François Coli
Encyclopedia
François Coli was a French
pilot
and navigator
best known as the flying partner of Charles Nungesser
in the doomed attempt to fly the Atlantic Ocean on the aircraft known as The White Bird
.
he offered his services to the French Navy
. Reportedly disillusioned because no warships needed a captain, he entered the army as a private. Fortunately, his age and experience gained him a commission in 1915 and that summer he was promoted to captain. Suffering multiple wounds, he was declared unfit for infantry service and transferred to the French Air Service, gaining his pilot’s brevet in March 1916. Late that year he joined Escadrille
N.62 and rose to command the squadron in February 1917.
Captain Coli remained as chief of the Escadrille des Coqs even after losing an eye in a crash in March 1918. He departed the Roosters that August with a reputation as an exceptional navigator and leader.
On May 24, again with Roget, Coli set a long-distance record from Paris to Port Lyautey, Morocco
, a distance of 2200 kilometres (1,367 mi). He was injured in the crash at the end of the flight.
The following year, 1920, with Joseph Sadi-Lecointe (in fr.wikipedia.com), Coli made further long-distance flights around the Mediterranean.
In 1923 Coli began planning a nonstop transatlantic flight with wartime comrade Paul Tarascon
, a leading ace
. In 1925 they became interested in the Orteig prize
of $25,000 for the first flight between Paris and New York. Late in 1926 an accident destroyed their Potez 25
biplane and Tarascon was badly burned. A new aircraft was sought, and Tarascon relinquished his place as pilot to Charles Nungesser. The White Bird
, a naval Levasseur P.L.8, possibly disappeared over the Atlantic on or about May 8, 1927.
In 1928, the Ontario Surveyor General named a number of lakes in the northwest of the province to honour aviators who had perished during 1927, mainly in attempting oceanic flights. Amongst these are Coli Lake (51.32°N 93.59°W) and Nungesser Lake (51.49°N 93.52°W).
For details of other memorials, see The White Bird#Legacy.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
best known as the flying partner of Charles Nungesser
Charles Nungesser
Charles Eugène Jules Marie Nungesser, MC was a French ace pilot and adventurer, best remembered as a rival of Charles Lindbergh...
in the doomed attempt to fly the Atlantic Ocean on the aircraft known as The White Bird
The White Bird
The White Bird was a French biplane which disappeared in 1927, during an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight between Paris and New York...
.
Early life and World War I
Born in Marseilles of a Corsican seafaring family, Coli became a merchant captain, married, and produced three daughters. Upon outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he offered his services to the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
. Reportedly disillusioned because no warships needed a captain, he entered the army as a private. Fortunately, his age and experience gained him a commission in 1915 and that summer he was promoted to captain. Suffering multiple wounds, he was declared unfit for infantry service and transferred to the French Air Service, gaining his pilot’s brevet in March 1916. Late that year he joined Escadrille
Escadrille
Escadrille is a type of military unit in numerous armed forces, notably in air forces of continental Europe. While the term is sometimes translated to English as Squadron , escadrilles of nations other than the United Kingdom and United States were usually half the size.During World War II a...
N.62 and rose to command the squadron in February 1917.
Captain Coli remained as chief of the Escadrille des Coqs even after losing an eye in a crash in March 1918. He departed the Roosters that August with a reputation as an exceptional navigator and leader.
Post-war career
After the war Coli began a series of record-setting distance flights. On January 26, 1919, he achieved the first double crossing of the Mediterranean with Lieutenant Henri Roget. The flight established the over-water distance record of 735 kilometers (457 statute miles) in five hours.On May 24, again with Roget, Coli set a long-distance record from Paris to Port Lyautey, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, a distance of 2200 kilometres (1,367 mi). He was injured in the crash at the end of the flight.
The following year, 1920, with Joseph Sadi-Lecointe (in fr.wikipedia.com), Coli made further long-distance flights around the Mediterranean.
In 1923 Coli began planning a nonstop transatlantic flight with wartime comrade Paul Tarascon
Paul Tarascon
Lieutenant Paul Albert Pierre Tarascon was a World War I flying ace. Despite the handicap of an amputated foot, he was credited with twelve confirmed and ten probable victories in aerial combat...
, a leading ace
Ace
An ace is a playing card. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the case of the Ace of Spades...
. In 1925 they became interested in the Orteig prize
Orteig Prize
The Orteig Prize was a $25,000 reward offered on May 19, 1919, by New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig to the first allied aviator to fly non-stop from New York City to Paris or vice-versa. On offer for five years, it attracted no competitors...
of $25,000 for the first flight between Paris and New York. Late in 1926 an accident destroyed their Potez 25
Potez 25
|-See also:*Aerial operations in the Chaco War-References:Heinonen, Timo Heinonen: Thulinista Hornetiin, Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseon julkaisuja 3, 1992. ISBN 951-95688-2-4.-External links:* *...
biplane and Tarascon was badly burned. A new aircraft was sought, and Tarascon relinquished his place as pilot to Charles Nungesser. The White Bird
The White Bird
The White Bird was a French biplane which disappeared in 1927, during an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight between Paris and New York...
, a naval Levasseur P.L.8, possibly disappeared over the Atlantic on or about May 8, 1927.
In 1928, the Ontario Surveyor General named a number of lakes in the northwest of the province to honour aviators who had perished during 1927, mainly in attempting oceanic flights. Amongst these are Coli Lake (51.32°N 93.59°W) and Nungesser Lake (51.49°N 93.52°W).
For details of other memorials, see The White Bird#Legacy.
External sources
- Escadrille 62. http://albindenis.free.fr/dossiers/page2.html
- International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery. http://www.tighar.org/TTracks/1987Vol_3/0301.pdf
- "Mystery of the White Bird"