Rene Hanriot

Rene Hanriot (1867-1925) is a pioneer of aviation French, born with Vaite (France) on June 11th, 1867.

Racing driver

Rene Hanriot, trader with Châlons, impassioned Automobile S, takes part in famous the rally Paris-Madrid. He also holds in 1904 the world speed records on road with 128 km/h. Its fellow-member is his Marcel son who leads as of the 13 years age the cars of his father to more than 100 km/h.

Pioneer of aviation 1908

At this point in time it makes another choice: in May 1908 it buys in Leon Levasseur a monoplane Antoinette provides with a fine engine of 25 ch. Mais à la of 1908, the monoplane is still not delivered. Rene Hanriot impatient decides to manufacture itself the apparatus. He founds, in February 1909, the Société of the monoplanes Hanriot to the capital of 500.000 francs. It is a hangar with Chalons which is used to him of workshop and office. In September 1909, standard Hanriot I left the workshop and exposed to the first aeronautical living room of Paris to the Large palace. Rene records twenty orders there, whereas the forever stolen plane. In October with his/her son, they carry out tests with Bétheny, but the apparatus does not take off, its engine is too heavy. It finds another of 40 of them cv at Clement-Bayard who weighs only 78 kg whereas the engine of origin Buchet of 45 cv weighed 155 kg. It even proves that Clement-Bayard develops in fact 50 cv, which makes it possible the trial flights to follow one another during the winter 1909 to 1910.

Manufacturer of planes 1909

Rene creates a flying school to Bétheny (close to Rheims) in December 1909, then with London in January 1910 or it founds the company The Monoplans Hanriot Company Ltd . With the beginning of the year 1910, it installs its head office in Paris, 14, place du Havre, and creates vaster workshops in Paris with 34, rue du Moulin. Careful, it recruits an experienced aviator, Emile Ruchonnet, to develop his flying machines, which is used to him at the same time of engineer and pilot chief in his flying school.

In a few months, Hanriot and Ruchonnet produce a new monoplane, type II, lighter. Baptized Dragonfly, it flies in Bétheny in April, equipped with Clement-Bayard of 40 ch. Puis, they create a third type of monoplane, more powerful, intended for the competitions. Type IV, a two-seater, interests the army. The type V and type VI are used by Marcel Hanriot in the meetings in 1910.

During the season 1910, the Hanriot monoplanes, controlled by Wagner (Budapest), Marcel Hanriot (Rouen, Caen, Dijon, Rheims, Bournemouth), Rene Vidart (Lanark) and several foreign pilots, cover glory in the air meetings. They gain number of place of honor and several victories, making known the French mark in the whole world, and inserting in the cases of the firm of the substantial premiums. More than one hundred Hanriot apparatuses its bought in France and Great Britain. The schools of Rheims and Brooklands are very attended and the season 1911 is announced still better.

Bankruptcy 1912

But in 1912 whereas Rene wants to launch out in export, it makes various errors of management which lead the company towards the bankruptcy. It is taken again by Alfred Ponnier, in love with the monoplanes Hanriot, it becomes the Company of Construction of Machines for the Aerial navigation (CMNA). Rene recycles himself in the sale of the Gregoire cars.

The War 1914

When the war bursts, in August 1914, the Ponnier factories of the CMNA in Rheims fall to the hands from German. Rene Hanriot creates a new aircraft factory, with Levallois, street of the Wood Marcel (currently street Jean-Jaurès) where it founds Aéroplanes Hanriot and Co . He produces into 1916 of the Sopwith Strutter, in subcontracting for Lioré and Olivier. In 1915, it engages excellent engineer, Pierre Dupont.

Rebirth and success 1916

In 1916, the Hanriot-Dupont HD 1 is adopted as apparatus of hunting by the Belgium and the Italy. Built with 1.200 specimens, it starts again the mark. With the end of the year, Hanriot opens one second factory with 84, rue des Moulineaux with Boulogne-Billancourt where it employs 2.000 workmen in 1917. This same year, leave the seaplane hunting Hanriot-Dupont HD-2, then the combat biplane Hanriot-Dupont HD-3. At the end of 1917, the Hanriot firm produced more than 5.000 planes.

After the war, Hanriot settles in Paris, 190-196, boulevard Bineau. In 1919, a flying school is installed on the ground of Mourmelon-the-Large, directed by Maurice Chevillard. Rene creates a school of mechanics of aeronautics with Courbevoie. In 1924, the Hanriot Company emigrates with the Career-on-Seine. Rene Hanriot dies suddenly on November 7th, 1925.

His/her son, Marcel Hanriot (1894-1961) succeeded to him in 1925 and remained director until 1938 about it. The factory, become very important, had been nationalized in 1936 and had been absorbed by the National company of Aeronautical Engineerings of the Center . Resisting, Marcel Hanriot, Officer of the Legion of Honor, were at 16 years the youngest child of world aviation and carried out his first tests of flight on the ground of Bétheny.

External bonds

Rene Hanriot on Eads.com
Aviafrance.com

Portrait of Marcel Hanriot

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