Henri Fabre

Henri Fabre
Henri Fabre on Hydroplane on March 28, 1910
Born (1882-11-29)November 29, 1882
Marseille, France
Died June 30, 1984(1984-06-30) (aged 101)
Le Touvet, France

Henri Fabre (November 29, 1882 – June 30, 1984) was a French aviator and the inventor of the first successful seaplane, the Fabre Hydravion.[1]

Henri Fabre was born into a prominent family of shipowners in the city of Marseille. He was educated in the Jesuit College of Marseilles where he undertook advanced studies in sciences. He then intensively studied aeroplane and propeller designs. He patented a system of flotation devices which he used when he succeeded in taking off from the surface of the Etang de Berre on March 28, 1910. On that day, he completed four consecutive flights, the longest about 600 meters. the Hydravion has survived and is displayed in the Musée de l'Air in Paris. Henri Fabre was soon contacted by Glenn Curtiss and Gabriel Voisin who used his invention to develop their own seaplanes.

As late as 1971, the aged Fabre could still be seen sailing his own boat single-handedly in Marseille harbor.[2] He died at the age of 101 as one of the last living pioneers of human flight.

References

  1. ↑ Naughton, Russell (May 15, 2002). "Henri Fabre (1882–1984)". Monash University Centre for Telecommunications and Information Engineering. Monash University. Retrieved May 9, 2008.
  2. ↑ Munson, J. C. and Kenneth Taylor Jane's History of Aviation


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