Mélot's "trunk-propeller": jet engines as seen in 1921

[Stargazer]

Here is a four-page article I scanned from La Science et la Vie N°55 dated March 1921. It is entitled "Jet propulsion applied to flying machines" and anticipates that jet propulsion will be the future of aviation, presenting the basic notions of what jet propulsion is, and in particular Henri-Fabrice Mélot's "trunk-propeller" device.

Allow me to quote the introduction to the article, which will help replace it in context:

"In the face of the ever-growing difficulty of perfecting the current propulsion system of airplanes, one can reasonably assert that there are more and better things to do in the all but unexplored area of jet engine than in the current propeller-driven engine system."
These few lines conclude a very interesting study by Captain Hirschauer devoted to what he is certain will be the aerial propulsion of the future.
Mr. Esnault-Pelterie also predicted, as early as 1908 or 1909, that the future of aerial locomotion would belong to direct propulsion by jet, and it seems that the facts may prove him right in a not so distant future."

If you want to know more about Mélot's revolutionary ideas and patents, you can check these links, too:

• Origins of rocketry in France
• Henri Melot -- Steam-Oil Jet Plane (1935); article & patent
• Aircraft Propulsion (PDF)

... and many more pages on the web (Mélot has an acute accent, but a search for "Melot" may bring more results on certain sites).

 

[dannydale]

Looks like an ejector rocket.

 

[borovik]

Thanks Stephen, I was looking for it.

 

[hesham]

From Ailes 12/1947.

 

[martinbayer]

See also the connection with Payen and especially the Pa.22/1R:

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1455.0/all.html

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1469.0/all.html

 

[klem]

Mélot engine.