First Cross Channel Aeroplane Flight Landing Place, Dover. Kent UK
Posted by: 
dave-harris
N 51° 07.873 E 001° 19.559
31U E 382869 N 5665749
The landing place of the first ever aeroplane flight over the English Channel
Waymark Code: WMDMC4
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/30/2012
Views: 10
In the early hours on 25 July 1909 a Frenchman named Louis Bleriot set off from France in an aeroplane designed and built by him. His aim was to cross the 22 miles of the English Channel and land in Dover.
Guided by the smoke from a French war ship he took off and headed towards England. Then he got a bit lost in low cloud and the wind blew him off course. Seeing Dover Castle he corrected his course and came in for a landing at Dover. At this point the wind caught his plane and spun him around two or three times which resulted in him crash landing, a fall of around 20m. Thankfully Louis was not injured and became a hero and created a fine moment in history.
The memorial in place is a full size replica of his plane, made from stones on the ground at the exact spot where he landed. The centre stone bears the words:
"After making the first channel flight
by aeroplane
Louis Bleriot
landed at this spot
on Sunday 25th July 1909
This memorial was presented to the areo club
of the United Kingdom by Alexander Duckham"
FIRST - Classification Variable: Item or Event
Date of FIRST: 07/25/1909
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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