PRVNÍ ÚČASTNÍCI DORAZILI DO PARDUBIC

Včera krátce po osmnácté hodině dorazil na letiště do Pardubic pozoruhodný konvoj ze Švédska. Dvě vozidla s předlouhými přívěsy přivezla náklad vskutku jedinečný: Původní Blériot XI z roku 1918, ve kterém Mikael Carlson provede rekonstrukci prvního veřejného vzletu Jana Kašpara, a dále legendární trojplošník Fokker Dr.I, stíhací stroj z první světové války. Zatímco návštěvníci v Česku a blízkém okolí byli doposud zvyklí vídat zmenšenou ultralehkou napodobeninu, tohoto letounu, na letošní Aviatické pouti, spojené s oslavami 100 let létání v Čechách, shlédnou "plnokrevníka" s původním rotačním motorem Le Rhône a některými jinými, téměř staletými součástmi, včetně plně funkčních špandavských kulometů.
        Letoun je v barvách pilota Johanna Janzena od jednotky JASTA 6. Janzen během první světové války sestřelil 13 nepřátelským letadel, ale později také sám sebe, když mu selhalo zařízení na synchronizaci palby z kulometů. V důsledku této závady si ustřelil vrtuli a byl nucen nouzově přistát na území nepřítele a stal se válečným zajatcem.
        Dnes (3.6.2010) budou obě skvostná letadla smontována a, pokud se umoudří počasí, také během odpoledne nebo večera zalétána, aby byla připravena účastnit se v letových ukázkách představení "Sto let aviatiky v Čechách".

Mikael Carlson v letu nad českou krajinou s Blériotem XI Thulin A. Záběr pochází z roku 2006, kdy zopakoval slavný let Jana Kašpara z Pardubic do Velké Chuchle

Pilot Mikael Carlson
Mikael Carlson, born in 1959, is a Swedish airline pilot who flies Boeing 737. He has been interested in aviation ever since childhood and build airplane models as other kids. He soon became famous as his models gave him gold and silver medals at two consecutive World Championships for R/C models. He also built static display models and a dozen of these can be seen at the Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping. He built these models to cover the costs of being an airline pilot.

At the age of 23, Mikael decided in 1982 to build a real aircraft, a reproduction of a Swedish fighter trainer from 1919, called Tummelisa. The engine, a rotary Le Rhône 90 hp, was an original from 1916, and he used only original parts and authentic material and techniques. This aircraft has been demonstrated at various air displays world over.

In the late 80´s Mikael managed to find an original Blériot XI aircraft, build by Thulin in Sweden, which had been stored in a barn for almost 70 years. He restored the aircraft and the original rotating Gnôme engine of 50 hp. He made the first flight in 1991 and has flown it ever since, on air displays all over the world. This aircraft is one of the oldest flying aircraft in the world and is the same model as Louis Blériot used in 1909, 100 years ago, when he as the first aviator, crossed the English channel.

Mikaels interest in early aviation resulted in getting hold of an original Le Rhône engine of 110 hp from 1917 and what aircraft would fit that engine? The answer turned out to be: Fokker Dr.1 Dreidecker, a Triplane. He started to build an absolute authentic reproduction in 2005 and this year is the first he will fly it on air displays. It is the same type of aircraft as Manfred von Richthofen used at the end of his career and when he was shot down in April 1918.

Mikael has also built a reproduction of a Fokker D VII, a biplane from the First World War. This has a genuine Daimler D IIIa engine of 180 hp from 1917 and will soon the flown on air displays. As usual, he built it exactly as Fokker did in 1918, no modifications of any kind.

Mikael also pilots other aircraft types at air displays, as Piper L-4, PT-17 Stearman, Pitts S-1S, T-6 Texan and de Havilland Vampire.

Mikael is married to Gunilla who previous was a wing walker. She is also a pilot and amongst other aircraft she pilots Piper Cub and Stearman.

Blériot XI
At July 25 in 1909, exactly 100 years ago, the French pilot Louis Blériot crossed the English channel with his Blériot XI, constructed by him and his collegue Raymond Saulnier. It was Blériots eleven:th construction and the first of these to fly well.

The engine in the Blériot XI was an Anzani 30 hp. This flight from Calais to Dover, the first flight over the channel, was sensational and Blériot became famous. He was almost ruined before the flight but after getting a £ 1000 prize from Daily Mail he could go on and built and sell hundreds of Blériot XI-aircraft. The majority of these aircraft was sold to the military Forces in Europe and a great number was used during the First World War, mainly as training and scout aircraft.

Shortly after the channel flight Louis Blériot replaced the Anzani engine with a rotary 50 hp Gnôme engine. This became standard for the aircraft type ever since.

Blériot XI was very common in aviation schools and aircraft were also produced abroad, in among other contries Sweden. In Sweden 23 aircraft were built during 1915-1918 and out of these Mikael Carlson found two, in various condition. They have been stored in barns and other buildings during the last 80 years, sometimes put down in bits and pieces.

The Swedish company Thulin, who built the aircraft, also built the 50 hp Gnôme engine during the First World War, and the Swedish planes used this rotary engine.

Mikael Carlson has restored the aircraft, as well as the 50 hp Gnôme engines to flying condition. He has flown both aircraft on air displays in Europe, the US, on New Zeeland and in the Emirates.

This year is very special year, as it is hundred years since Louis Blériot crossed the English channel with his Blériot XI, and Mikael is going to celebrate this by doing the same on July 25, with his almost 100 years old aircraft and engine. He did the same in 1999, during the 90-years celebration and all went well.

Blériot XI is constructed by wood and linen and is fairly fragile, and it needs preferable good weather to fly. It lacks ailerons and instead the wings can be warped for making turns in the air.

Like other aircraft from the 1910:th the Blériot XI has no brakes so it takes some planning before landing not to run into buildings or parked aircraft.

Fokker Dr.1 Dreidecker
Fokker Dreidecker is a German fighter aircraft from the First World War. It was constructed by the Dutch aircraft constructer Anthony Fokker and his collegue Reinhold Platz in 1917 and was outstanding. Almost only the British Sopwith Camel was able to give it a fair fight.

Fokker Dr.1 has three fairly short wings to give it perfect manouverbility. Due to the short fuselage and the rotating engine it could turn very quick. The Dreidecker was not exceptional fast due to the design and the rotary Oberursel engine of only 110 hp, but it could outclimb any other aircraft. This meant it was a dangerous opponent in a dog fight and the Germans had great succes with the type over the Western front.

The Germans often flew in big fighter formations with the Dreidecker and especially the German ace Manfred von Richthofen painted his groups aircraft in bright colours. Therefore,   the Richthofen group was often called the “Richthofen circus”.

Manfred von Richthofen flew a number of various Dreideckers and one was red all over. This was the aircraft he was shot down and killed in on April 21 in 1918.

Mikael Carlson was lucky to get hold of a 110 hp Le Rhône engine some years ago and decided to build a Fokker Dreidecker in 2005. Last Christmas he made the first flight and this summer is the first he will fly the Dreidecker on air displays. Mikaels Dreidecker is built exactly as the original in 1917, with no modifications of any kind. Like the original Dreidecker he has no brakes, no radio, no speedometer or altimeter. He has only a few instruments as tachometer giving the rotating speed of the engine, compass and fuel gauge.

Mikael has painted his aircraft as Johann Janzen at JASTA 6. Janzen shot down 13 enemy aircraft but was unfortunate to shot down himself when the interrupter gear malfunctioned in his Fokker D VII. As a result he shot off his own propeller and was forced to land in enemy area and thus became a prisoner of war.