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René Couzinet born 20 July 1904 in Saint-Martin-des-Noyers in Vendée, died 16 December 1956), was a French aeronautics engineer and aircraft manufacturer.

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 Dollers. The Arc en Ciel's first flight was on 7 May 1928.

The Workshops Mureaux agree to take charge of the first prototype. Couzinet figure is service. Couzinet also undertakes observation studies had ANF Les Mureaux sell. Caquot Albert then brought 6.6 million young engineer for four prototypes of the Arc-en-ciel , a remarkable device still missing Focus Point 1 . In 1928, he built the Couzinet 27 , four-seater crashed raid the August 8, 1928 during his trials. The mechanic Lanet is killed on the spot, the driver Drouin died a few days later, and Manuel Gianoli survive their injuries.

The Couzinet 33 Biarritz , four-seater Gran Turismo, made its first flight 25 November 1931. From March 6 to April 5, 1932, he made the first air link France - New Caledonia with Charles De Verneilh driver, Max Dévé browser, second pilot and radio and Emile Munch mechanic]. It is slightly rough landing at Tontouta Noumea (the crew is free). It will be disassembled and brought by boat in France. The Biarritz # 2 is repaired and equipped with new more powerful engines: it performs a variety of services in Europe and Africa including Moscow Paris with Pierre Cot Minister of Air, several flights in Africa, including the islands of a Cape Verde. Return to North Africa he crashed Blairgowrie Netherlands ( Gold Coast ) Oct. 30, 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 two 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.

Family

In 1936 he married he married Gilberte (nee Chazottes) the widow of aviator Jean Mermoz.

Death and commemoration

During World War II he emigrated to Brazil and was responsible for the technical direction of the national aviation. On return to France he found most consultancy opportunities were closed to him, and his many futuristic projects, hydrofoil and vertical take-off aircraft, did not progress beyond concepts and models. In despair he and his wife committed suicide on 16 December 1956. He is buried in the cemetery of Bagneux, Paris.

The aerodrome at La Roche-sur-Yon Aérodrome de La Roche-sur-Yon - Les Ajoncs ou aérodrome René-Couzinet is named after him.

The Collège René Couzinet at Chantonnay is named in his honour.

References

Bibliography

Jean Mermoz, My Flights , Flammarion, 1937, pp.108-109
Emmanuel Caloyanni, René Couzinet Lindbergh At Mermoz , Gesture Publishing, 2001, ISBN 2-84561-026-2
Alexander Couzinet Mermoz-Couzinet or shattered dream of Aéropostale , Atlantica editions, Biarritz, 2000, ISBN 2-84394-325-6

↑ Emmanuel Chadeau, The aviation industry in France 1900-1950, Blériot Dassault, Paris, Fayard, 1987

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@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 The Couzinet 33 Biarritz , four-seater Gran Turismo, made its first flight 25 November 1931. From March 6 to April 5, 1932, he made the first air link France - New Caledonia with Charles De Verneilh driver, Max Dévé browser, second pilot and radio and Emile Munch mechanic]. It is slightly rough landing at Tontouta Noumea (the crew is free). It will be disassembled and brought by boat in France. The Biarritz # 2 is repaired and equipped with new more powerful engines: it performs a variety of services in Europe and Africa including Moscow Paris with Pierre Cot Minister of Air, several flights in Africa, including the islands of a Cape Verde. Return to North Africa he crashed Blairgowrie Netherlands ( Gold Coast ) Oct. 30, 1933.
-The Couzinet 70 Arc-en-ciel III made its first flight on 11 February 1932 and 16 January 1933 , piloted by Jean Mermoz and accompanied by Couzinet himself, he crossed the South Atlantic from Saint-Louis-du-Senegal to Natal in less than two hours. The return takes place from May 15 to May 21 which came to Bourget 's triumph before 15,000 people . The aircraft was then operated by Air France until 1937.
+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 two 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 these aircraft retained the same three-engined formula but were never accepted with great warmth by the officials of the French aeronautics. In 1933, separate 's ANF Les Mureaux , Couzinet appears on the verge of bankruptcy. Thereafter, the research agency Couzinet is integrated with the Breguet in Velizy .
+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|Breguet Aviation (Société anonyme des ateliers d’aviation Louis Breguet]] in [[Vélizy-Villacoublay]].
 ==Family==