Talk:Louis Blériot

Pronunciation
Louis Bleriot...does anyone know if his last name is pronounced "Blay-rye-oh" or "Bleer-e-ot" or "Blay-riot" or what...jw! Cheezyt93 03:12, 19 June 2006 (UTC


 * It's Blare-ree-oh Drutt 09:22, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Bicycle
Would it be appropriate to put a note about the Rivendell Bleriot, a bicycle model named in honor of Louis Bleriot, in this entry? Note that the Rivendell Bleriot has a picture of Louis Bleriot on the seat tube. If you think this is not relevant, I will understand. I have no professional affiliation with Rivendell. I just like their bikes.Fbagatelleblack 21:05, 15 March 2007 (UTC)
 * No one gave input, so I went ahead and inserted this section. Gino Zahnd provided the image.
 * I have no connection to Rivendell Bicycles. I put this insertion up for review.  No one complained.  The Rivendell Bleriot is a very nice homage to the man, with a very cool picture of him on the seat tube decal.  If you wish to propose removing the section again, please feel free to open the matter up for further discussion.  If you randomly delete it again, I will just undo your edit.Fbagatelleblack 16:04, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

Review comments
Some suggestions for improvement as the article is expanded:

Espresso Addict 19:08, 20 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Template:Infobox Scientist should be added
 * Some basic biographical information required, including dates for education, positions held, any family information
 * Lead needs expanding to cover all the subject's achievements
 * Material after his death needs a separate heading
 * Information on inventions should be expanded, with graphics showing his inventions if possible
 * Expansion of information covering the latter part of his life required, including details of his death
 * References should be expanded to include non-web sources, and preferably converted to inline format
 * External links present which could be used to expand article

If you don't mind, Espresso Addict, I would suggest a revision on the following test found on "Later Life" paragraph: "In the United States, there was a legal patent battle for the invention of the aileron between the Wrights and Blériot: Blériot's airplanes were selling very well, but the Wright brothers did not receive any royalties from his profit even though the technology employed for controlling the planes, namely the aileron, was obviously from them. It was eventually decided that the Wrights devised the aileron first". First of all, this statement needs a reliable citation. Second, the "Aileron" entry on the very Wikipedia says nothing about Wright Bros. inventing the device. R.R. MOLA (former user) 22h35min UTC, 26 July 2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.81.204.231 (talk) 22:36, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

I thought that the Bleriot monoplanes used wing-warping (which was obviously invented by the Wright Brothers)... 98.234.126.251 (talk) 03:49, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

WikiProject class rating
This article was automatically assessed because at least one article was rated and this bot brought all the other ratings up to at least that level. BetacommandBot 07:14, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Don't you mean at least one project rated the article and the other project ratings were brought up to at least that level? Respectfully, SamBlob (talk) 11:50, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Some biography!
There is nothing spoken of Blériot's life after the Channel crossing, nothing about his race at Reims against Glenn Curtiss, nothing about his businesses (not even his takeover and absorbtion of SPAD), nothing about his death except the date, nothing at all after the Channel crossing except an advertisement for a 21st century bicycle!

Also, technically he was not the first person to fly a heavier-than-air craft over a large body of water. Hubert Latham flew an Antoinette over the Channel before Bleriot's flight. Latham just didn't make it all the way across. Blériot was the first to fly a heavier-than-air craft across the English Channel. Respectfully, SamBlob (talk) 11:48, 2 January 2008 (UTC)


 * The problems you stated in your first paragraph are resolved (I think). As for the 2nd paragraph's complaint, I will clarify it STYROFOAM1994 talkReview me! 00:03, 12 March 2008 (UTC)

The bicycle homage
I deleted the homage section because I thought it wasn't very notable. It's just a random bicycle with a picture of Bleriot on it. STYROFOAM1994 talkReview me! 23:22, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
 * I respectfully disagree. Much thought went into the naming of that bicycle, and the ultimate naming definitely was intended as an homage to Blériot.  One must understand the motivations of Rivendell Bicycle Works to understand the connection between the bicycle and the aviator.  In any case, this bicycle has introduced Blériot to thousands of people who would never have heard of him otherwise.  That said, I can see where the bicycle itself would have little significance to an aviation historian, so I shall not contest your edit at this point.  Fbagatelleblack (talk) 23:28, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Let's ask another, unrelated user on whether it should be included or not. Best regards, STYROFOAM1994 talkReview me! 00:00, 12 March 2008 (UTC)
 * I have asked User:Jimfbleak to weigh in on this issue. He is a great admin who has provided me much guidance in the past.  He has no bias in this matter.  Fbagatelleblack (talk) 21:05, 12 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Thanks to the two editors above for dealing with this issue without any hint of edit-warring. I don't think that I have a bias in this matter, since I know little about aviation and less about bikes, but I am aware that I have had more dealings with one of the editors above than the other. My personal inclination would be to keep rather than remove, but I think this is a borderline case. Why not put it at a place where multiple users who know what they are doing can comment? I'd be inclined to take this to WikiProject Biography (likely to be more neutral than Aviation) and get a definitive decision. Jimfbleak (talk) 06:16, 13 March 2008 (UTC)
 * This is clearly an advertisement. If the page for Abraham Lincoln had an image of an Abraham Lincoln Pepsi can would that be ok?  This bicycle has nothing to do with Louis Blériot's life and is inappropriate in the scope of a biography. Zabby1982 (talk) 00:17, 17 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Specifically I feel that point 4 & 5 of WP:SOAP are violated. It's nice that Fbagatelleblack is a bike nut and all, but this is either advertising, or self-promotion (due to his interests clearly stated on his bio page) as per wikipedia rules.Zabby1982 (talk) 00:26, 17 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I would support removing the section as trivia. This bicycle does not effect either Bleriot nor the general public perception of him. --Leivick (talk) 01:51, 17 April 2009 (UTC)

Inspections showed crashes?
In the section "Later life": "However, the quality of the aircraft was controversial, as inspections showed the numerous crashes with these aircraft." Inspections showed crashes? Maybe "as shown by inspections after numerous crashes", maybe "as shown by inspections and numerous crashes", or maybe just "inspections showed numerous problems". Or something else. --71.126.55.70 (talk) 18:57, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Already fixed. 98.234.126.251 (talk) 07:33, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Language errors
This article has multiple grammatical and other language errors. When I have time... APW (talk) 08:23, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

I already fixed a few of them for you. Hope you don't mind... 98.234.126.251 (talk) 04:12, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks. I've done some more work on this. APW (talk) 07:51, 27 July 2009 (UTC)

Engine issues?
This article says that during Bleriot's cross-Channel flight, "rain was cooling the engine, putting it in danger of being shut down." Wasn't it the other way around? I mean, the Anzani engine was very prone to overheating, I know that much; in fact, it could only keep running continuously for 20 minutes or so before it would jam. So wasn't it the case that the rain, by cooling the engine, was preventing it from overheating and failing? FWiW 98.234.126.251 (talk) 03:57, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Needs Complete Rewrite
Although informative, the article is nowhere near the quality or length needed for such a seminal individual.

Here's an example, that almost invites ridicule, "Blériot then left and started creating his own airplanes, experimenting with various configurations, eventually creating the world's first successful monoplane, the Blériot V, but this model crashed easily."

Erm, hardly a "successful" design then, I would have thought. ;-) I quite admire Bleriot, so if I have time I'll clean it up style wise and correct a few factual errors. But it really needs the hand of someone who knows far more of his life and has access to original sources and who is a native speaker of English perhaps. (Pas de délit à l'intention des écrivains français, bien sûr). (my apologies for forgetting to sign btw)--Phil Wardle (talk) 09:16, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Well, I've cleaned up a few grammar issues already, you can look and see for yourself. As for factual errors, I've pointed out one possible error (about the engine, which I believe was suffering from overheating rather than overcooling as this article seems to claim), but I really don't know enough about his life to make any definitive factual corrections at this time (I'm more of an expert on the life of Amelia Earhart), nor do I have the original sources with me (maybe I could look them up if I have time). I'll try to do what I can, though. 98.234.126.251 (talk) 07:31, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for that. :-) Yeah, the engine description is one area that I'm unsure of. Was it a radial or a rotary? Rotaries were more common in French engines at that time (although that's more to do with his aeroplanes, rather than an article on the man himself).--Phil Wardle (talk) 09:16, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

The Anzani was a 3-cylinder air-cooled engine with the cylinders arranged in a "fan" configuration (sort of like a motorcycle "V" engine with an extra cylinder in the middle of the V), so it really wasn't a "radial" in the sense of having the cylinders arranged at even intervals around the crankshaft (as in e.g. the Pratt & Whitney Wasp). And it definitely wasn't a rotary -- rotary engines look like radials, but the engine itself spins around a fixed crankshaft, rather than the other way around as in a radial. Well anyway, the Anzani was notoriously prone to overheating, and I've come across quite a few sources that say it would've failed if the rain didn't cool it down -- I've never come across any source that said it was in serious danger of overcooling like this article says. That's what I'm trying to clear up here. 98.234.126.251 (talk) 01:25, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

I definitely agree that this article needs major work. I just improved a few references, but it's still citing some dubious sources. The coverage of topics is uneven, and the quality of writing is somewhat stilted too. TheFeds 04:08, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

Orphan image
Doe anyone recognise the type in the last image, just labelled Bleriot.jpg and without image info or caption? There was a B. XI which had a similar vane, but it's different in some other ways. Not sure the picture is much use without an i/d.TSRL (talk) 20:09, 19 September 2011 (UTC)


 * A similar image is labelled Bleriot XI Anzani May - June 1909 at  Just a guess but it appears that it was modified in June 1909 and was probably the channel crosser, albeit not in that configuration. MilborneOne (talk) 21:13, 19 September 2011 (UTC)
 * That could well be right. In Sanger's description of the XI (p.125), he says " ... tailplane and rudder surfaces but no fin, although in its original configuration the aircraft sported a triangular shaped fin attached to the cabane structure."  There is a picture of the first XI on p.10, with the extended wing and cabane fin and dated 16 Feb 1909 but, puzzlingly, showing no sign of any rear fin or rudder.  It's just possible a small vertical surface might hide behind the tailplane but it would have to be tiny, much smaller than that shown in Bleriot.jpg or the images you found. Do you think it's OK to caption the photo as "Bleriot XI in early 1909, showing the cabane fin which was discarded before the Channel flight" or similar, or is there too much OR in this i/d?TSRL (talk) 08:33, 20 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Evidence points to your description being correct, dont see why you cant add it. MilborneOne (talk) 22:31, 20 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Done!TSRL (talk) 08:39, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

Independent aircraft builder
I have fixed the typo and capitalisation of Recherches aéronautiques. I also made aéronautiques plural to agree with Recherches, since that is the more likely form, but it could also be Recherche aéronautique, i.e. singular. Maybe whoever has access to the cited book could check. Awien (talk) 15:10, 21 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the typo fix. Yes, you're right, it is plural "aéronautiques".  On the capitalization, what Sanger notes in full is that there was a sign outside with "L. Blériot Ing. E.C.P. Recherches Aéronautiques". I guess it's a question about the capitalization of adjectives.  I think we (UK) would write Institute of Aeronautical Research, for example, and Liron (French) writes la Société anonyme de Constructions Aéronautiques (the last Bernard company).  So I think A, not a; I'll leave you time to respond should you want to.TSRL (talk) 19:40, 21 September 2011 (UTC)
 * The cap is fine. Usage has shifted on the subject of capitalisation in titles. Awien (talk) 20:39, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

Memorial
Another thought: if you have a picture of the Blériot Memorial that someone hasn't adorned with bicycle handlebars, that would be good. Awien (talk) 20:52, 21 September 2011 (UTC)


 * Removed - enough's enough. Awien (talk) 14:45, 19 June 2016 (UTC)

Image request
Is there any fairy out there who could add a clean photo of the memorial itself? Awien (talk) 14:47, 19 June 2016 (UTC)

Death
Most other sources give his date of death as August 2. What is the source for the date of August 1? Thisdaytrivia (talk) 18:34, 25 February 2017 (UTC)


 * The London Times says "died at his home in Paris on Saturday as the result of a heart attack", the Saturday was 1 August. The French Wikipedia article Louis Blériot has 1 August with some French sources to back it up. MilborneOne (talk) 18:44, 25 February 2017 (UTC)

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The Blériot Trophy is a statuette
No it is not. The Blériot Trophy is a big thing, please check the statue on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUCiAzgMKx4 at 10:42. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A01:E34:EC1A:1510:453B:215E:5434:4CE6 (talk) 17:13, 6 December 2021 (UTC)

Interesting source
I have just acquired a copy of the 1910 Annual Report of the French Chamber of Commerce in London. In it, they record that they invited M. Blériot to a dinner in his honour and the toasts and his after dinner speech is recorded verbatim. The "biggest cheeses" are the French Ambassador and a Plenipotentiary. Is it worth mentioning the dinner, and possibly other celebrations, fêting his success? ChrisLit (talk) 09:05, 3 September 2022 (UTC)