Dieudonne Costes
Encyclopedia
Dieudonné Costes was a French aviator, well-known for long distance and record breaking flights, as well as being a fighter ace
during World War I.
, Tarn-et-Garonne
. He received a pilot diploma (brevet) on 26 September 1912. During World War I he served in the French Air Service, in MF55 and MF85 Farman
squadrons, then in N506, N507 and N531 fighter Nieuport
squadrons, on the Balkan front. He scored there 8 victories (6 confirmed), the first in April 1917, the rest in January-September 1918. He ended the war as a 2nd Lieutenant.
After the war he flew in a civilian aviation, starting with Latecoere in 1920, flying with mail on Tolouse-Casablanca
route, then flying on Bordeaux-Paris route in 1921 and on Paris-London route in Air Union airlines in 1923. From 1925 he became a test pilot in Breguet
works. Then he started to perform long-distance and record breaking flights with Breguet 19
aircraft.
in Iran
with J. Rignot, as a part of 19,625 km Paris-India-Paris flight.
Between 10 October 1927 and 14 April 1928 Costes and Joseph le Brix flew 57,410 km around the world, in Breguet 19
GR named Nungesser
-Coli, from Paris through Argentina, Brazil, USA, Japan, Inda and Greece. On 14 October they flew non-stop across South Atlantic between Saint-Louis, Senegal
and Natal, Brazil, as the first aircraft (they only traveled across Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Tokio by ship). While in South America, they routed themselves through every nation in the continent.
On 13 July 1929 Costes and Maurice Bellonte made an attempt at crossing the North Atlantic westbound, from Villacoublay
near Paris to New York, flying a Breguet 19 Super Bidon "?" (Point d'Interrogation - Question mark). They returned however after 17 hours due to weather. On 27-29 September 1929 they set the world's distance record 7905 km from Paris to Qiqihar
, China. In 15-17 December 1928 Costes, with Paul Codos, set the world's record of distance in a closed circuit 8029 km.
In 1-2 September 1930, Costes with Maurice Bellonte, flew the Breguet 19 Super Bidon "?" from Paris to New York, as the first aircraft in more difficult westbound direction, between North American and European mainlands. They covered 6200 km in 37 hours 18 minutes (some sources claim 5850 km).
During World War II he was an instructor in pilot's school in Versailles, as a lieutenant colonel
. He died on 18 May 1973 in Paris and is buried in Passy Cemetery
.
, Croix de guerre
with 7 palms and a gold star, and Médaille militaire
. He also received the 1929 FAI
Gold Medal, and the 1929 Harmon Trophy
.
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
during World War I.
Life
Costes was born in SeptfondsSeptfonds
Septfonds is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.-References:*...
, Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
. He received a pilot diploma (brevet) on 26 September 1912. During World War I he served in the French Air Service, in MF55 and MF85 Farman
Farman
Farman Aviation Works was an aeronautic enterprise founded and run by the brothers; Richard, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French nationalization and rationalization of its aerospace industry, Farman's assets were...
squadrons, then in N506, N507 and N531 fighter Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
squadrons, on the Balkan front. He scored there 8 victories (6 confirmed), the first in April 1917, the rest in January-September 1918. He ended the war as a 2nd Lieutenant.
After the war he flew in a civilian aviation, starting with Latecoere in 1920, flying with mail on Tolouse-Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
route, then flying on Bordeaux-Paris route in 1921 and on Paris-London route in Air Union airlines in 1923. From 1925 he became a test pilot in Breguet
Breguet
Breguet may refer to: * Breguet , watch manufacturer* Breguet Aviation, a defunct French aircraft manufacturer; was formally known as "Société Anonyme des Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet"...
works. Then he started to perform long-distance and record breaking flights with Breguet 19
Breguet 19
The Breguet 19 was a light bomber and reconnaissance plane, also used for long-distance flights, designed by the French Breguet company and produced from 1924.-Development:...
aircraft.
Long Distance Flights
On 26 September 1926 he flew 4100 km from Paris to Assuan, with René de Vitrolles, attempting at breaking a world's distance record. He broke the world's record of 5396 km distance on 28 October 1926, flying from Paris to JaskJask
Jask is a city in and the capital of Jask County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 11,133, in 2,406 families.Jask is a port town, about south of Tehran,situated on the Gulf of Oman....
in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
with J. Rignot, as a part of 19,625 km Paris-India-Paris flight.
Between 10 October 1927 and 14 April 1928 Costes and Joseph le Brix flew 57,410 km around the world, in Breguet 19
Breguet 19
The Breguet 19 was a light bomber and reconnaissance plane, also used for long-distance flights, designed by the French Breguet company and produced from 1924.-Development:...
GR named Nungesser
Charles Nungesser
Charles Eugène Jules Marie Nungesser, MC was a French ace pilot and adventurer, best remembered as a rival of Charles Lindbergh...
-Coli, from Paris through Argentina, Brazil, USA, Japan, Inda and Greece. On 14 October they flew non-stop across South Atlantic between Saint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, or Ndar as it is called in Wolof, is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and 320 km north of Senegal's capital city Dakar, it has a population officially estimated at 176,000 in 2005. Saint-Louis...
and Natal, Brazil, as the first aircraft (they only traveled across Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Tokio by ship). While in South America, they routed themselves through every nation in the continent.
On 13 July 1929 Costes and Maurice Bellonte made an attempt at crossing the North Atlantic westbound, from Villacoublay
Vélizy-Villacoublay
Vélizy-Villacoublay is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the south-western suburbs of Paris from the center and east of Versailles...
near Paris to New York, flying a Breguet 19 Super Bidon "?" (Point d'Interrogation - Question mark). They returned however after 17 hours due to weather. On 27-29 September 1929 they set the world's distance record 7905 km from Paris to Qiqihar
Qiqihar
- Subdivisions :Qiqihar is divided into 16 divisions: 7 districts , 8 counties and 1 county-level city .-Economy:...
, China. In 15-17 December 1928 Costes, with Paul Codos, set the world's record of distance in a closed circuit 8029 km.
In 1-2 September 1930, Costes with Maurice Bellonte, flew the Breguet 19 Super Bidon "?" from Paris to New York, as the first aircraft in more difficult westbound direction, between North American and European mainlands. They covered 6200 km in 37 hours 18 minutes (some sources claim 5850 km).
During World War II he was an instructor in pilot's school in Versailles, as a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. He died on 18 May 1973 in Paris and is buried in Passy Cemetery
Passy Cemetery
The Passy Cemetery is a famous cemetery located at 2, rue du Commandant Schlœsing in Passy, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France.-History:...
.
Awards
He was awarded, among others, with Legion of HonourLégion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with 7 palms and a gold star, and Médaille militaire
Médaille militaire
The Médaille militaire is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852.-History:The creator of the médaille was the emperor Napoléon III, who may have taken his inspiration in a medal issued by his father, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland...
. He also received the 1929 FAI
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
Gold Medal, and the 1929 Harmon Trophy
Harmon Trophy
The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix , and aeronaut...
.