Post-World War I activities and disappearance Charles Nungesser

1 post-world war activities , disappearance

1.1 work in film industry
1.2 attempt @ aircraft sales
1.3 nungesser disappears

post-world war activities , disappearance
work in film industry

after conclusion of world war in november 1918, nungesser tried organize private flying school failed attract enough students. post-world war economic recession had left many world war aces without job, decided take chances cinema in united states, days of heroic flying popular theme. when nungesser in u.s. doing film dawn patrol became interested in idea of making transatlantic flight , told friends next trip america air.

nungesser , fiancée, 1923

in 1923, nungesser became engaged consuelo hatmaker.; married in 1923 , separated in 1926.

attempt @ aircraft sales

in late 1923, nungesser headed ill-starred voyage havana. having been invited secretary president, josé manuel cortina, when latter vacationing in paris, nungesser seemed have assumed had received official tender cuban government. @ rate, nungesser brought 4 world war spads him, 2 fellow veterans. nungesser based spads cuban air corps @ campo colombia. proposed cubans buy forty or more airplanes him. when cuban army pleaded lack of budget, nungesser aggressively importuned cuban congress cuban army chief of staff, general alberto herrera y franchi, threatened throw nungesser s party out of country. on 10 february 1924, french ace ended cuban sojourn fundraising flying exhibition, proceeds going charity.

nungesser disappears


postcard of white bird nungesser , coli

françois coli, navigator known making historic flights across mediterranean, had been planning transatlantic flight since 1923, wartime comrade paul tarascon, world war ace. when tarascon had drop out because of injury crash, nungesser came in replacement. nungesser , coli took off le bourget airport near paris on 8 may 1927, heading new york in l oiseau blanc (the white bird) aircraft, levasseur pl.8 biplane painted nungesser s old world war insignia. plane last sighted heading past ireland and, when never arrived, assumption plane had crashed in north atlantic ocean. 2 weeks later, american aviator charles lindbergh crossed new york paris , given immense hero s welcome french, mourned losses of nungesser , coli.

over years, there have been various investigations try determine happened nungesser , coli. believe plane came down in atlantic due rain squall, aircraft has never been recovered. leading alternate theory aircraft may have crashed in maine.

a report nungesser & coli arrived safely followed detailed description of festivities, etc., hoax. anti-american sentiment generated led lindbergh being advised delay own flight few weeks, until furor , resentment had died down.