SA des Automobiles Donnet [1926-1934]

Société des Établissements Donnet-Denhaut / Société française des Automobiles Zedel

To the formation of the company Donnet-Denhaut took place in 1915, when after two years, once again met the former associates, a pioneer in the construction of flying boats François Victor Denhaut and his sponsor, the swiss engineer Jérôme Donnet. Together they founded a new company, which bore the name of Société des Établissements Donnet-Denhaut and housed in the paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. The production plant had to ostroje Grande Jatte, on the boulevard de Levallois. Here for the French naval air force at the end of 1915, built his first machine, a biplane reconnaissance flying boat after the war, additionally named DD.1. This plane is too different from their previous production from the time of the company's Donnet-Lévêque, became but the basis for the improved DD.2 with larger dimensions, star the engine of the Canton Unné about double the power and light armaments. This was built in series for the naval air force of France in the number of 90 pieces (according to the older sources only 36) under the designation Donnet-Denhaut, Canton Unné 160 ch. On him, made only slightly modified Donnet-Denhaut Hispano-Suiza 140/150 ch, differing mainly by the engine. Even this version after the war the company named DD.2. Made was 195 (or according to the older sources 365) pieces. The following Donnet-Denhaut Lorraine 160 ch he had enlarged the margin, rudder and of course the engine mentioned already in his name. Built it 130 pieces. Both of these variants are still in 1917 became the basis for further variants that were the engine of the Hispano-Suiza 8 Bd. The first of these was Donnet-Denhaut Hispano-Suiza 200 ch Reconnaissance Rapide, more or less identical to the DD 160 ch Lorraine. 65 of these machines "rapid response" from August 1917 to complement the main serial variant, named Donnet-Denhaut Hispano-Suiza 200 ch biplace, or bombardement. This was based on the DD 150 ch Hispano-Suiza. These machines remained in výobě the end of the war and it was built around 500 pieces. AFTER the war they manufacturer started calling me DD.8. Since this version was derived from the "companion" variant Donnet-Denhaut Hispano-Suiza 200 ch triplace (later DD.9), which should serve to accompaniment only lightly armed flying boats of the French navy, where he threatened to clash with the enemy aircraft. That's why he had the other guns on the back, both guns had two machine guns Lewis.

At the beginning of 1918 arose also the first aircraft that were not based on common ground. Donnet-Denhaut Hispano-Suiza 275 ch triplace was another companion option, but which she had carefully modified the hull, more powerful engine, wings by the same margin. Ordered and hopefully built was only 30 pieces, most of which served after the war in the air the schools, and prepared for transport. Another was a large twin-engine machine with the engines in tandem, named Donnet-Denhaut Hispano-Suiza 400 ch bimoteur, later DD.10. Also it was built in 30 pieces that were in service at the very end of the war, and fairly quickly, from the service disappeared. By that time I once again broke up the trip Donneta and Denhauta, between which there has been disagreement. Denhaut in 1919 he became the technical director for the construction of seaplanes in the company Béllanger, in the meantime, then he was nahrazem young engineer Maurice Percheronem. That even in 1918 suggested třímotorový seaplane Donnet-Denhaut P.10, which originated as a prototype, and from it derived a four-engine turboprop P.15, which perhaps was built, but never flown.

The end of war contracts led to financial problems and the threat of bankruptcy. Donnet therefore quickly shifted, like the other, on the construction of the cars. For this purpose July 1919 bought the factory Zedel SA, located podhůrském the town of Pontarlier close to the border with Switzerland. Here in 1901 he founded the swiss businessman Ernest Zürcher, the owner of carmaker Zürcher et Luthie & Cie., to duty-free export to France. Donnet so acquired the rights to quite luxury automobiles Zedel CE, which started in a small series of modified produce as CES. In the 1920's added the first really new type of P, designated for wealthier customers. Another model, the Cl5, has already but imitate a small car built in small series Citroën. In 1922 formed his more robust definitive form, Cl6, which remained in production until 1929, and in commercial form until 1932. Donnet, who in 1919 the company renamed according to its newly-acquired brands, in early 1924 he returned to the title company its name. At the same time the production got another, even smaller model, G, with an engine 7 horses. For him in Pontalier wasn't capacity, their production is conducted in a former aerospace plant Donnet-Denhaut and in the middle race in the Genneviliers, which previously supplied the parts, started the construction of the engines. The success of the new rovers led the management of the company to consolidate production in the Paris area. In 1925 they rented the land of the former company Vinet et Deguingaud in Nanterre, again near the old factory. Here began the construction of an impressive five-story factory ready for production according to the latest american methods. The grand opening of the new factory also was an opportunity to change the name, and from may 1926 the company name was just Donnet.

The new factory started production in 1928 types G2 and Cl6, and soon joined them luxury type To. Factory in Nanterre was gradually equipped with equipment from the original alpine factory, which finally closed its doors in 1929. In Nanterre also moved the company headquarters. At that time the company had already an extensive network of dealers across France, own newspaper, carefully started with the production of heavy commercial vehicles, and in 1927 got to the fifth positions in the order of the French carmakers. Even bought three other automakers, Delahaye, Unic, and Chenard & Walcker. And just as in 1929, the production in the new plant on fire, came the economic crisis. New models Cl7 and Cl10, which just began to be manufactured in large series, badly sold, and the company tried to save as it went. Neither the layoffs nor the interference of side services, advertising, etc. too did not help, and the production of the new tiny type 4 CV, which should be purchasable in the new conditions, also require investment. A little bit of time has gained the reorganization of the production, the car under the new names Donnastar, Donnarex, Donnaquatre, Donnasix and Donna Super was offered only as a coupe and saloons. 20. December 1934 after a long struggle came to bankruptcy. One of the suppliers, the firm Contin, have for some time tried to get back some of the outstanding demands nabízenícm unsold cars under the name Donnet-Contin. Factory in Nanterre earlier in the autumn of 1934 bought by a certain Henri Théodore Pigozzi, the general director of the French branch of Fiat, who in December started a new company called Société Industrielle de Mécanique et de Carrosserie Automobile, a lot better known under the acronym Simca.

Morareau, Lucien. Les hydravions Donnet-Denhaut de l'aviation Maritime Française, Avions 2000/07-08.
Liron, Jean. Les hydravions de Francois Denhaut, Le Fana de l'aviation 1987/01-03.
donnet-zedel.nl
donnetzedel.free.fr
histoire-nanterre.org

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