In 1905, Alberto Santos Dumont continued to innovate with his “Mixte”, an advanced airship.
Four original period photographs of Mixte.
Authors: Rol & Cia, Photofer.
France, 1905.
+/- 12 cm x 17 cm.
Notes in French on the back.
Perfect condition.
The Mixte was one of the most advanced airships developed by Santos Dumont, notable for using two side-mounted propellers instead of a single central propeller, as in his previous models. This configuration was intended to improve the stability and maneuverability of the airship during flight, distributing the thrust more evenly and allowing greater directional control. The device, designed around 1905, was a visionary attempt to combine an airship with an airplane—hence the name “Mixte.” These rare photographs of Santos Dumont's "Mixte" reveal one of the most daring and least documented experiments of his career. What makes these images particularly fascinating is the clarity with which they show the lightweight structure of the aircraft, its two engines and its two propellers mounted on the sides of the tubular fuselage. In addition, in two photos, Santos Dumont himself appears surrounded by mechanics. These extremely rare images document a crucial transitional phase between balloon flight and powered aviation, revealing the limits that Santos Dumont sought to overcome with genius and courage.
