French Hanriot HD1 Fighter Plane

By Crusader1307

Designed and first flown in 1916, The French Aviation Society Factory production fighter, the Hanriot HD I - was one of the first mass produced French fighters of World War One (even before SPAD and Nieuport). Although not picked up by The French Government (only 100 saw service), The Belgium and Italian Governments embraced The Hanriot as as a mainstay fighter. British Fighter Ace Willy Coppers brought The Hanriot into Public light when he used one to take down his 30th German Observation Balloon. Roughly 30 feet long with a 28 foot wingspan, the single-seat Fighter weighed around 900 pounds. Capable of 125 mph air speeds, The Hanriot had a 19,000 foot operational ceiling. The Hanriot typically carried one .303 Vickers Machine Gun. The last 20 produced were sold to Italy in 1921.