PIERRE DAUCORT 1881-1912

M. DAUCORT sur monoplan Blériot, moteur Viale 50 H. P. Collection of Didier Lecoq, 1-15-05

M. DAUCORT sur monoplan Blériot, moteur Viale 50 H. P. Collection of Didier Lecoq, 5-18-05

The Daily Journal and Tribune, Knoxville, Tennessee: October 7, 1912, Transcribed by Bob Davis - 6-11-04 "New World's Record for Straightaway Flight" "Paris, Oct. 6. - The French aviator, Pierre Daucourt, today won the Pommery cup for the longest straightaway flight between sunrise and sunset. He covered a distance estimated at about 570 miles, a new world's record for a single day's flight. "Daucourt started at 5:59 o'clock in the morning from Valenciennes near the Belgian border and flew directly to Biarritz, near the southwestern extremity of France, arriving there at 5:38 p.m. He made three stops to replenish his tanks. A cash prize of $1,500 goes with the cup."

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "Pierre Daucourt", using the Google search engine, (1-15-05), you will find about 25 links.

The Route to Egypt The First Inter-Continental Flights      "In the Autumn of 1913, a number of pilots rose to the challenge set by the French Ligue Nationale Aérienne to "test the possibilities for air travel over long distances" by attempting to trailblaze 3,500 miles (5,600 km) to Cairo.      The first pilot to attempt the feat was Pierre Daucourt. With his mechanic J. Roux, he took off from the parade ground at Issy in Paris on 20 October 1913, in a Gnôme powered Borel monoplane and headed east.        This page on the Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines! website offers a very detailed and comprehensive review of this historic flight. You can access the site by clicking on the title above. If time permits, I am sure you will enjoy sampling the other offerings of the site."

 

The date of his death is not recorded. However,during WWI, he made a long distance bombardment to Essen (Krupp) in 1916 with Louis Robert de Beauchamp on a Sopwith ½ Strutter. He was a lieutenant at the time. Personal communication from Didier Lecoq, 9-1-04 Editor's Note: There seems to be some confusion as to the date of his death.   Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper   Back