Construction |
Almost all the photographs on this site come from the personal collection of Pierre Jean Cavey (except those of EDF). However, as explained on the prototypes page, after he was hired on January 1, 1955, my father was first assigned to the management of the small experimental station installed on the grounds of the Institut Aérotechnique de Saint-Cyr L'Ecole.
During the construction of the wind turbine, from the beginning of the civil engineering work (December 1955) to the installation of the essential elements (end of 1956), my father only made weekly trips to Nogent-le-Roi to familiarise himself with the machine that he was later to manage. He has no photographs from this period.
The assembly of the machine required several successive tilting operations to "seat" the machine:
Initially, the tripod was mounted vertically in situ by the Société des Monteurs-Levageurs.
- A first tilting of the tripod allowed the pivot to be put on horizontally. The tripod-pivot assembly was then returned to the vertical position.
- A second tilting was necessary to place the nacelle and the heaviest equipment (gears, generator, clutch, disc brake). The machine was again returned to the vertical position and the lighter equipment was winched into the vertical position.
- A third tilting allowed the blades to be installed. The wind turbine could start its first tests (November 1957).
- The fourth changeover took place on 19 June 1958 to put the final fairing in place (summer 1958).
The first three photos are not originals but come from the newspapers « La République du Centre » and « L'Echo Republican" ». They are of poor quality. Access to the originals and unpublished photographs from these newspapers would be welcome.
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| Photo of the tripod published in the Echo Républicain dated 3 October 1958 but taken during assembly (1956-1957). (in the background the assembly crane) |
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| The tripod is finished; the pivot is in place as well as the blades but the nacelle is missing. Photo of the tripod published in the Echo Républicain dated 3 October 1958 but taken during assembly (1956-1957). |
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| The nacelle is not yet finished. Photo published in La République du Centre dated 3 October 1957 but taken before April 1957 (date of the first tests). |
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| Installation of the fairing (summer 1958). Behind the cranes of the Société des Monteurs-Levageurs, the corrugated iron shelter of the North winch. |
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| Installation of the fairing (summer 1958) At the top of the pivot, one can see its upper platform. |
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| Installation of the fairing (summer 1958) The cylinder seen between the nacelle and the pivot housed the hydraulic systems controlling the clutch, the disc brake and the lock. |
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