L'histoire de la restauration remarquable d'un moteur radial 4 temps à 3 cylindres de 25 cv, à refroidissement par air qui allait permettre à Louis Blériot de franchir la Manche le 25 juillet 1909. L'auteur prend soin de décrire ce moteur mythique, son fonctionnement ainsi que le contexte historique, les essais et ce premir grand exploit aéronautique. ©Electre 2025

The Anzani Engine and the Channel Crossing

The Groupement pour la Préservation du Patrimoine Aéronautique (GPPA) of Angers and their friend and neighbour the Musée Aéronautique de la Presqu'Ile de la Côte d'Amour (MAPICA), in La Baule-Escoublac, each have the luck to own a version of the historic - and soon to be hundred-year-old - engine, the Anzani type « Channel Crossing ». Passionate amateurs both, they examined, disassembled piece by piece, reassembled, checked, tuned their engines and, being enthusiasts, took care to document and record each part, each phase. With all of this, they have no doubt succeeded in penetrating the secrets of the magician Anzani.

Louis Blériot, the grandson, owner of the Blériot XI n° 225 based at La Baule-Escoublac, himself a leader in this undertaking, has been kind enough to oversee the book and to write the preface, which helps to underline its authenticity and historical value.

The present book - of technical content certainly - but placed into the context of its era, abundantly illustrated and embellished with anecdotes, is addressed to admiring enthusiasts of our grandfathers, and/or those with a passion for the history of the beginnings of aviation, this thousand year-old dream becoming a reality thanks to the courage of a few pioneers. First citizens of an aerial empire who ignored frontiers and removed natural obstacles, they fixed the bases for the only possible link between all the peoples of the world.