Blériot XI
The Blériot XI is a French aircraft from the pioneer era of aviation. The first example was used by Louis Blériot to make the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, on 25 July 1909.
This is one of the most famous accomplishments of the pioneer era of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in history but also assured the future of his aircraft manufacturing business. The event caused a major reappraisal of the importance of aviation; the English newspaper The Daily Express led its story of the flight with the headline “Britain is no longer an Island”.
The Blériot XI, largely designed by Raymond Saulnier, was a development of the Blériot VIII, which Blériot had flown successfully in 1908. Like its predecessor, it was a tractor-configuration monoplane with a partially covered box-girder fuselage built from ash with wire cross bracing. The principal difference was the use of wing warping for lateral control. The tail surfaces consisted of a small balanced all-moving rudder mounted on the rearmost vertical member of the fuselage and a horizontal tailplane mounted under the lower longerons.
Blériot XI-2 Tandem
The Blériot XI-2 is a standard tandem 2-seat touring, reconnaissance, training aircraft. It was powered by a 52 kW (70 HP) Gnôme 7 Gamma rotary piston engine.
Made in France by Louis Blériot
First flight: 1909
Length: 7.62 m (25 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8 ft 10 in)
Engine: Anzani 3
Power: 25 HP
Max. speed: 65 km/h
Service ceiling: 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Weight: 300 kg
Materials: wood, coated canvas, metal, fabric covering and painting
Aeroscopia (Toulouse) and Le Bourget Museum (Paris, France)
