In 1908, aviation practice is born. After groping in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first sustained flight in the United States, December 17 1903.
Henry Farman biplane on its “neighbors” was made on 1 km closed circuit officially controlled in Issy-les-Moulineaux, January 13 1908. He completed the first flight over the countryside, 27 km in 20 minutes, Bouy to Reims, 30 October 1908. The Wright brothers fly to France and make 123.200 km in 2 h 18 min, 31 December 1908.
The land is overflown. It remains for aviators to cross the seas.
On 5 October 1908, the British newspaper “Daily Mail” creates a price of 1 000 pounds sterling, to reward the aviator who manage to cross the English Channel using a heavier than air. The lighter than air in fact have already traversed. On 7 January 1785, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries went to Dover to board a gas balloon to land in the forest of Guines near Calais.
It’s the turn of fans heavier than air now attempt the crossing.
An aviator, Serge de Bolotoff, is the first applicant in November 1908. He was thinking to use an airplane triplane built by the Voisin brothers, equipped with an engine of Panhard et Levassor 110 HP and then, faced with the difficulty, he gave his project soon.
Will remain in the competition three competitors:
- Hubert Latham (1883-1912), with a “Antoinette IV, built by Léon Levavasseur. The “sportsman”, after having participated in competitive canoe racing car driver became the company Antoinette in 1909.
- Louis Blériot (1872-1936) with his Bleriot XI. Engineer, he made his fortune in the sale of automobile headlamps, before a passion for aviation. After an association with the Voisin brothers, he built his own aircraft and developed the monoplane “Bleriot XI, which Gabriel Voisin itself recognize that all the best equipment from that time are just copies more or less successful. Neighboring cites, in particular, the aircraft Ryan “Spirit of St Louis” by Charles Lindbergh in 1927.
- Charles Lambert (1865-1944), Russian Count of French origin, with a Wright airplane. After interested in hydrofoils, Charles Lambert became an aviation enthusiast emerging: it is one of three licensed pilots at the Wright School of Pau, in early 1909.
On 12 June, Hubert Latham on his Antoinette IV, 55 hp engine, has conducted approximately 40 km in 39 minutes. La Mancha to the point where it is less wide, measuring about 34 km, the aircraft also seem to point to attempt the crossing. Sometimes, July 3, at Sangatte, near Calais, with the manufacturer Levavasseur Léon. On 19 July he took off at 6 h 47 du matin du Cap Blanc Nez. Suddenly, when the flight is more regular, the engine stops and the aircraft fell to the sea, 18 km from the coast of France. Fortunately for the pilot, the fuselage is shaped hull of the boat, floating on the sea … The “Antoinette IV” is raised by the destroyer “The Harpoon” and transported to Calais by the tug “The Calaisiens. It seems that the failure was due to the arrival of gasoline. It reached the engine by fine screens to be easily clogged. It would probably have sufficed to filter more carefully before the start … Also Hubert Latham is determined to try again.
Louis Blériot, July 19 1909, after learning of the failure of Latham, is committed to the price of the Daily Mail. On 13 July he was already 41 km in 44 min 13 s. He feels capable of crossing the English Channel aboard his airplane and he settled on 21 July in the hamlet of Barracks, near Calais. The aircraft used is the Bleriot XI, which flew for the first time in Issy-les-Moulineaux, January 23 1909. It is equipped with an engine Anzani 3 cylinder 25 HP. His Italian, Alessandro Anzani, is present to assist the builder and pilot in his attempt. A few days before his trial, Blériot was burned at the foot twice when he experienced his “Blériot XII. This burn was caused by the exhaust pipe of the engine with the coating of asbestos had jumped. So injured foot, walking with crutches, he will begin crossing the English Channel.
But Latham was another device, the ‘Antoinette VII. Between him and Blériot, who is leaving the first. This will Blériot! After a test flight of 10 minutes, finding the suitable time, July 25 he flew to 4 h 35. Note that the pilot can not swim! In the event of a fall, a cylinder filled with air to ensure the flotation of the device and a lifejacket allow the pilot to float. Flying at an altitude of 80 to 100 meters with an average speed of 60 km per hour, it will reach the English coast. Having drifted northeast, and could not cross the cliffs, he turned to the left along the coast to find a place for landing, if possible Shakespeare Hills. Blériot finally discovers the prairie of North Foreland Meadow, he said that as agreed, waving a tricolor flag, the journalist of the daily “Le Matin”, Charles Fontaine. The landing was hard, the chassis of the plane collapses and a blade of the propeller Chauvière detach. But the English Channel, 38 km, is crossed in 32 minutes. The land has been affected at 5 am 17.
Blériot returned in the evening against France on the destroyer “the escopetas” which followed during the flight and on board which was his wife. On 26 July, he returned to Dover and travels to London where Lord Northcliffe, owner of the Daily Mail, “gives him a cup and the prize money. The aircraft is set in London. Blériot, back in Paris, received a triumphant welcome. The Bleriot XI is purchased by the newspaper “Le Matin” 10 to 000 F. It is presented to the public at the offices of the newspaper, then at the Air Show before being handed over at the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers.
Charles Lambert, a student of Wilbur Wright at Pau, moved him to Wissant, near Boulogne-sur-Mer. It’s a biplane aircraft “Wright” built by Toxna, equipped with an engine and Marre Bariquand of 24 hp. His attempt it seemed redundant after the successful Bleriot? On 27 July, at 8 am 30, he decided to do a test before making a decision. A bad landing the aircraft is temporarily out of use. The circumstances have decided for him. He abandons, for the following other successes.
Latham, sportingly tries again crossing on a new device, the ‘Antoinette VII, 50 hp engine. It took off July 27 to 17 h 50. At 18 h 16, the engine stops and the plane has to land on water, only a mile of the coast of England. He covered 34 km at a speed of 90 km / h. It seems that there was a pipe ruptured gasoline. Latham waived, but other exploits are waiting too. In August 1909, he beat the distance record (over 154 km) and height (155 m). On 7 January 1910, it reaches 1 000 m altitude.
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