Société de Constructions Aéronautiques
The Société de Constructions Aéronautiques was a major producer of balloons and non-rigid airships to 1920; Wright Flyers license starting 1909 led to Astra-Wright commercial and military biplanes, both available on floats.
Astra produced a series of airships known as Astra-Torres, based on the designs of inventor Leonardo Torres Quevedo.[1] Astra produced the España in 1910 for the Servicio Militar de Aerostación of Spain.
By September 1908 the company had a hangar at the Parc Aérostatique de Meaux-Beauval, constructed by A. Michelin. On 25 March 1909 it purchased the rights to produce Wright airplanes in France, delegating these to Compagnie générale de navigation aérienne which was also owned by Deutsch de la Meurthe.[2]
Corporate identity and patents
According to González Redondo and Redondo Alvarado, the full name of the company was Aerostation Civile & Militaire «Astra» Société de Constructions Aéronautiques; it was founded by Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe in 2008 with 1 million francs capitalization.[2]
The name of the company is written in a few different ways including:
- Astra (Société de Constructions Aéronautiques)
- Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra
- Société Astra de Constructions Aéronautiques
Société anonyme Astra, which name appears on patents starting in 1908, is clearly a related company, sharing the address with Société de Constructions Aéronautiques of 121–123, rue de Bellevue, Billancourt, Seine. We have two British filings made less than a week apart: Patent GB-1909-19823 and Patent GB-1909-20249. These give the same address and use the same patent agent, Boult, Wade & Tennant, yet two different names: Societe Anonyme "Astra" in the former, and "Astra" Societe de Constructions Aeronautiques, Anciens Establissements Surcouf in the latter. We should consider the possibility, based on these data, that Société anonyme Astra was legally a different company closely affiliated with Société de Constructions Aéronautiques.
(We also see evidence that the Société anonyme was involved with Astra-Torres, for example Patent US-1918-1360646 titled "Airship of the Torrès Type".)
Sometimes in all cases ASTRA appears in all caps.
- Address: 121–123, rue de Bellevue, Billancourt, Seine; 166 Quai Jemmapes, Paris; 129, Rue de Bellevue à, Billancourt, Seine
- Cable address: Surcouf-Billancourt
- Phone: 689-10
Sources
- Gunston, 1993, p30-31
- Gunston, 2005, p34; Dir1920 p21
Links
- w:Société Astra; w:fr:Société Astra
- Henri Mirguet, 'Les Biplans "Astra"', L'Aérophile, Vol. 20, No. 15, 1 August 1912, pp. 338–340.
References
| Names | Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra, Société de Constructions Aéronautiques, Astra, Société Astra des Constructions Aéronautiques, Aerostation Civile & Militaire «Astra» Société de Constructions Aéronautiques |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| City | Billancourt, Seine |
| Affiliations | Société anonyme Astra, Compagnie générale de navigation aérienne |
| Keywords | LTA, dirigible |
| Started aero | 1908 |
| Ended aero | Merged with Nieuport, 1921 |
| Key people | Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe, Édouard Surcouf |
| Wikidata id | Q7552905 |
Patents associated with organizations named Société de Constructions Aéronautiques, Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra, Société Astra de Constructions Aéronautiques, or Société Astra
- Patent BE-1909-07-17 Astra (Filing date: 1909-07-17)
- Patent GB-1909-20249 (English title: Aerial Machines, Filing date: 1909-09-03, Supplementary to patent: Patent BE-1909-07-17 Astra)
People affiliated with Société de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra or Société Astra de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société Astra
- Édouard Surcouf (Occupations: Engineer • Balloon maker, Tech areas: LTA • Balloon • Propulsion • Photography • Navigation • School)
- Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe (Occupations: Industrialist, Tech areas: Construction • Industry • Dirigibles • Airplane • Mécénat • Deutsch prize • Deutsch-Archdeacon prize)
Companies affiliated with Société de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra or Société Astra de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société Astra
- Société anonyme Astra (City: Billancourt, Keywords: LTA • Balloon • Mooring • Société anonyme, Started aero: 1908)
Publications by or about Société de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra or Société Astra de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société Astra
- Publication 156, 1908, L'Aero-Finance. Société de Constructions Aéronautiques. Anciens Etablissements Surcouf (Simple title: The Aero-Finance. Society of Aeronautical Constructions. Former Establishments Surcouf, Journal: L'Aero)
- Revista de Locomoción Aérea, 1910, El dirigible militar "España" (Simple title: The military dirigible "España", Journal: Revista de Locomoción Aérea)
- Sáiz González, 1995, Aeronáutica e invención en la España del siglo XIX (Simple title: Aeronáutica e invención en la España del siglo XIX, Journal: Actas del III Simposio Leonardo Torres Quevedo)
- González Redondo, 2008, Leonardo Torres Quevedo, 1902–1908 (Simple title: Leonardo Torres Quevedo, 1902–1908)
- González Redondo and Redondo Alvarado, 2008, Los dirigibles de Torres Quevedo en la Aeronáutica francesa (Simple title: Torres Quevedo's dirigibles and french aeronautics: the Société de Constructions Aéronautiques «Astra», Journal: Llull)
Airships created by Société de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société de Constructions Aéronautiques Astra or Société Astra de Constructions Aéronautiques or Société Astra:
- Ville de Paris (Year constructed: 1906, Keywords: {{{Keywords}}})
- España (Year constructed: 1910, Keywords: {{{Keywords}}})
- Astra-Torres (Year constructed: 1911, Keywords: Tension-truss • Chenu engine • Patent FR-1907-382794)
