Société d'Études Aéronautiques
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The ''Société d'Études Aéronautiques (SEA)'' ("Society for Aeronautical Studies") was a French
aircraft manufacturer An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, or spacecraft. Aerospace is a high technology indust ...
founded in
1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * J ...
by
Henry Potez Henry Potez ( Méaulte, 30 September 1891 – Paris, 9 November 1981) was a French aircraft industrialist. He studied in the French Aeronautics School '' Supaéro''. With Marcel Dassault, he was the inventor of the Potez-Bloch propeller which, a ...
, Marcel Bloch, and Louis Coroller at
Suresnes Suresnes () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, Île-de-France. Located in Hauts-de-Seine, from the centre of Paris, it had a population of 49,145 as of 2016. The nearest communes are Nanterre, Puteaux, Rueil-Malmaison, Saint-Cloud a ...
. Having been established amid the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the company was from its onset focused upon the manufacture of military aircraft. It quickly found work producing large numbers of combat aircraft on behalf of the French military. However, following the end of the conflict, a major glut in surplus aircraft and the cancellation of many outstanding orders rapidly pushed the company into dire straights. Some officials, like Bloch, decided to withdraw from the aviation sector entirely in light of the poor economic prospects of the early 1920s aviation market.


History

The formation of the Société d’Etudes Aéronautiques (SEA) can be largely attributed to the undertakings of two French engineers,
Henry Potez Henry Potez ( Méaulte, 30 September 1891 – Paris, 9 November 1981) was a French aircraft industrialist. He studied in the French Aeronautics School '' Supaéro''. With Marcel Dassault, he was the inventor of the Potez-Bloch propeller which, a ...
and Marcel Bloch. Prior to SEA, Potez and Bloch had been talented
aeronautical engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is sim ...
s that decided to form a partnership to development and manufacture of their original design of propellers, establishing the Société des Hélices Éclair. However, they soon sought to go beyond just manufacturing components, but to undertake the design and construction of whole aircraft, thus, they both joined forces with another friend, Louis Coroller, to establish SEA. Its founding coincided with the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and thus much of its activity was heavily influenced by the demands and lack thereof from this conflict. The company was originally engaged to manufacture the SPAD VII fighter under licence. However, it soon developed its original designs and put those into production as well. Several early aircraft, starting with the SEA I, proved somewhat unsatisfactory and requiring further development. However, one such aircraft, the SEA IV, was selected for production for the French military. The " Ministère de l'Armement et des Fabrications de guerre" (Ministry of Armament and War Production) opted to place an order for 1,000 aircraft, which were intended to be produced at a rate of 200 per month and to be fulfilled by early 1919. To meet this rapid demand, Potez and Bloch founded a separate company, the ''Compagnie Anjou Aéronautique'' ("Anjou Aeronautical Company"), to undertake their production. This entity was established at
Angers Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the pr ...
with a new partner Julien Bessonneau. However, the outstanding production order would ultimately be cancelled, causing fatal economic hardship for both companies. However, the company's fortune quickly reversed following the
Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
that marked the end of the conflict. Without a major ongoing war driving demand, peace quickly led to a major downturn in the sale and production of aircraft, pushing many aviation companies to the brink. The French Government's aircraft manufacturing department allegedly lacked interest in providing support to any of the nation's manufacturers. Accordingly, many companies and individuals alike decided to withdraw from the aviation sector during the late 1910s and early 1920s in favour of other endeavours. SEA was
wound up Liquidation is the process in accounting by which a company is brought to an end in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and many other countries. The assets and property of the company are redistrib ...
shortly after the conflict's end. However, Potez and Bloch went on to found their own separate and highly successful companies shortly thereafter. The ''Société d'Etudes Aéronautiques'', a Belgian firm of the same name established in
1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
was entirely unrelated to the earlier French company.


Aircraft

* SEA IV * Potez SEA VII


References


Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Societe D'etudes Aeronautiques (France) Defunct aircraft manufacturers of France Marcel Dassault