The ACAZ T.1 and T.2, very similar to each other, were the first Belgian all-metal aircraft, flown in 1924. They were single-engined touring

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

s which seated two. Only two were built.

Development

The first example of ACAZ's all-metal two-seater tourer, registered as the ACAZ T.1 ''O-BAFK'', was first flown in early 1924. It was the first Belgian all-metal aircraft. Its trials went well and on 21 June it was flown to

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

to take part in the ''Concours des avions de tourisme'' (touring aircraft contest) but in low cloud it collided with a tree and crashed; happily, there were no deaths. There is little detail recorded specifically on the T.1 apart from a photograph but its replacement, the ACAZ T.2, was noted as ''du même type'' (of the same type). It had made several successful flights by mid-July, just a few weeks after the crash of the T.1, though it was only registered as ''O-BAFM'' on 19 December 1924.

Design

The T.1 and T.2 were designed by Alfred Renard and Emile Allard. Each had a thick profile, two part,

cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is unsupported at one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cantilev ...

high wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a r ...

which could be rapidly detached for transport. In plan the wing was basically rectangular but with rounded

leading edge The leading edge is the part of the wing that first contacts the air;Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. alternatively it is the foremost edge of an airfoil sectio ...

s at the tips. The wing was mounted with slight dihedral; its thickness was constant over most of the span but decreased over the outer parts, where its

ailerons An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

extended aft beyond the

trailing edge The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge meets.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 521. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ...

. The engine was a Anzani 6, a six-cylinder

radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...

mounted uncowled on the nose with its fuel tank behind a

firewall Firewall may refer to: * Firewall (computing), a technological barrier designed to prevent unauthorized or unwanted communications between computer networks or hosts * Firewall (construction), a barrier inside a building, designed to limit the spre ...

. The

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...

was rectangular in cross-section apart from a slightly shaped roof and was built around frames and

longeron In engineering, a longeron or stringer is a load-bearing component of a framework. The term is commonly used in connection with aircraft fuselages and automobile chassis. Longerons are used in conjunction with stringers to form structural fram ...

s with sheet metal covering. The enclosed cabin, which held two sitting side-by-side, was under the wing and had both forward and side glazing. The fuselage frame in the cabin region was strengthened; access was via a side door. At the rear the

empennage The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third ed ...

was conventional, with a

tailplane A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabilizer, is a small lift (force), lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters ...

of the same plan as the wings, mounted on top of the fuselage. It carried broad, straight-edged

elevator An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems suc ...

s with a deep cut-out for movement of the tall, round-tipped

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, airship, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (usually air or water). On an airplane, the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw ...

which was hinged from a small, triangular

fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. F ...

. The fixed

undercarriage Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include: *The landing gear of an aircraft. *The ch ...

had mainwheels with stub-axles on short, rigid

duralumin Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium, duralum, dural(l)ium, or dural) is a trade name for one of the earliest types of age hardening, age-hardenable aluminium–copper alloys. The term is a combination of ''Düren'' and ''aluminium'' ...

tubes from the lower fuselage, giving a track of only . The tailskid was designed to double-up as a forward hook for transport as a trailer.

Operational history

Though ''O-BAFM'' remained on the registrar until 1933 there are few, if any, records of its activities in the French aviation press. No more T.2s were built, as no customers could be found.

Specifications

References

{{ACAZ aircraft T-2 1920s Belgian aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft High-wing aircraft