The first design of the Simplex firm was a racing monoplane with a 320 hp Hispano-Suiza engine for the Coupe-Deutsch race of 1922. The design was due to Carmier, and the plane was to be flown by a well-known fighter pilot, Georges Madon. It was a cantilever monoplane with a tractor engine and full-span controllers. The short fuselage ended in a vertical fin with a rudder. The pilot sat rather far back behind the leading edge of the wing ; in addition, a barrel radiator excluded any view forward. So it was not surprising that even a very experienced pilot like Madon could meet with an accident during a test flight prior to the race. He escaped with severe injuries, and the general impression created was rather unfortunate. Since Fétu had previously met with a grave accident with the Arnoux biplane, the fate of this interesting development was sealed. Arnoux himself seems to have been discouraged from further pursuing his line of investigation.
