Louis Bleriot's Accident at Reims, France 1909

Some photos of the Louis Bleriot memorial marking the spot where he landed in Northfall Meadow (Dover) after crossing the Channel on July 25th, 1909:

John Latter

Bleriot XII, which is what he flew in at Reims, barely losing to Curtiss. Only a couple were built:

http://www.earlyaviator.com/archive/images7/BleriotEnVol.jpg

A photograph of Louis Blériot’s aeroplane after an accident at the Reims Air Meet, France, held between August 22 – 29, 1909:

The event took place a month after Bleriot’s historic first flight across the English Channel on Bétheny Plain, just outside of Reims (aka Rheims) – does anyone know the map co-ordinates? I can find Reims ok but not Betheny Plain!

John Latter

Bleriot did not crash at Reims in 1909 hence the unusual engine in the photo was not fitted to a Bleriot IX which he raced in the Gordon Bennett event held at Reims. Five aircraft were in a crashed condition on the landing ground during the events, one reason why American Glenn Curtiss only flew in the air race which he won by four seconds from Bleriot. No Bleriot 12 is shewn in my records but there is a Bleriot IX-2 which flew in 1910. Mistakes were made in the early reporting of aircraft events just as they are today!
Ray

Maybe the author of the US Centennial of Flight Commision article went from ‘accident’ to ‘crash’ without thinking about it – there doesn’t seem to be much easily accessible info around. Prior to reading “Louis Blériot – Developer of Commercial and Military Aircraft“, I had to put some effort into not making the same mistake myself!

When you say “Bleriot IX” and Bleriot IX-2″, do you mean Bleriot XI?

John Latter

From this ..to this – What went wrong?

Bleriot did not crash at Reims 1909

[QUOTE=jorolat;1112432]A photograph of Louis Blériot’s aeroplane after an accident at the Reims Air Meet, France, held between August 22 – 29, 1909:

The event took place a month after Bleriot’s historic first flight across the English Channel on Bétheny Plain, just outside of Reims (aka Rheims) – does anyone know the map co-ordinates? I can find Reims ok but not Betheny Plain!

John Latter

QUOTE]

Bleriot did not crash at Reims in 1909 hence the unusual engine in the photo was not fitted to a Bleriot XI which he raced in the Gordon Bennett event held at Reims. Five aircraft were in a crashed condition on the landing ground during the events, one reason why American Glenn Curtiss only flew in the air race which he won by four seconds from Bleriot. No Bleriot 12 is shewn in my records but there is a Bleriot XI-2 which flew in 1910. Mistakes were made in the early reporting of aircraft events just as they are today!
Ray

From looking at the photo the wreck looks pretty mangled and probably some of it consumed by a subsequent fire?

Also the engine looks interesting with four in line heads visible?

Anyone know what type of Bleriot it was and what the engine was?. I seem to remember reading a problem with Bleriots (and other types) was putting larger engines in without strengthening the airframe.

Roger Smith.

The only info I’ve found so far is from Louis Blériot – Developer of Commercial and Military Aircraft which says:

Developed soon after the first Blériot XI, the Blériot XII first flew on May 21, 1909, at Issy. It could carry a passenger as well as a pilot and was the first aircraft to carry three people. The plane crashed at Reims on August 29, 1909.

John Latter

Ghost 1: Ghost 2: Spooky!

From looking at the photo the wreck looks pretty mangled and probably some of it consumed by a subsequent fire?

Also the engine looks interesting with four in line heads visible?

Anyone know what type of Bleriot it was and what the engine was?. I seem to remember reading a problem with Bleriots (and other types) was putting larger engines in without strengthening the airframe.

Roger Smith.

What happened to him? Did he survive the accident.

Big hole in knowledge…requires wikipedia

Jay

He survived the accident OK and died on the 2nd of August 1936, aged 64.

The Wikipedia page on Bleriot says:

After [crossing the Channel], Blériot became a successful businessman, with his Société Pour Aviation et ses Derives (better known as SPAD) manufacturing thousands of Allied planes in World War I.*

*Including the SPAD S.XIII

John Latter

The North Centre Bastion

Yes he survived.
Head of SPAD during WW1.
Died in 1936, age 64

What happened to him? Did he survive the accident.

Big hole in knowledge…requires wikipedia

Jay

I visit Reims a lot. I will ask around at Reims Aviation if anyone knows anything.

That would be great – thank you!

The only other info I’ve been able to dig up so far is that it was a 3 mile walk from the railway station to the air show. This is consistent with Moggy’s suggestion – providing I’ve identified the station correctly, that is.. :confused:

John Latter

Underground Drawbridge, and: Nearby Cave-In

I visit Reims a lot. I will ask around at Reims Aviation if anyone knows anything.

Thank you for the info, Moggy. I think so too – I’ll just go an’ look see! 🙂

John Latter

The Grand Shaft from the inside.

Since Betheny is due north of the city of Reims, and just below the military airfield at Reims-Champagne, I think it is a pretty fair chance that the airfield now occupies the plain.

Moggy