Flight, October 1928

Berlin Aero Show 1928

The Bleriot 111

   Described as a machine for commercial work or touring, the Bleriot type 111 is a single-engined low-wing monoplane with streamline fuselage and a cabin seating four passengers, while the pilot is placed en conduite interleave between the engine and the cabin. The machine is of rather pleasing appearance, although one might regard the employment of a nose radiator as a retrograde step. Whether the nose radiator is as bad as one is apt to assume in modern times is, perhaps, a somewhat debatable point. The radiator is a good deal of a nuisance to the aircraft designer, and it somehow looks less out of place in the nose than anywhere else.
   Constructionally, the Bleriot 111 is a normal machine in that the fuselage is a wooden monocoque structure, while the wing has spars and ribs of wood, with covering partly of fabric and partly of three-ply. The wing is in two halves, attached to wing roots projecting from, and built integral with, the fuselage.
   The undercarriage is somewhat unusual, in that use is made of the Bleriot type of internally-sprung wheels, the wheel axles being rigidly mounted in double struts coming down from the wing roots. A rigid strut connects the two wheel centres, and from the outside of the wheel axles Duralumin struts run to the wing spars.
   Beyond the fact that the wing area is 34 sq. m. (353 sq. ft.), no information was available as to the dimensions of the Bleriot 111. The empty weight is given as 1,200 kg. (2,640 lb.), and the permissible load as 1,000 kg. (2,200 lb.), giving a total loaded weight of 2,200 kg. (4,840 lb.). The useful load is made up as follows: Pilot and instruments, 95 kg. (209 lb.); 4 passengers and luggage, 400 kg. (880 lb.); 640 litres (141 gallons) of petrol, 460 kg. (1,000 lb.); 50 litres (11 gallons) of oil, 45 kg. (100 lb.). Engine, 280 h.p. Hispano. Maximum speed, 195 km. hr. (121 m.p.h.); cruising speed, 170 km. 'hr. (105 m.p.h.). Duration at cruising speed, 9 hrs. Range at cruising speed, 1,550 km. (963 miles). The petrol is carried between the cabin and the pilot, not a very reassuring position.

Flight, November 1932

THE PARIS AERO SHOW

The French Exhibits

   Bleriot-Aeronautique. - Louis Bleriot is represented this year by two machines only. One is the type 111, which has appeared before, the present example being the latest version. It is a single-engined low-wing monoplane fitted with 500-h.p. geared "Hispano" engine. Belonging to the small commercial class, the 111 is a cabin machine, and the Bleriot retractable undercarriage, seen at former shows, is fitted. The water-cooling system includes wing leading-edge radiators, which take the form of D-section tubes of copper. As the machine has a nose radiator, the need for the wing radiator, at least of such size, is not obvious. A speed of 255 km./h. (150 m.p.h.) is claimed for the machine.
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