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World's Largest Collection of Paper Models!
World's Largest Collection of Paper Models!
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Demoiselle Ultra-Lite by Santos DumontThe worlds first light plane was Alberto Santos
Dumonts final contribution to the history of aviation. A small tractor
monoplane the Demoiselle and despite its limitations became famous.
The No 20 first flew at Issy in March 1909 with improvements over
the No 19 of a 35 hp. Dutheil-Chalmers 2 cylinder water cooled engine
and which drove a mahogany prop. The triangular fuselage was built
from bamboo and steel tube. The wing area was enlarged although
the control was still wing warp from a belt around the pilots waist
which made control very delicate. The aircraft was displayed at
the Grand Palace in Paris and by 1910 about a dozen planes had been
ordered. A replica featured in the film "The Magnificent Men
in Their Flying Machines.
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