Esnault-Pelterie R.E.P. 1
Robert Esnault-Pelterie · France · first flew 1907 · light aircraft
The R.E.P. 1 was a pioneering French monoplane built by engineer and polymath Robert Esnault-Pelterie, one of the earliest European aircraft to make sustained powered flights.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Pioneer monoplane with a bat-like wing of extreme taper and no dihedral
- Fan-shaped seven-cylinder REP radial engine at the nose
- Single central skid undercarriage; pilot seated in the open on a small saddle
Easily distinguished from contemporaries by the fan-shaped radial engine at the nose — a highly unusual configuration in 1907 — and the extreme taper of the bat-like wing with no dihedral. The skid undercarriage runs along the centreline with no lateral stability.
Specifications
- The Esnault-Pelterie R.E.P. 1 has a length of 8.5 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.2 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 80 km/h (50 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Esnault-Pelterie, already famous for his work on early gliders and the joystick control column, completed the R.E.P. 1 monoplane in 1907. It made its first flight in November 1907 with his own purpose-built seven-cylinder fan-arranged engine. Short hops were achieved but the aircraft never managed a controlled circuit. Esnault-Pelterie was a prolific inventor who later contributed foundational work in rocketry; the R.E.P. 1 represents the aircraft-building phase of his career and is historically significant as an early French monoplane independently developed from Wrights' influence.
Variants
R.E.P. 2 and subsequent improved versions with revised wing and undercarriage.
Where you'll see it
Purely experimental; operated only by Esnault-Pelterie himself at Buc aerodrome. No production.
Related aircraft
- Esnault-Pelterie REP.2
- REP Type N
- REP Type K
- Voisin 1907 Biplane
- AEA June Bug
- AEA White Wing
- Antoinette IV
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