Borel Torpille

Torpille
Role	Racing aircraft
Manufacturer	Borel
First flight	1913
Number built	1

The Borel Torpille (French: "Torpedo") was a French single-engine single-seat aircraft built in 1913.

Design and development

The Torpille had a wire-braced monoplane wing attached to a monocoque fuselage. The streamlined fuselage was the basis for the plane's appellation. Its powerplant was a 50 hp (37 kW) rotary engine.

Operational history

Pierre Daucourt used the Torpille to compete in the 1913 Coupe Pommery. He flew it in the first leg of the 1913 competition, and later used it in an attempt to reach Egypt by air.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 5.80 m (19 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
• Height: 2.35 m (7 ft 8 in)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome rotary , 37 kW (50 hp)

Performance

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 193.
• Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. p. 54.
• Contemporary diagram published in l'Aérophile, date unknown