René Couzinet (Rémi Vallet) – 1934 (Original signed edition)
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• Full Title: A Great Figure in Aviation: René Couzinet, Creator of "L’Arc-en-Ciel". The Man and His Work • Author: Rémi Vallet • Publisher: Imprimerie Nicolas (Niort) • Year of Publication: 1934 (2nd edition) • Format: Paperback in-8° (approx. 18 × 12 cm) • Pagination: 65 pages + 1 leaf (illustrations) • Copies: Some are signed and dedicated by the author • Rarity: Out of print and highly sought after by collectors.
Published at the height of Couzinet’s fame (just after the historic South Atlantic crossing by L’Arc-en-Ciel in 1933), before his bankruptcy and exile in Brazil, this book offers:
- An intimate portrait:
- Biography of René Couzinet, from his childhood in Vendée (inspired by the flight of swallows) to his studies at Arts et Métiers in Angers and Sup’Aéro.
- His role in welcoming Charles Lindbergh at Le Bourget in 1927.
- The epic of the "Arc-en-Ciel" aircraft:
- Details of the prototypes (Couzinet 10, 27, 70) and their feats:
- First flight of the Couzinet 10 in 1928.
- France–New Caledonia crossing in 1932 with the Biarritz (24,000 km, 134 hours of flight).
- South Atlantic record in 1933: 14 hours 32 minutes between Saint-Louis, Senegal, and Natal, Brazil, with Jean Mermoz at the controls.
- Unpublished photographs:
- Images of the aircraft, teams, and Couzinet himself (including an autographed portrait in some copies).
- Period documents on the Meudon workshops and flight tests.
- Style:
- Hagiographic (the book celebrates Couzinet as an unsung genius), but rich in technical and human anecdotes.
- Historical context: The golden age of French aeronautics, between Lindbergh and Mermoz.
• Primary Source: Uses archives and direct interviews with the engineer and his collaborators (e.g., Georges Le Moy, co-designer of the Arc-en-Ciel). • Collectible Item:
- Copies signed by Vallet are highly prized. • About Rémi Vallet: Little biographical information is available (the author appears to be a journalist or a close associate of Couzinet).
69 pages in French – Hardcover with cardboard and leather – Gilt edges – Signed by the author