René Couzinet and his flying saucers

[Archibald]

Couzinet Aerodyne.
René Couzinet was famous in the 30's for its Arc-en-ciel (rainbow) long range aircraft, which set up various record with Jean Mermoz at the controls.
After WWII, Couzinet created a kind of flying saucer. In this flying disk were two rotors, turning in opposite directions (like the Kamov helicopters). Sadly the concept was only realised in mock up, and Couzinet commit suicide in 1958...
This flying disk mock up had become a myth, and sometimes the photo is presented as " V4 mach2 flying disk of the Nazi, 1945" !

 

[Jemiba]

Hi,

do you know the Couzinet RC.260 four engined flying boat (name was Normandia).

Sorry, no infos about the Couzinet RC.260, not even
on http://www.hydroretro.net/etudegh/
I only know the RC.360 flying saucer, but that's not exactly the same ... :

But let's keep this thread open, any additional information is most welcome !

 

[Justo Miranda]

Here Couzinet S1 flying saucer brevet d'invention nº 1.129.038

 

[Justo Miranda]

Here Couzinet S2 flying saucer patent specification nº 807.169 london

 

[Jemiba]

Attempt for 3-views of the one of the first shown models and the later
mock-up, often described as a prototype:

 

[Maveric]

Fantastic Jemiba ;D

 

[antigravite]

A brief story of the "aerodyne" saucer design can be found the René Couzinet's biography written by his brother Alexandre :

Alexandre Couzinet, "Mermoz Couzinet ou le rêve fracassé de l'Aéropostale", Jean Picollec, 1986

The last, 4 page chapter No.34 ("Le dernier projet") pp.476-479 is a non-technical account of the aerodyne.

Key information are:

(1) Couzinet had the "saucer" design idea decades before the "aerodyne" was born. Its conceptual roots goes as far back to may 17th, 1923 when patent #578459 was filed. Couzinet was then 18. This seminal patent was issued on july 3rd, 1924 for ("avion hélicoptère" or "helicopter airplane") ;
(2) Couzinet was exhausted, physically, morally, financially and juridically (actions against administration). On Sept 3, 1956 wrote his last letter to French authorities to get funding to prototype and test one of his discs-shaped aircraft. No answer was ever given.

On december 16, 1956, he killed his wife and committed suicide.

 

[antigravite]

What was the fate of the "saucer" prototype pictured in the hangar? Scrapped?

What is for sure: In 1957, one year after Couzinet had died, the saucer proto was still housed in the same hangar covered by a blanket
Two of Couzinet's employees still "worked" there - whatever work they did is a mystery, since the boss was no more.
Seems not to be saucer related anyway.

Paul Chevallier from Renault reported in his wartime diaries, that in 1957, the airfield hangar served as a logistic platform for Renault (the automobile manufacturer) shipping trucks to Algeria (this was a war but French Authorities prefered to call this war "events"). The word soon spread among Renault workers getting there to ship their crates, that there was a saucer in te back of the hangar, a saucer which one of Couzinet's employees occasionally showed, insisting it was still uncomplete. Chevallier was a simple man. He recalled this story for fear it gets lost.


No documented trace after 1957, it seems.


The webpage http://photovni.free.fr/soucoupe%20france/couzinet.htm displays a page scanned from Chevallier's book:

Paul Chevallier, "Les Chemins qui menaient à Rawa-Ruska", Ed. des Ecrivains, 2000, p.9

 

[hesham]

Hi,


I saw in this French site,a strange design for Couzinet flying saucer,as
a transport aircraft,that's new for me.


http://aerostories.free.fr/dossiers/ADAV/page11.html

 

[aim9xray]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Photograph-of-the-RC-360-LAerodyne-Rene-Couzinet-c-1952-/141123455362?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=IUZb14XBjPwyedQLq3N3zqLl6sI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Photograph-of-the-RC-360-LAerodyne-Rene-Couzinet-c-1952-/141123452328?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=IUZb14XBjPwyedQLq3N3zqLl6sI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[hesham]

From Air Pictorial 8/1955,


did anyone hear about this beast before ?,it had two circular wings set on above the other
one,never seen !.

 

[toura]

from "le fana de l aviation" april 1999

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Toura,


but I think this project was different.

 

[Jemiba]

... but I think this project was different.

??

It's exactly the layout shown in the patent drawings posted in #2 and 8, I think.
And that "airliner".

 

[hesham]

No my dear Jemiba,


I think they meant like this one,it had three seat for one pilot and two passenger;


https://www.google.com/patents/USD187823?dq=rene+couzinet+flying+saucer&hl=ar&sa=X&ei=f1jrVJXfKISfPaP9gNgD&ved=0CB0Q6wEwAA

 

[Vladimir]

Attempt for 3-views of the one of the first shown models and the later
mock-up, often described as a prototype:

Jembia, Your work is Just great !

 

[hesham]

From Icare 1957.

 

[GaryCecilDent]

Couzinet Aerodyne.
René Couzinet was famous in the 30's for its Arc-en-ciel (rainbow) long range aircraft, which set up various record with Jean Mermoz at the controls.
After WWII, Couzinet created a kind of flying saucer. In this flying disk were two rotors, turning in opposite directions (like the Kamov helicopters). Sadly the concept was only realised in mock up, and Couzinet commit suicide in 1958...
This flying disk mock up had become a myth, and sometimes the photo is presented as " V4 mach2 flying disk of the Nazi, 1945" !

Couzinet’s Flying Saucer​

Contra Rotating Flying Saucer

Contra Rotating Flying saucer - https://www.contrarotatingflyingsaucer.co.uk/

www.contrarotatingflyingsaucer.co.uk

Although Couzinet Flying Saucer is a myth there is one thing missing in the above ,that is the body of the Saucers to divert air over the top

 

[kocovgoce]

My two drawings Couzinet S2 I wonder if the flying saucer was able to maintain a straight flight when the engines were suddenly turned by 15 degrees.