Fabre Hydravion
Henri Fabre · France · first flew 1910 · light aircraft
Henri Fabre's Hydravion made the world's first successful powered seaplane flight on 28 March 1910 at Martigues, France. The unconventional pusher-canard design with three floats is a landmark in aviation history.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Open lattice-boom fuselage structure |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- World's first successful powered seaplane, 1910
- Canard configuration with floats at front
- Open lattice-boom fuselage structure
Unmistakable open-lattice boom construction, canard foreplane, pusher propeller, and three hydro-floats — unlike any contemporary aircraft and unlike anything that followed.
Specifications
- The Fabre Hydravion has a length of 8.5 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 89 km/h (55 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Self-taught engineer Henri Fabre designed the Hydravion after studying bird flight and early aviation. Using a Gnome rotary engine in pusher configuration and a canard layout, he achieved the first take-off from water under power. Fabre made several flights but did not develop the design further; it was Glenn Curtiss in the United States who subsequently exploited seaplane technology commercially.
Variants
Only a single aircraft was built; no variants or production series followed.
Where you'll see it
The sole aircraft made a handful of demonstration flights in 1910 and was subsequently preserved; it has no service history.
Related aircraft
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