October 27, 1913 in the sky: Henry Deutsch Cup: great performance by Eugène Gilbert

History of aviation – October 27, 1913. As part of the Henry Deutsch Cup of Meurthe, no less than three prizes each amounting to 20,000 francs are at stake and this Monday, October 27, 1913, Eugène Gilbert, pilot of French nationality, will try this aeronautical event, of which the industrialist Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe is at the origin, this competition having existed since 1906.

This October 27, 1913, Eugène Gilbert thus aims for the second bonus offered by the famous patron, the winner of which will be known on October 31, 1913, the deadline set for competitors to make attempts. Piloting a monoplane type aircraft from the manufacturer Déperdussin with an integral Chauvière propeller, powered by a 160 horsepower Le Rhône block, Eugène Gilbert achieved the best performance, taking 1 hour and 14 minutes to cover the 190,400 kilometer Saint-Germain course. -en-Laye – Senlis – Meaux – Melun – Saint-Germain-en-Laye. A flight that will be synonymous with victory.

As a reminder, thanks to a flight of 1 hour 47 minutes and 48 seconds to complete the route of the event, the Frenchman Maurice Tabuteau was the winner of the first bonus. The aviator having won it in April 1912, installed for his part at the controls of a Morane-Saulnier monoplane with a Gnome engine displaying 50 horsepower.