Icon of Ingenuity
One of the most recognizable and successful aircraft of aviation’s pioneering era (1900–1913) was the Blériot XI. It could arguably be considered one of the most influential aircraft in history.
First flown in January of 1909, the Blériot XI is most famously connected to the historic crossing of the English Channel in July of that same year by the aircraft’s namesake, Louis Blériot.
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot (1872-1936), an engineer by training, achieved early success by inventing the first practical automobile headlamp and building a business around it. Though he had been interested in aviation since his time at the prestigious and demanding École Centrale in Paris, he did not experiment in the field until his headlamp business had generated enough profit to afford him the time and resources.
Blériot’s first serious steps into aviation came through a short-lived and unsuccessful partnership with fellow French aviation pioneer, Gabriel Voisin (1880-1973). After the partnership disolved, Blériot created his own company in 1906. Blériot Aéronautique, as the new company was known, functioned as much as a research facility as it did an aircraft manufacturer during its pre-World War I years.
In the context of aviation history, Blériot Aéronautique was instrumental in establishing many of the basic methods of controlling an airplane that remain in use today. Rudders to control yaw (left–right movement), elevators for pitch (up–down movement), and wing warping to control roll (lateral tilting) were first seen on Blériot aircraft. While wing warping would soon give way to ailerons, the principle remained the same.
Blériot’s flight across the English Channel in 1909 cemented not only his name, but the Blériot XI into the international conciousness of the day—and into the history books . The flight also ensured the continued success of his aircraft company.
In 1913, Blériot led a consortium to acquire the bankrupt Deperdussin aircraft company, Société de Production des Aéroplanes Deperdussin, better known as SPAD. Upon taking possession of its assets, he renamed the firm Société Pour L’Aviation et ses Dérivés, thereby preserving the SPAD name, which would soon become legendary through the production of First World War fighter aircraft.
In the post WWI period, the company produced aircraft under both the Blériot and SPAD names. In 1921, the SPAD name was discontinued, and the company reverted to Blériot Aéronautique. The final aircraft to bear the Blériot name flew in 1933; it was a large flying boat designed to carry mail from Dakar, Senegal, to Natal, Brazil.
In October of 1936, Blériot Aéronautique and five other French aircraft companies were nationalised and merged into Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sud-ouest (SNCASO). SNCASO would later become part of Sud Aviation in 1957, which merged into Aérospatiale in 1970, and eventually became part of today’s Airbus company.
As such, it would be no exaggeration to consider Blériot Aéronautique one of Airbus’ earliest ancestors.
Over the Channel and into History
Despite its fragile appearance, the Blériot XI’s fabric-on-wood-frame construction belied its structural strength and flexibility for modifications. These qualities contributed to the aircraft’s popularity beyond the borders of its home country.
The robustness of the aircraft was proven during Blériot’s historic Channel crossing. The flight took place in turbulent winds and ended with a hard landing that damaged the undercarriage and shattered a propeller blade. Despite the damage, and the fact the aircraft never flew again, Blériot walked away uninjured.
Almost immediately after the flight, and as word of it shot around the world, Blériot was flooded with purchase orders for copies of the aircraft. Within a year, he had also established flying schools in both France and Great Britain.
Blériot’s daring flight and the aircraft he flew ushered in a new and more accepting mentality among the public towards flight. He became an overnight sensation and the Blériot XI became the aircraft of choice for anyone with the means and training to fly it.
Produced from late 1909 until just after the outbreak of World War I, the Blériot XI saw around 800 units built across more than 20 variants, making it the most common and popular aircraft of its day.
As with all great accomplishments, credit belongs to more than one individual.
Blériot was assisted by fellow French aviation pioneer, Raymond Saulnier (1881-1964), an aeronautical engineer and fellow alumnus of École Centrale. Saulnier developed the Blériot XI from the earlier Blériot VIII model and is widely credited as the aircraft’s primary designer.
Another contributor was propeller designer, Lucien Chauvière (1876-1966), who created some of Europe’s first modern propellers. One of his designs powered Blériot’s Channel-crossing aircraft.
Also pivotal was Italian-born engine designer Alessandro Anzani (1877–1956), who provided a more reliable powerplant after Blériot’s original engine proved unsatisfactory. The 25-horsepower W-3 engine, developed by Anzani, was used in the record-setting flight.
When the Blériot XI entered production, it was offered with two types of Anzani three-cylinder engines. Over time, the airframe was adapted to accommodate various engines with varying success.
Flying for Firsts
Due to its widespread popularity, the Blériot XI was involved in many aviation milestones beyond the 1909 Channel crossing.
While it was primarily a sports and training aircraft, it was the first aircraft type to be adopted for military service; it was used by the air arms of more than 20 nations.
France and Italy began operating the type in 1910, followed by Britain’s Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in 1912. The Blériot XI was employed in reconnaissance, training, and light bombing roles in the early stages of World War I.
Notably, it also became the first aircraft to be used in combat missions. In 1911, the Italian military used it in northern Africa during the Italo-Turkish War to fly reconnaissance missions over Turkish positions.
The Blériot XI was one of the world’s first successful monoplane designs. At a time when most aviation pioneers were experimenting with biplane and other multiwing designs, Blériot was an early proponent of monoplanes.
Many early aviation records for speed, distance and altitude were set with the Blériot XI. However, most of those records did not stand for very long due to the rapid pace of aviation development.
Its most enduring legacy, however, lies in a number of significant aviation “firsts”:
- First aircraft to cross the Irish Sea (1912)
- First solo Channel crossing by a woman, flown by American aviatrix Harriet Quimby (1912)
- First to cross the North Sea (1914)
- First aircraft to cross the Alps and Pyrenees
- First to operate regular airmail routes in the U.S., Australia, and Great Britain
In 1913, the Blériot XI was central to what many consider the world’s first airshow. Adolphe Pégoud, who would go on to become the world’s first fighter ace, was the first pilot to demonstrate the aerobatic potential of the Blériot XI. Pégoud is considered by many to be the first pilot to complete a loop in flight. However, this claim is contested by some who argue that a Russian pilot accomplished the feat two weeks earlier in a Nieuport monoplane.
What Remains and Learning More
Flying examples of the Blériot XI, original or replica, are rare. However, a few exist.
Original aircraft, or those incorporating substantial original material, remain flying in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.
Of particular note is the Blériot XI in the Shuttleworth Collection in the UK. Built in 1909 and powered by an original Anzani engine, it holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest airworthy aircraft and the oldest surviving airframe-engine combination still in flight.
Non-flying examples, original or replica, are more common. Several are known to be on display in museums across Europe as well as America, Argentina, Australia and Canada.
The following links explore examples of the Blériot XI in Australia, France, and the UK:
- [Link to Blériot XI in Australia]
- [Link to Blériot XI in France]
- [Link to Blériot XI in the United Kingdom]
This link at kitplanes.com will take you to an article about a replica aircraft in America.
This link will take you to a quite enlightening article about what the Blériot XI is like to fly. After reading about the flying experience, I gained a renewed respect for the courage and skill of those who flew in aviation’s earliest days.
Pickled Wings 