The PL-8 Levasseur was a single engine, two-seat long-distance record-breaking biplane aircraft modified from an existing Levasseur PL-4 carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft produced in France in the 1920s. Pierre Levasseur built the aircraft in 1927, specifically for pilots Charles Nungesser and François Coli for a transatlantic attempt. Only two examples of the type were built, with the first PL-8-01 named L'Oiseau Blanc (The White Bird), that gained fame as Nungesser and Coli's aircraft.
L'Oiseau Blanc took off at 5:17 a.m. 8 May 1927 from Le Bourget Field in Paris, heading for New York.
The weather services had assured them of "good" weather over the Atlantic and at their destination, the foot of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Yes, their aircraft was sort of a
seaplane that is after the landing gear was dropped from the airframe. At this point, the biplane was supposed to be able to land in the water since the bottom of the "water tight" fuselage was
roughly in the shape of a hull. Alas, such was not to be.
After estimated time of arrival had passed, with no word as to the aircraft's fate, it was realized that the aircraft had been lost.
This PL-8 simulator airplane model has droppable main gear (channel 5) and also works as seaplane.
L'Oiseau Blanc took off at 5:17 a.m. 8 May 1927 from Le Bourget Field in Paris, heading for New York.
The weather services had assured them of "good" weather over the Atlantic and at their destination, the foot of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Yes, their aircraft was sort of a
seaplane that is after the landing gear was dropped from the airframe. At this point, the biplane was supposed to be able to land in the water since the bottom of the "water tight" fuselage was
roughly in the shape of a hull. Alas, such was not to be.
After estimated time of arrival had passed, with no word as to the aircraft's fate, it was realized that the aircraft had been lost.
This PL-8 simulator airplane model has droppable main gear (channel 5) and also works as seaplane.
