, UK: Atlantic Books Ltd.
14:
503:Pegasus: The Heart of the Harrier
465:Société des Avions Michel Wibault
377:Gyropter using the most powerful
206:Société des Avions Michel Wibault
97:Michel Henri Marie Joseph Wibault
685:Bibliothèque Nationale de France
592:Andrews, CF; Morgan, EB (1988).
566:Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviationj
212:, with various aircraft, mostly
687:. L'AĂ©ronautique, February 1940
280:Penhoët (Chantiers St. Nazaire)
187:Wibault-Boccaccio & Cie C.1
878:Aircraft designed or built by
162:where he developed his ideas.
1:
1131:20th-century French inventors
435:design that evolved into the
180:Eiffel aerodynamic laboratory
453:16th arrondissement of Paris
423:, noting the success of the
278:In 1930 French shipbuilders
594:Vickers Aircraft since 1908
564:Taylor, Michael JH (1989).
282:funded construction of the
189:fighter powered by a 220hp
118:Michel Wibault was born in
1152:
1126:French aerospace engineers
792:Glancey, Jonathan (2013).
467:(includes list of designs)
636:Munson, Kenneth (1983).
429:Bristol Siddeley Pegasus
360:Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar
204:In 1919 Wibault founded
437:Hawker Siddeley Harrier
387:centrifugal compressors
108:Hawker Siddeley Harrier
795:Harrier: The Biography
748:Stoff, Joshua (1990).
661:"Wibault 280 series".
370:
275:
201:
86:aircraft designer and
1080:Vickers Wibault Scout
368:
350:in 1940, Wibault met
284:Wibault-Penhoët 280-T
273:
199:
500:Dow, Andrew (2009).
455:on 23 January 1963.
352:Winthrop Rockefeller
239:Scout (based on the
166:Aircraft development
140:La Brayelle Airfield
989:Wibault 170 Tornade
750:The Thunder Factory
150:notes. He also met
1121:Aircraft designers
669:(212): 5935. 1993.
425:Ryan X-13 Vertijet
381:then available, a
371:
324:Alexander Kartveli
276:
267:civil transports.
255:fighters, and the
214:parasol monoplanes
202:
174:, Director of the
1136:People from Douai
1098:
1097:
775:Aeroplane Monthly
619:Aeroplane Monthly
513:978-1-84884-042-3
451:. He died in the
391:centre of gravity
379:turboshaft engine
320:Republic Aviation
312:Charles de Gaulle
245:Chilean Air Force
94:
93:
1143:
934:Wibault 8 Simoun
872:
865:
858:
849:
842:
841:
839:
837:
827:"Michel Wibault"
823:
817:
816:
814:
812:
789:
783:
782:
770:
764:
763:
745:
739:
738:
736:
734:
720:
714:
713:
703:
697:
696:
694:
692:
677:
671:
670:
658:
652:
651:
633:
627:
626:
614:
608:
607:
589:
580:
579:
561:
555:
554:
552:
550:
536:
525:
524:
522:
520:
497:
449:Legion of Honour
342:VTOL development
62:
40:
38:
21:
1151:
1150:
1146:
1145:
1144:
1142:
1141:
1140:
1101:
1100:
1099:
1094:
1090:Vickers Viastra
1073:Vickers-Wibault
1068:
979:Wib 125 Sirocco
974:Wib 124 Sirocco
964:Wib 122 Sirocco
959:Wib 121 Sirocco
882:
876:
846:
845:
835:
833:
825:
824:
820:
810:
808:
806:
791:
790:
786:
772:
771:
767:
760:
747:
746:
742:
732:
730:
722:
721:
717:
705:
704:
700:
690:
688:
679:
678:
674:
660:
659:
655:
648:
635:
634:
630:
616:
615:
611:
604:
591:
590:
583:
576:
563:
562:
558:
548:
546:
538:
537:
528:
518:
516:
514:
499:
498:
479:
474:
461:
445:
410:Bristol Engines
395:vectored thrust
385:, driving four
344:
237:Vickers Wibault
233:Caudius Dornier
168:
116:
101:vectored thrust
70:
64:
60:
59:23 January 1963
51:
42:
36:
34:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1149:
1147:
1139:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1103:
1102:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
984:Wib 130 Trombe
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
954:Wib 12 Sirocco
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
890:
888:
884:
883:
877:
875:
874:
867:
860:
852:
844:
843:
818:
805:978-1843548911
804:
784:
765:
758:
740:
728:Ops-Normal.org
715:
709:The New Yorker
698:
672:
653:
646:
628:
609:
602:
581:
574:
556:
526:
512:
476:
475:
473:
470:
469:
468:
460:
457:
444:
441:
406:Stanley Hooker
343:
340:
316:France Forever
167:
164:
152:Anthony Fokker
115:
112:
92:
91:
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
65:
63:(aged 65)
57:
53:
52:
43:
32:
28:
27:
25:Michel Wibault
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1148:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1085:Vickers Vireo
1083:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
891:
889:
887:Wibault built
885:
881:
873:
868:
866:
861:
859:
854:
853:
850:
832:
828:
822:
819:
807:
801:
797:
796:
788:
785:
780:
776:
769:
766:
761:
759:1-85409-040-2
755:
751:
744:
741:
729:
725:
719:
716:
711:
710:
702:
699:
686:
682:
676:
673:
668:
664:
657:
654:
649:
647:0-907408-36-2
643:
639:
632:
629:
625:(9): 493–497.
624:
620:
613:
610:
605:
603:0-85177-815-1
599:
595:
588:
586:
582:
577:
575:1-85170-324-1
571:
567:
560:
557:
545:
541:
535:
533:
531:
527:
515:
509:
505:
504:
496:
494:
492:
490:
488:
486:
484:
482:
478:
471:
466:
463:
462:
458:
456:
454:
450:
443:Personal life
442:
440:
438:
434:
433:Hawker P.1127
430:
426:
422:
417:
415:
411:
407:
403:
398:
396:
392:
388:
384:
383:Bristol Orion
380:
376:
375:ground-attack
367:
363:
361:
357:
353:
349:
341:
339:
337:
333:
332:XF-12 Rainbow
329:
328:Louis Bleriot
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
304:
302:
298:
292:
290:
285:
281:
272:
268:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
249:Vickers Vireo
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
198:
194:
192:
191:Hispano-Suiza
188:
183:
181:
177:
173:
165:
163:
161:
157:
153:
147:
145:
144:Louis Breguet
141:
136:
131:
129:
125:
121:
113:
111:
109:
106:
102:
98:
89:
85:
83:Occupation(s)
81:
77:
73:
68:
58:
54:
50:
46:
33:
29:
22:
19:
836:December 25,
834:. Retrieved
831:Geneanet.org
830:
821:
811:December 24,
809:. Retrieved
794:
787:
778:
774:
768:
749:
743:
733:December 24,
731:. Retrieved
727:
718:
708:
701:
691:December 27,
689:. Retrieved
684:
675:
666:
662:
656:
637:
631:
622:
618:
612:
593:
565:
559:
549:December 24,
547:. Retrieved
543:
517:. Retrieved
502:
446:
418:
414:Gordon Lewis
399:
372:
345:
305:
301:Villacoublay
293:
277:
229:Hugo Junkers
222:
203:
184:
172:Émile Dorand
169:
158:and then to
148:
132:
117:
96:
95:
88:aeronautical
61:(1963-01-23)
18:
1116:1963 deaths
1111:1897 births
421:Sidney Camm
336:RC-3 Seabee
210:Billancourt
160:Switzerland
75:Nationality
41:5 June 1897
1105:Categories
472:References
334:, and the
114:Early life
37:1897-06-05
1039:Wib 360T5
949:Wib 10/II
781:(11): 57.
346:While in
299:works at
241:Wibault 7
218:Duralumin
1029:Wib 283T
1024:Wib 282T
1019:Wib 281T
1014:Wib 280T
663:Airplane
519:June 13,
459:See also
397:design.
348:New York
90:inventor
69:. France
1064:Wib 368
1059:Wib 367
1054:Wib 366
1049:Wib 365
1044:Wib 362
1034:Wib 313
1009:Wib 260
1004:Wib 240
999:Wib 220
994:Wib 210
969:Wib 123
880:Wibault
297:Arsenal
289:Breguet
261:Vellore
257:Viastra
225:Vickers
156:Belgium
122:, near
944:Wib 10
929:Wib 74
924:Wib 73
919:Wib 72
914:Wib 71
802:
756:
644:
600:
572:
510:
310:where
308:London
265:Vellox
253:Jockey
247:- the
128:France
105:V/STOL
78:French
49:France
939:Wib 9
909:Wib 7
904:Wib 3
899:Wib 2
894:Wib 1
135:polio
124:Lille
120:Douai
67:Paris
45:Douai
838:2019
813:2019
800:ISBN
754:ISBN
735:2019
693:2019
642:ISBN
598:ISBN
570:ISBN
551:2019
521:2020
508:ISBN
402:NATO
356:VTOL
263:and
251:and
231:and
56:Died
31:Born
416:.
216:of
208:at
47:,
1107::
829:.
779:30
777:.
726:.
683:.
667:18
665:.
623:12
621:.
584:^
542:.
529:^
480:^
439:.
362:.
338:.
259:,
182:.
126:,
110:.
871:e
864:t
857:v
840:.
815:.
762:.
737:.
695:.
650:.
606:.
578:.
553:.
523:.
39:)
35:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.