Maurice Mallet
Maurice Mallet | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1861 |
| Died | 1926 |
| Occupation(s) | Aviation inventor, company founder |
| Known for | Co-founder of the enterprise that developed into Zodiac Aerospace; contributions to dirigible technology |
Maurice Mallet (1861–1926) was a co-founder of the enterprise that later developed into Zodiac Aerospace.
In 1896, Mallet joined forces with Henry de La Vaulx and other partners to establish Mallet, Mélandri et de Pitray, a company specializing in the manufacture of gas balloons intended for recreational and tourism purposes. The business was renamed in 1899 to Ateliers de Constructions Aéronautiques Maurice Mallet and gained prominence through contracts from the Aéro-Club de France.
During the years 1902 and 1903, Mallet worked alongside Victor Tatin to construct the dirigible La Ville de Paris commissioned by industrialist Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe. Although the initial project did not meet with success, Deutsch de la Meurthe subsequently funded a more effective airship bearing the same designation.
Mallet secured multiple patents in the field of dirigible technology, contributing to the company's reputation for innovation.
By approximately 1908, the organization adopted the name Société française des ballons dirigeables, and in 1911 it underwent another rebranding to become Zodiac. The Zodiac brand was first introduced in 1909 as Société française de ballons dirigeables et d'aviation Zodiac, evolving by 1911 into Société Zodiac, anciens Établissements aéronautiques Maurice Mallet.
The firm experienced considerable growth in producing both airplanes and airships, playing a key role in supplying the Aérostation Maritime (Naval Balloon Command) and contributing significantly during World War I.
Maurice Mallet's final resting place is at the cimetière des Fauvelles in Courbevoie.