Designed by Louis Blriot and Raymond Saulnier (of Morane-Saulnier) the Bleriot XI was a light and sleek monoplane constructed of oak and poplar. The flying surfaces were covered with cloth. The aircraft’s original configuration included a R.E.P. engine spinning a four blade metal propeller which proved to be unsatisfactory. Blriot decided to use a basically simple 25 horsepower Anzani 3 cylinder radial engine with much better results. Bleriot could be assured of the Anzani 3W engine running continuously for an hour. The Bleriot XI also had some ground-breaking technologies such as castering landing gear, allowing for crosswind landings. Wing warping (instead of ailerons) controlled the plane’s roll. The tail section of the Bleriot XI included a horizontal stabilizer with an elevator, and a rudder, but no vertical stabilizer. Unintentionally, Bleriot added lateral stability to the plane by leaving the aft section of the fuselage uncovered. This created enough drag to add stability to the aircraft’s flight characteristics.

This walk-around subject is located at the New England Air Museum and the shots were taken by member Bob Mandeville. This is a TRULY unique subject and a MUST for your walk around collection. All CD sales go to help fund this site. Your support is most appreciated!