CAHC Bleriot XI Project

The first man to fly over Montreal was Count Jacques de Lesseps, on July 2, 1910, in his Gnome-engined Bleriot XI, "Le Scarabée".” He was a well known aviator, and the second man to fly across the English Channel, in the same machine. His father achieved fame as the man who built the Suez Canal, and as the man who tried, and failed, to build the Panama Canal, defeated by malaria-laden mosquitos. At the Canadian Aviation Heritage Centre, we are building a full- size, flyable replica of ”Le Scarabée,” and we were recently honoured with a visit of Guy Michel de Lesseps, grandson of Count Jacques de Lesseps. The picture below shows Guy de Lesseps (right) and the amusing model Bleriot XI which he presented to us. Also in the picture is our CAHC member, George Fuller,(left) a well-known aviation historian, who made the arrangements for the de Lesseps’ visit.