Blériot XI Monoplane at the Deutsches Museum
N 48° 07.828 E 011° 34.999
32U E 692210 N 5334029
With this type of airplane, Louis Bleriot became the first man to fly across the English Channel between Calais and Dover. His flight received world-wide acclaim and the importance of the airplane was immediately recognized.
Waymark Code: WM18K0
Location: Bayern, Germany
Date Posted: 02/24/2007
Views: 127
Designed by Louis Blériot and Raymond Saulnier (of Morane Saulnier) the Blériot XI was a light and sleek monoplane constructed of oak and poplar. Flying surfaces were covered with cloth.
The plane would gain immortality on July 25, 1909 when Louis Blériot successfully crossed the Channel from Calais to Dover in 36.5 minutes. For several days bad weather grounded Blériot and his opponent Hubert Latham. On the morning of July 25, 1909, Blériot awoke (albeit in a bad mood) to conditions fair enough to fly in. When Blériot took off, Latham's camp was still quiet...Latham had overslept. Fighting fog and bad weather Blériot did not even have a navigational instrument as simple as a compass to guide his crossing. It is said that the Anzani engine made the flight only with the aid of a brief rainshower to cool it off. Letting the aircraft guide itself, Blériot eventually saw the gray line of the English coast. Approaching closer and closer he spotted a French reporter waving the French flag marking the landing spot. Louis made a very rough landing but walked away, winning the £1000 prize awarded by the London Daily Mail.
This plane is one of many oldtimers and newer airplane models on display at the Deutsches Museum.
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Blériot XI
Construction:: clone
Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Museum
inside / outside: inside
Other Information::
Admission Fee : € 8.50
The Deutsches Museum is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.
It is closed only on January 1, Shrove Tuesday, Good Friday, May 1, November 1, and December 24, 25, and 31.
On December 13 the museum is closed at 13:30.
Tail Number: (S/N): Not listed
Access restrictions: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)
Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.