Chapeau, Blanchet & Indraéro aircraft

[hesham]

From Ailes 2/1948,

here is a small Info about some light French aircraft,designed by; Blanchet,Chapeau,Bourdin,
Sautenet (glider) and Pinoteau.

 

[Stargazer]

From Ailes 2/1948,
here is a small Info about some light French aircraft,designed by; Blanchet,Chapeau,Bourdin,Sautenet (glider) and Pinoteau.

Let's be more specific. This article is about two aircraft designs by Jean Chapeau: the J.C.2 "Lévrier" [F-PANO] and the (unbuilt) "Cargo". The other designers are only mentioned in passing for working with Chapeau on earlier aircraft, since they were all members of the Aéro-club de Châteauroux, in the Indre district. Here is a more detailed list of their aircraft:

• the (Jean) Blanchet J.B.01 "Chantecler", a 1944 single-seat parasol monoplane with a 17 hp Aubier-Dunne V2D engine [F-WCDE];
• the (Jean) Blanchet J.B.602, a 1946 two-seat low-wing monoplane with a 60 hp Salmson engine [F-WCDL > F-PCDL];
• the (Jean) Chapeau J.C.1 "Lévrier", a 1946 tandem-seat biplane (from which the J.C.2 derived) with a 40 hp, then 60 hp Salmson engine; later on it was reengined with a 65 hp Continental [F-WCDQ > F-PCDQ].
• the Chapeau-Blanchet C.B.10, a side-by-side seating biplane with a 70 hp Minié engine [F-WDVL].
• the Lacroix-(Raymond) Bourdin L.B.7, a 1942 tandem-monoplane aircraft with a 27 hp Saroléa engine [F-WFAO].
• the Lacroix-(Raymond) Bourdin L.B.8 "Microplan", a 1948 tandem-monoplane aircraft with a 24 hp AVA engine (engine and registration — if any — unknown).

The Sautenet glider was apparently only ever half completed. Bourdin went on to build yet another Lacroix-type tandem monoplane, the 1951 L.N.B.11* "Autoplan" (* for Lacroix-Nazaris-Bourdin), an enclosed single-seater with a 65 hp Continental A-65 engine [F-WSSX], while his L.N.B.12 and two-seat L.N.B.13 were abandoned after Dr. De Nazaris met his death aboard the L.N.B.11 (a modernized version of the L.N.B.12, however, would eventually be built by Roland Cuvelier in 1987 as the 2L.12 "Le Manouche").

In 1950, Chapeau and Blanchet founded Indraero in Argenton-sur-Creuse (30 kms south of Châteauroux), which produced several aircraft:

• The Aéro 110, a 1950 tandem-seat open biplane with a 45 hp Salmson 9Adb engine [F-WBBJ > F-BBBJ (n° 01)]; it derived directly from the "Lévrier" prototypes.
• The Aéro 101, a 1951 tandem-seat open biplane with a 75 hp Minié 4DC-32 engine; it was the production version of the Aéro 10. Ten were built, including [F-PBBK (n° 01)], [F-PGIC (n° 3)], [F-PKVT (n° 8)]; an 11th aircraft [F-PGYO > F-AZYN > HB-YAN] exists, possibly built from remains of others.
• The Aéro 101 C was the first prototype above refitted with a 65 hp Continental engine [F-PBBK].
• The Aéro 20, a 1966 two-seat low-wing enclosed monoplane with a 45 hp Salmson 9Adb engine [F-PKXY]; it was modified in 1968 as a single-seat open type, keeping the same engine, and that same year again as a two-seater, but keeping the open cockpit and trading the Salmson for a 90 hp Continental C-90-8.
• The Aéro 30, a 1968 single-seat open biplane with a 45 hp Salmson 9Adb engine [F-PPPA (n° 01)], later refitted with a 65 hp Continental A-65.

I have photos of most of these aircraft in my paper files, but I haven't scanned them yet.

In 1969, Indraéro was one of four companies (along with Centre-Est Aéronautique, Wassmer Aviation and Sitar) to receive advance money from the French state to help with setting up production of three prototypes of the new Fournier RF-8 all-metal motorglider. Indeed, René Fournier was considering Indraéro possible production of its new RF-8 metal type (which the German Sportavia didn't have adequate equipment for). However, the small company didn't have the financial strength to meet the requirements, no production ensued, and apparently the loaned money could not be refunded.

 

[PhR]

• the Chapeau-Blanchet C.B.10, a side-by-side seating biplane with a 70 hp Minié engine [F-WDVL].

It was exhibited at the Air Show at the Grand Palais in Paris.

 

[PhR]

• the (Jean) Chapeau J.C.1 "Lévrier", a 1946 tandem-seat biplane (from which the J.C.2 derived) with a 40 hp, then 60 hp Salmson engine; later on it was reengined with a 65 hp Continental [F-WCDQ > F-PCDQ].

And the JC.1:

 

[Stargazer]

And the JC.1:

Thanks a lot for all these photos, Philippe.
Still no pictures of the JC.2 "Lévrier" [F-PANO], unfortunately.