The Astra C was a 1912 French single engine biplane, manufactured by

Société Astra ''Société Astra des Constructions Aéronautiques'' was a major French manufacturer of balloons, airships, and aeroplanes in the early 20th century. It was founded in 1908 when Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe purchased Édouard Surcouf's

at Villacoublay. In 1913, the Astra CM Hydro-avion three-seat floatplane version was used to make the world's first scheduled passenger-carrying flights.

Design and development

The Astra C was initially designed as a single seat biplane, powered by a single 50 hp Renault engine in tractor configuration. It was constructed primarily as wooden framework sections, covered in canvas and wire-braced. The fuselage was of triangular cross section, with a wheeled main undercarriage plus nose skid and tail skid. The wings were of unequal span, and employed wing-warping for roll control. The Astra CM was developed from the Astra C, with a more powerful engine and added accommodation for two observers, for military reconnaissance. The Astra Hydro, (an Astra CM 'Hydro-avion' (seaplane)), was a further development in 1913, with a Renault V-12 engine and 3 Tellier floats (2 main floats , and one small tail float). The wooden frame elements were largely replaced by steel tubes, and the wing ribs and floats were the principal remaining wooden components. at least two were built and an order for two from the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

(RN), serialled ''106'' and ''107'', was not completed.

Operational history

During the St. Malo races, 14-26 August 1912, the first CM Hydro was flown to first place by Labouret. The second CM Hydro, powered by a horizontally mounted

Salmson M.9 The Salmson water-cooled aero-engines, produced in France by Société des Moteurs Salmson from 1908 until 1920, were a series of pioneering aero-engines: unusually combining water-cooling with the radial arrangement of their cylinders. Histor ...

water-cooled radial engine, flew at Monaco but crashed. On 22 March 1913, using at least one Astra CM Hydro-avion, French operator

Compagnie générale transaérienne The ''Compagnie générale transaérienne'' (CGT: General Trans-Air Company) was a predecessor of Air France, founded in 1909. At first it operated airships in France and Switzerland, then added float planes and direct flights from Paris to London ...

started the world's first scheduled passenger-carrying flights, operating from

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ci ...

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

. Two passengers could be carried. On 29 March 1913, the service was extended to

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino i ...

.Jung, Philippe. 2010
Alpes-Maritimes & Monaco Aerospace History
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Variants

;Astra C :Civil version, with 50 hp Renault engine. ;Astra CM :Military version, with 75 hp Renault or 75 hp Chenu engine. ;Astra Hydro :Floatplane version of the Astra CM, with 100 hp Renault engine.

Operators

; *

Royal Hellenic Navy The Hellenic Navy (HN; el, Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, War Navy, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of var ...

Hellenic Naval Air Service The Naval Air Service ( el, Ναυτική Αεροπορική Υπηρεσία, ΝΑΥ) was the air arm of the Hellenic Navy from 1915 to 1930. The first aviation units in the Greek Armed Forces were formed in June 1912. In the subsequent Ba ...

Specifications (Astra CM)

References

Bibliography

* Thomas, Andrew. "In the Footsteps of Daedulus: Early Greek Naval Aviation". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 94, July–August 2001, pp. 8–9.

External links

* Phot
Astra CM, Motor 75 hk Renault
Norsk Luftfartsmuseum
Astra seaplane with Renault V-12 engine
(Canada Aviation & Space Museum/Corbis via Getty Images)

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