1909 Blériot XI
The Collection’s exhibit
Used by the Blériot Flying School at Hendon in 1910, after a heavy crash the remains were sold for scrap merchant and bought by A E Grimmer of Ampthill. He rebuilt the aircraft and taught himself to fly on it from Bedford polo ground.
It was then put into a store during WWI where it remained until acquired by Richard Shuttleworth in 1935 and rebuilt as his first historic aeroplane.
The Blériot was completely overhauled and re-covered in our workshops during the winter of 2008/9 and as our machine is the world’s oldest aeroplane and aero-engine combination in flying condition. It successfully flew a test flight on Thursday 21 March 2019 after a period of engine maintenance.
It is one of the four aircraft featured in the Shuttleworth Discovery app
SCREEN CREDITS
Plane Resurrection: Series 3 (2019, Nik Coleman TV)
WW1 Uncut: Combat in the Skies (2014: Dir Nathan Williams Ballista Media) with Dan Snow
IWM (2014) – engine audio recorded
♦ browse the Aircraft Collection ♦
1895
Lilienthal 'Normal' Glider
Replica.
1895
Lilienthal Biplane Glider
Replica
1895
Pilcher Bat Glider
Replica.
1933
Mignet HM14 Flying Flea
Not airworthy.
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