The Fifteenth Paris Salon: Trends of Aeroplane and Engine Development as Exemplified in the Exhibits Available to Purchase

SO much has already been written about the Fifteenth Paris Salon that it may seem that at this date little more remains to be said. It is the purpose of these notes rather to attempt a brief analysis of the trends of aircraft and engine development of which it gave evidence than to catalogue the exhibits in detail. The main impression produced by a quick survey of the main hall was that for the first time French constructors were showing good examples of aircraft embodying the developments in design and construction accepted throughout most of the aeronautical world as the best compromise to meet the conditions of the time. Experience of previous Paris Shows had led one to expect to see little that inspired confidence in the future of French aviation apart from a few serviceable but relatively uninteresting designs. Originality was never lacking, but it seemed often that it was originality that had gone astray. The present Show was not entirely devoid of unconventional aircraft nor was every one of the machines exhibited a good machine on present standards. But there were none which one could fairly class as freaks.