Blériot 115

The Blériot 115 (or Bl-115) was a French biplane airliner of the 1920s, best remembered for the part it played in the French exploration of Africa. For its day, it was a large aircraft, mounting one pair of engines on the upper wing and one pair on the lower. First flying on 9 May 1923, the prototype crashed on June 23, killing its pilot, Jean Casale.

A refined version of the aircraft, the 115-bis was flown in June 1924.

Operational; history

The third and fourth machines built (christened Roland Garros and Jean Casale) were used in Colonel de Goÿs' attempts to create air routes to Africa. Commanded by Jean Dagnaux, they departed France on January 18, 1925, they arrived in Colomb-Béchar, Algeria, on January 28. The expedition ended in disaster on February 7 in Niamey, Niger when the Jean Casale crashed on take-off, killing its radio operator and seriously injuring its two pilots, including Dagnaux. They had covered 4,137 km (2,571 mi).

Variants

Bleriot 115

Four-engined airliner.

Bleriot 115bis

Improved version of the Bleriot 115.

Bleriot 103

Projected bomber version. Not built.

Specifications (115)

General characteristics

• Crew: Two pilots and one radio operator
• Capacity: 8 passengers
• Length: 14.45 m (47 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 25.00 m (82 ft 0 in)
• Height: 4.96 m (16 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 126.0 m² (1,356 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,950 kg (6,500 lb)
• Gross weight: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
• Powerplant: 4 × Hispano-Suiza 8Ac, 134 kW (180 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
• Range: 600 km (374 miles)
• Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,680 ft)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louis Blériot aircraft.

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 162. 
• aviafrance.com