Deperdussin Racer
- : France
- : 1913
- : Gnome Rotary
- 160
- 19 ' 6"
- 130 mph (209 km/hr)
- 992 lbs (450 kg)
- : Static Exhibit
- 20 '
- : Reproduction
- : Société de Production des Aéroplanes Deperdussin
In 1974 Cole and Rita Palen went to France where they photographed, measured and made drawings of the aircraft in the Musée De L’Air. During that winter, the Deperdussin was reproduced in Florida. The original won Gordon Bennett Trophy races and held both the world land and seaplane records in 1913. A Deperdussin was the first aircraft to exceed 100 mph using a twin-row 160 Gnome rotary engine. Eventually the type reached a top speed of 130 mph. It has a light-weight plywood shell fuselage and careful attention to streamlining. Slow and high-speed taxi tests have been made with our reproduction, but the aircraft has not been flown.
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