André Dubonnet

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André Dubonnet, 1933

André Dubonnet (born June 28, 1897 in Paris , † January 20, 1980 in Maule ) was a French military pilot, athlete, racing driver, entrepreneur and inventor.

Life

Origin and youth

André Dubonnet's parents were the entrepreneur Marie Aimé Joseph “Marius” Dubonnet (1855–1910) and Flore Leblanc (1862–1945) André had three siblings: Marthe Désirée (1882–1960), Émile (1883–1950) and Paul (1900–1950) 1961). André was born on June 28, 1897 in Paris . His grandfather was Joseph Dubonnet (1818-1871), who is with his Dubonnet - Aperitif had brought great wealth. André and his older brother Émile each spent their holidays in Houlgate , an elegant seaside resort near Cabourg in Normandy . Émile was a versatile athlete and aviation pioneer who later ran the family business.

The brothers were close friends with Roland Garros (1888–1918), who infected them with his passion for aviation. Émile was only the second pilot to fly over Paris in an airplane. On April 23, 1910, he flew from Draveil to Parc de Bagatelle at an altitude of 50 to 100 meters .

First World War

SPAD S.XIII of the Escadrille N3 / SPA 3 "Cicognes" (1917)

As a student, Dubonnet volunteered for army service on March 3, 1915 as a simple soldier. He was assigned to the 4th Heavy Artillery Regiment and then served in the 103rd and 117th Heavy Artillery Regiment before he was posted to the Crapouillot Training Center in Bourges . He was then assigned to the 41st Artillery Regiment and in May 1916 came to the 66th Section of the 1st Balloon Group (artillery observation). On January 27, 1917, he was posted to the Air Force and selected for a navigation and theory course at the military aviation school in Dijon . He then completed training as a military pilot at the École d'Aviation Militaire in Ambérieu . He received his military flight license with the number 5800 on March 29, 1917. This was followed by training at the military aviation school in Avord and at the college for military aviation in Pau . Then he was posted as a pilot for the 561st squadron in Venice . In April 1917 he was promoted to brigadier . On September 17th, he was transferred to the Escadrille N3 / SPA 3 (called the “Storchenstaffel” after its heraldic animal) of Jagdgruppe 12, where he flew a SPAD S.XIII . Georges Guynemer (1894–1917), shot down a few days earlier, also served in this unit . Dubonnet received his promotion to Maréchal des Logis on November 17, 1917 . He scored his first kill in May 1918. He was involved in two more with his US squadron comrade Franks Baylies .

This was followed, together with Fernand Chavannes , the shooting down of an observation balloon on June 13th and, with Joseph de Sevin and Capitaine Battle during an aerial battle on August 16, 1918. He spent the time from October 9th to 14th, 1918 for unknown reasons Hôpital complémentaire n ° 11 in Val de Grâce . His name does not appear on the list of injured persons of the season.

A total of six aerial victories were attributed to Dubonnet, two of which were involved. He was mentioned six times and his log shows 150 flight hours. He was holder of the Médaille militaire and the Croix de Guerre 14-18 .

Racing car driver

André Dubonnet before the French Grand Prix in 1921. There is no explanation for the number 19; it was not used in the race.

1921 French Grand Prix

In January 1921, American automobile pioneers founded the Old Timers Club in Detroit . A member, the journalist and future editor of Automotive News , Chris Sinsabaugh , proposed that an American racing team could participate in the first French Grand Prix after the war in order to increase the profile of the club . However, the costs for such a mission were very high and none of the major automobile manufacturers wanted to take the risk of embarrassment in Europe. The fears were not unjustified, as the Grand Prix de l'ACF was considered one of the most important races of all and the rare US races in Europe had all ended in failure. The race has been organized by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) since 1906 . In 1921 it was supposed to take place for the first time after the First World War. Of additional importance was that the defeated nations in World War I were allowed to participate in a major international competition for the first time. As a friendly gesture to the Americans, the ACF decided to host the race on the Circuit de la Sarthe . There were many French here who had not forgotten the American involvement in the war.

Another club member, the Franco-American industrialist Albert Champion ( AC and Champion Spark Plugs ), agreed to bear a large part of the cost. He contacted Fred and August Duesenberg , who worked for the Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company in Indianapolis , which they co-founded and who were already busy with the ongoing activities of the affiliated racing team. Nevertheless, Fred agreed, but decided not to develop a new car for it. Instead, it was planned to adapt three existing team cars to the requirements. After Dubonnet and his racing driver colleague Louis Inghilbert had agreed to cover the costs, another vehicle was prepared for them. The Duesenberg team came to Europe with four racing cars; Dubonnet and Inghilbert were only formally part of it.

Champion was able to win the British journalist WF Bradley, who lives in France, as an intermediary. The registration deadline on February 1st was missed, but there was a late registration option until March 1st - at double the rate. The race itself was not a lucky star, and several teams withdrew their registrations, probably also because their large-volume engines were no longer covered by the new regulations.

The clear favorite was the French brand Ballot , which competed with four-wheel brakes. Fred Duesenberg designed the first hydraulic four-wheel brakes for a racing car. All four racing cars were retrofitted with it. The Duesenberg team consisted of two US and two French drivers:

Dubonnet's role in this race is somewhat of a mystery. What is certain is that he started from last position, finished the race in fourth and that he posed in a Duesenberg with start number 19, which was not used in the race. The day before, at Inghilbert's request, Murphy had tested car no. 17 with Inghilbert as a passenger. An accident occurred because Murphy tried to avoid a dog on the road. While Murphy sustained minor injuries, Inghilbert had to be hospitalized. The car was canceled for the race. Dubonnet is listed on a British Sunbeam with the start number 7. The confusion is caused by the fact that it is also listed in the same statistic as the Sunbeam under "did not appear at the start". Though the circumstances are not entirely clear, Dubonnet became part of one of America's greatest sports legends. It would not be without irony if after all the effort he actually had to take a place as a substitute driver in the Sunbeam team, which is struggling with personnel problems.

The winner was Jimmy Murphy, despite his injuries and a racing car damaged by falling rocks. His lead over the runner-up, Ralph DePalma on Ballot , was 15 minutes. Third was Jules Goux on another ballot . It wasn't until 1960 that an American managed to win another European GP:

Hispano-Suiza

André Dubonnet won the first edition of the Coupe Georges Boillot in 1921 in a Hispano Suiza Type H6.B.
Hispano Suiza Type H6.B "Tulipwood" (1924). Custom-made product with a tulip wood body and brass fittings for André Dubonnet.

As a private driver, Dubonnet took part in international competitions on its own vehicles, first on Hispano-Suiza and later on Bugatti . In 1921 he was able to win the first Coupe Georges Boillot by a considerable margin. In 1928 he gave up racing.

Winter Olympics 1928

Now 30 years old, he took part in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz as a bobsledder in the French national team. France finished 15th in this discipline.

Dubonnet suspension and automobiles

Dubonnet suspension.

In 1927 Dubonnet teamed up with engineer Antoine-Marie Chedru to develop a chassis with completely independent suspension. Each wheel was guided by a short rocker that was mounted on a container filled with oil. The container housed the piston of the hydraulic shock absorber and the coil spring, which were operated via a toggle lever on the swing arm.

Several patents followed from this suspension Système Dubonnet , including 1931 in the USA or in Germany from 1934 (Imperial patents No. 644 372 and 697 702).

General Motors acquired the rights to it and used the system in vehicle types from several group brands, including Chevrolet , Pontiac or, in Europe, Opel and Vauxhall . Also Alfa Romeo , Delahaye , Fiat and Simca brought out models with Dubonnet suspension.

In order to get more attention, Dubonnet presented at the Paris Motor Show in autumn 1932 a so-equipped and body work Daste built Hispano Suiza Type H.6 B from.

In 1933 Dubonnet began to build automobiles under the brand name Dubonnet . There was no actual series production, but he sold some of these vehicles with Hispano-Suiza technology and the suspension he had designed. At the end of 1935, an aerodynamically sophisticated prototype for a four-door sedan called Dolphin followed , in which Chedru was again involved. The vehicle had a Ford V8 engine in the rear. It was taken over by the Ford Motor Company for study purposes , but they continued to use their antiquated system with rigid axles and transverse leaf springs until 1948 .

Xenia I and II

Test vehicle Dubonnet "Xenia II". The basis is a Hispano-Suiza Type H6.B (1932/1938).

A first test vehicle with the Dubonnet suspension called Xenia was the subject of a presentation at General Motors. The vehicle probably stayed there. Xenia was the name of Dubonnet's second wife, who died early.

Xenia II was a sensational design and is considered a milestone in automotive history. The aerodynamicist Jean Andreau designed the body with what was probably the first panoramic windscreen . Again it was a Hispano-Suiza chassis converted to Dubonnet suspension, this time from an H6.C. The body at the prestigious Manufactures was Carossier Saoutchik in Neuilly-sur-Seine in Paris . In 1945 the vehicle was given the final form in which it has been preserved to this day. In 2018 it was part of the Mullin Automotive Museum by Peter W. Mullin .

Second World War

Dubonnet was a lieutenant in the reserve when World War II broke out. He returned to active military service and served as a fighter pilot.

Late years

Dubonnet lived in Neuilly-sur Seine and Antibes , where he owned a large villa. He ran a hospitable house and had contact with many personalities. Professionally, he had a supervisory board mandate at Simca and, after the death of his brother Émile, headed the family business until it was sold to competitor Cinzano in the 1960s .

With the development of solar energy systems , Dubonnet almost went bankrupt .

honors and awards

family

In December 1922 Dubonnet married Claude Germaine de Sampieri , a granddaughter of the banker Cahen d'Anvers . The daughters Frances Madeleine Andrée (* 1924) and Lorraine Elisabeth Andrée (1929-2001) come from this connection . In March 1932 he married Xenia Howard-Johnston , who died shortly afterwards. André Dubonnet entered into a third marriage in April 1937 with Ruth Obre . In March 1957 they divorced and in July 1958 he married Élise Curtiss in Neuilly-sur-Seine .

Remarks

  1. ↑ According to the website Escadrille BL 3 - MS 3 - N3 - SPA 3. Baylies was shot down on June 17, 1918 near Crèvecoeur-Lassigny .
  2. ↑ Phil Hill in the Monza GP .

literature

  • Bernard Marck, Dictionnaire universel de l'aviation , foreword by Pierre Clostermann , Éditions Tallandier, Paris (2005).
  • Norman LR Franks, Frank W. Bailey: Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 , Grub Street the Basement; 1st edition (May 1992); ISBN 0-948817-54-2 .
  • Don Butler: Auburn Cord Duesenberg. Crestline Publishing Co., Crestline Series , 1992; ISBN 0-87938-701-7 .
  • Griffith Borgeson: The Golden Age of the American Racing Car. Ed. SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), Warrendale PA, 2nd edition, 1998; ISBN 0-7680-0023-8 . (Chapter 6: Fred Samuel Duesenberg; pp. 55-59).
  • Jon M. Bill: Duesenberg Racecars & Passenger Cars Photo Archive. Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum (Ed.), Iconografix, Hudson WI, Photo Archive Series, ISBN 1-58388-145-X .
  • Hans Christoph von Seherr-Thoss : Dictionary of famous personalities in the automobile world. Ivy House Publishing, Raleigh NC, USA, 1st edition; 2005; ISBN 1-57197-333-8 .
  • Halwart Schrader (Ed.): Motor Men: People, myths and engines of automobile history. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, 1st edition, 2011; ISBN 3-613-03202-3 .
  • Peter Joffre Nye: The Fast Times of Albert Champion: From Record-Setting Racer to Dashing Tycoon, An Untold Story of Speed, Success, and Betrayal , Prometheus Books, 1st edition, 2014; ISBN 978-1-61614-964-2 .

Web links

Commons : André Dubonnet  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b gw.geneanet.org: André Dubonnet.
  2. ↑ gw.geneanet.org: Marie Aimé Joseph Dubonnet.
  3. ↑ a b c Bernard Marck: Dictionnaire universel de l'aviation. (2005); P. 332
  4. ↑ ville-houlgate.fr: Quelques illustres villégiateurs.
  5. ↑ Escadrille BL 3 - MS 3 - N3 - SPA 3 , excerpt from André Dubonnet's log book.
  6. ↑ Escadrille BL 3 - MS 3 - N3 - SPA 3 , Morts et blessés à combat / par accident.
  7. ^ André Dubonnet , The Aerodrome
  8. ↑ a b Escadrille BL 3 - MS 3 - N3 - SPA 3 , Personnels connus.
  9. ^ A b Franks, Bailey: Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918.
  10. ↑ a b c d e Butler: Auburn Cord Duesenberg. 1992, p. 107.
  11. ^ A b c Joffre Nye: The Fast Times of Albert Champion. 2014, pp. 327–333.
  12. ↑ Bill: Duesenberg Race Cars & Passenger Cars Photo Archive. P. 46.
  13. ↑ a b c d teamdan.com: XV Grand Prix de l'ACF 1921.
  14. ↑ racingsportscars.com: Coupe Georges Boillot 1,921th
  15. ↑ racingsportscars.com: Complete archives of André Dubonnet.
  16. ↑ sports-reference.com: Olympics / athletes / André Dubonnet. (Web archive).
  17. ^ A b Seherr-Thoss: Dictionary of famous personalities in the automobile World. 2005, p. 46 (André Dubonnet).
  18. ^ The Old Motor: Andre Dubonnet Car and Prototype Chassis Images.
  19. ^ Mullin Automotive Museum: Dubonnet Xenia.
  20. ↑ Marck, Dictionnaire universel de l'aviation.
personal data
SURNAME Dubonnet, André
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French military pilot, sportsman, racing driver and inventor
DATE OF BIRTH June 28, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris
DATE OF DEATH 20th January 1980
Place of death Mouth