Paul Cornu

Paul Cornu (born June 15, 1881 in Glos-la-Ferrière , Orne , France ; † June 6, 1944 in Lisieux ) was a French engineer who actually manufactured bicycles.

Cornu No. II

Replica of the first manned helicopter Cornu No. II to lift off the ground in the history of rotary wing aircraft in front of the entrance to the Bückeburg helicopter museum

Cornu developed the world's first manned helicopter , called Cornu No. II , called the flying bicycle . During the first flight on November 13, 1907 in Lisieux, it reached a height of about 30 cm and a flight time of 20 seconds.

Of the 260 kg helicopter was supported by a V8 - Otto engine the Société Antoinette with 24 PS driven power, the opposite direction about a central axis by means of two belt vane type. This design, in which the torques of the two rotors balance each other, was later used as a tandem configuration on a number of helicopters.

However, the flying bike turned out to be not controllable and so it was abandoned after a few flights.

Previously, another French helicopter, the Bréguet-Richet I, managed to take off through its own performance - but since it was held in position by men on the ground, Cornus Flug is considered the first free flight of a helicopter.

Cornu died on June 6, 1944 when his house was destroyed during the bombing to land in Normandy , Operation Overlord . Mount Cornu , a mountain in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, is named in his honor .

Replica

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Paul Cornu's first flight on November 13, 2007, a non-airworthy replica of Cornu No. II in its original size was completed in the helicopter museum in Bückeburg and taken over into the museum's permanent exhibition.

literature

Engelbert Zaschka : rotary wing aircraft. Gyroscopes and helicopters. CJE Volckmann Nachf. E. Wette, Berlin-Charlottenburg 1936, OCLC 20483709 .

Web links

Commons : Paul Cornu - collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Cornu, Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	French engineer and helicopter designer
DATE OF BIRTH	June 15, 1881
PLACE OF BIRTH	Glos-la-Ferrière , Orne department , France
DATE OF DEATH	June 6, 1944
Place of death	Lisieux