Breguet's pre-1914 ID Challenge #141

[Varese2002]

Breguet's pre-1914 ID Challenge #141

The picture shows a model of the machine that is the subject of this Challenge. Rule 5 is complied with as wood (or whatever) was cut to build this machine.

Kees



The scoreboard at the start of challenge #139

23.60 Rbailey
18.20 Varese2002
16.80 aerohydro
14.20 Aquilius
9.20 Rod_Filan
8.50 richard B
7.30 matte_kudasai
6.00 Cruze
6.00 Flamingo
6.00 YavorD
5.50 Airarticles
**************
(those above this section must wait 12 hours before answering,
those below - and everyone else - may answer immediately)
**************
3.50 Lodzermensch
3.30 berman
3.00 joegertler
3.00 sobrien
2.00 Doc
2.00 sodium
1.10 Froggy
1.00 paolomiana
0.40 Wind In The Wires
0.20 Willi Von Klugermann
0.20 EricGoedkoop


The rules of engagement:

1. The thread title must be "Bréguet's Pre-1914 ID Challenge #......".
2. The score board, link and rules must be copied to the beginning of each thread, so that we know where we are. The score board and the correct answer to the challenge must also be placed at end of each thread.
3. The flying object must have been dreamt up before 1914 (no limit backwards in time ....).
4. There are no limits to the flying object for the pre-1914 series. There is no ruling that it must be flown, or completely built.
5. Machines which exist only as 'paper', that is absolutely no material has been cut to construct it, are excluded from this ID Challenge.
6. The picture / drawing must show as much of the flying object as possible, but views showing the machine 'incomplete' are possible (with discretion).
7. Challenges which depict a machine already earlier presented are disqualified.
8. If there is any doubt as to the eligibility of a flying object for the challenge details should be PM'd to Breguet BEFORE the object is submitted.
9. Once someone has got 5 correct answers under their belt they belong to the ROYALTY. Once they belong to the ROYALTY they must wait 12hrs after the posting of the new challenge before they can post an answer.
10. To be eligible for correct ID an answer must include at least one characteristic of the aircraft that helped in its identification.
11. The first person to ID the challenge correctly gets to post the next challenge. If this can not be done for any reason Breguet himself will post the next challenge.
12. If a ROYALTY gives the correct answer too early, the challenge is over, he gets no point but has to post the next one. In lieu of the fact that the "novices" have in effect been "cheated" of their "exclusive" time that next post should be a relatively easy one. Anyone repeating the correct answer at the right time gets neither a point nor the right to post the next challenge.
13. The final arbitrator in relation to questions about the rules will be Breguet

Previous challenges : Breguet's Pre-1914 Aircraft Challenge

[aerohydro]

Hmm, it seems to have everything except the kitchen sink.



I have come across this 1884 design, by F A Wald, for a design he called the "Germania". Obviously it's not our mystery machine, but it, too, has a similar grab-all approach to its design.

Kees, is it time for a clue?

Paul

[Varese2002]

Some hints

• the origin of this flying machine is in a part of the world frequented by RBailey in other items of the Pre-1914 or the Breguet Challenge (1914-1918)

• the date is 1901 / 1902

Have a fine day

Kees

[Varese2002]

Another view of the (artist impression) replica




Kees

[aerohydro]

Thanks for the clues.

It's the Dirigível Santa Cruz, as modelled and displayed at the Museu Afro Brasil.

Further images of this amazing model can be found at this photoset on Flickr.

The Dirigível Santa Cruz was the project of the Brazilian José do Patrocínio: more details of the project can be found here:

José do Patrocínio e o Dirigível Santa Cruz.

This site includes some amazing contemporary drawings, such as the one below:



Cheers,
Paul

[Varese2002]

This is indeed the fantastic machine devised by the Brazilian José do Patrocínio. The machine was variously named the Aerostato Santa Cruz or the Dirigível Santa Cruz.
Patrocínio devised a machine that was a mix between lighter and heavier than air. The balloon (hydrogen gas filled) mounted on top of the fuselage lifted the machine in the air, where it paddled along with the 'Mississippi-wheels' mounted at the side. To navigate the machine severala rudders were installed. It seems the construction at the top were auxiliary wings.
Steering this machine would be a nightmare

Patrocínio started construction mid 1901, but fate struck as on December 12, 1901 a violent storm hit Rio de Janeiro which destroyed the building hangar completely, killing two of the workforce and wounding five man.

In already failing health Patrocínio started all over again, selling everything he had to fund the new project. In the end he lived in a small room next to the building hangar. But his life work was not finished and he passed away in 1905.

There sure is a tragic plot for a movie. A mostly unknown story, probably a bit known in Brazil, but scarcely outside.

Correct answer

Aerostato Santa Cruz / Dirigível Santa Cruz of José do Patrocínio dating from 1901.

The scoreboard at the end of challenge #141

23.60 Rbailey
18.20 Varese2002
17.80 aerohydro
14.20 Aquilius
9.20 Rod_Filan
8.50 richard B
7.30 matte_kudasai
6.00 Cruze
6.00 Flamingo
6.00 YavorD
5.50 Airarticles
**************
(those above this section must wait 12 hours before answering,
those below - and everyone else - may answer immediately)
**************
3.50 Lodzermensch
3.30 berman
3.00 joegertler
3.00 sobrien
2.00 Doc
2.00 sodium
1.10 Froggy
1.00 paolomiana
0.40 Wind In The Wires
0.20 Willi Von Klugermann
0.20 EricGoedkoop

The honour of the next Challenge goes to Aerohydro.

Kees

[aerohydro]

Here is Wikipedia's entry (in Portuguese) on him:

José do Patrocínio

He seems to be the first black inventor/designer/engineer that this Challenge series has featured.

Cheers,
Paul

[aerohydro]

And here is the company that built the model:

Talamo Projectos

At the website, click on the "Projectos" link to see further images, one of which is a 1901 newspaper article about the "aerostato".

Cheers,
Paul

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by aerohydro

Here is Wikipedia's entry (in Portuguese) on him:

José do Patrocínio

He seems to be the first black inventor/designer/engineer that this Challenge series has featured.

Cheers,
Paul

The portugese Wiki entry on José do Patrocínio is the most comprehensive that can be found. I checked also the English language version and the text 'shrinked' to a mere paragraph

From the Portugese language biography we can at least learn that do Patrocínio was active as a writer and a journalist. He was also politically active in Brazil. In 1892 he imported a steam driven car from France in 1892, which made him the first man in Brazil to ride automotive.

It is stated in this biography that the aerostat had a length of 45 meter. It is a great pity that the drawings of the Aerostat are not scanned bigger, so more detail could be seen.

There is another biography (Portugese language) on do Patrocínio here

Cheers

Kees

[Varese2002]

Steampunk Brazil on José do Patrocínio and his dirigivel can be found here. The piece is mostly about a novel, which seems to center around the aerostat.

Castro, Ruy. 2000. Bilac vê estrelas. Literatura ou morte. [São Paulo, Brazil]: Companhia das Letras. ISBN 9788535900828

Although I am not up to the Portugese (even the 'result' by Google translate) I get the idea that the novel is almost a film script with spies willing to steal the drawings of the dirigivel and sell them to foreign powers .... But alas my language skills are not up to it.

Kees