JOHN LOMAS COLLECTION
No. 12144. Dalotel DM-165 (F-PPZE c/n 165/01)
Photographed at World Aerobatic Championships, Hullavington, UK, July 1970, by John Lomas

Dalotel DM-165

10/31/2013. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "With manufacturing assistance from the Société Poulet Père et Fils SARL at Colombes, Frenchman Michel Dalotel designed and flew the prototype of a tandem two-seat advanced trainer and aerobatic aircraft, known as the DM-165.

Registered to the Poulet company as F-PPZE on March 12, 1969, the prototype flew for the first time in the following month. This followed some nine years of design study to develop an aircraft suitable for flying club use at relatively low cost. The type was intended for series production, however, F-PPZE remained the sole example.

Some twelve years after the first flight the aircraft was sold to Robert Lamplough of London, who had it registered as G-BILA on February 5, 1981. Within five years the aircraft was deregistered as "permanently withdrawn from use" on October 31, 1985."

Wings: Cantilever low-wing monoplane, with single wooden main spar and stressed plywood covering. Each wing was attached to the lower fuselage by three bolts, and could be dismantled to enable the aircraft to be transported by road. 3° dihedral from roots. Sweepback on leading edge only. All-wood ailerons along more than half of span of trailing edge, with ±25° of travel; instead of conventional flaps, a sailplane-type air-brake was fitted to each wing. Manual control of ailerons and air-brakes.
Fuselage: Welded steel-tube structure, with fabric covering.
Tail unit: Non-swept cantilever wooden surfaces, which could be dismantled for road transportation. Electrically-actuated trim-tab in elevator.
Landing gear: Retractable tail wheel type. Main wheels retracted inward into wings. Electrically-actuated retraction, with manual standby. Steerable Scott tail wheel.
Power plant: One 165 hp Continental IO-346A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine with fuel injection, driving a two-blade fixed-pitch or constant-speed wooden propeller. Fuel system designed to permit inverted flying. Fuel capacity 22.2 gal (84.1 l).
Accommodation: Tandem seating for two persons under individual jettisonable cockpit hoods. Hoods were hinged to retractable frame on port side which extended up and over fuselage to starboard to permit access to cockpit. Pilot occupied rear seat.
Electronics and equipment: Standard equipment included VHF radio.

Created October 31, 2013