Ducrot S.L.D., too early?

Engine: PD Hispano-Suiza 35 (200 HP)
Propeller: 2 bladed wooden

MuccoPazzino · December 26, 2024, 8:20pm

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The Ducrot S.L.D. was an Italian prototype single-seat fighter aircraft developed during the final stages of World War I. Designed by engineers Manlio Stiavelli and Guido Luzzatti, the aircraft’s name reflects the initials of its creators and the manufacturing company, Ducrot, based in Palermo, Sicily. Ducrot had previously specialized in producing seaplanes and parts under license but sought to create an original design to advance its role in aviation manufacturing.

The S.L.D. was powered by a 200-horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine, featuring a monocoque fuselage made from molded plywood for improved aerodynamic efficiency. This streamlined design allowed the aircraft to achieve impressive performance for its time, with a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and the ability to climb to 5,000 meters in 10 minutes. With a relatively lightweight structure, it was a competitive fighter concept.

Construction of the S.L.D. prototype was completed in the summer of 1918, and flight testing began in October of the same year. However, the timing proved disadvantageous as World War I ended shortly thereafter, leading to a significant reduction in military demand for new aircraft. The prototype did not receive production orders from the Corpo Aeronautico Militare (Italian Royal Air Force), and the project was ultimately shelved. Only one example was ever built, along with a second unit intended for static testing.

The Ducrot company, which had shifted from furniture manufacturing to aircraft production during the war, produced more than 500 planes and numerous parts by the conflict’s end. The S.L.D. represented its ambitious foray into original design, but it remained a historical footnote due to the lack of operational deployment.

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