Tampier Avion-Automobile
René Tampier · France · first flew 1921 · light aircraft
The Tampier Avion-Automobile was a French roadable aircraft designed and built by René Tampier in 1921.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Lower wing of narrower chord than the upper so it can fold against the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-bay biplane with wings mounted without stagger, sweep or dihedral
- Lower wing of narrower chord than the upper so it can fold against the fuselage
- Extra retractable road wheels near the tail, steered by the rudder pedals, with the main wheels driven by a small auxiliary engine; radiator on the upper wing leading edge
Look for a conventional two-bay biplane with an upper-wing radiator, wide-chord upper wings and an unusual extra pair of wheels under the rear fuselage.
Specifications
- The Tampier Avion-Automobile has a length of 8.5 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 170 km/h (106 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Tampier added a 10 hp auxiliary engine driving the main wheels through a car-type transmission, so the aircraft could travel on roads with its wings and tailplane folded, tail first. Flight power came from a 300 hp Hispano-Suiza 8F V-8.
Variants
Two were built, with no distinct variants.
Where you'll see it
Two examples were shown at the Salon de l'Aéronautique in November 1921, the only aircraft to arrive by road, and one appeared at the Bourget lightplane meeting in May 1922. Road speed was about 40 km/h at best.
Related aircraft
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