File:Undercarriage from Levasseur PL-8 ‘L’Oiseau Blanc’ at Musée de l'air et de l'espace, Le Bourget, France (53380682510).jpg

On 8th May 1927, François Coli and Charles Nungesser took off from Paris and headed toward New York in an attempt to complete the first non-stop flight between the two cities and consequently win the Orteig Prize of some $25,000. Their aircraft was a Levasseur PL-8 biplane, a purpose-built machine based on the existing PL-4 Naval reconnaissance aircraft but modified for longer range and with several additional safety features. To save weight the main undercarriage was jettisoned at take-off, the fuselage being modified to allow for a safe water landing on reaching their destination. After departure, the pair were escorted to the French coast by French military aircraft. Heading Northwest, they were next seen by a British submarine near the Isle of Wight and then by a resident of Dungarvan on the south coast of Ireland. Finally, they were sighted flying over Carrigaholt on Ireland’s west coast. They were never seen again. Two weeks later Charles Lindbergh completed his solo flight between the New York and Paris, to claim the prize. At this point I feel I should remind the reader that Alcock & Brown had completed the first non-stop transatlantic flight back in June 1919, flying their Vickers Vimy from St John’s, Newfoundland, to Clifden in County Galway, Ireland. Anyway, the disappearance of Nungesser & Coli became an international mystery. Originally assumed to have been lost in a squall over the Atlantic, it is now believed that they made it so Newfoundland and possibly even to Maine. The jettisoned undercarriage was saved in Paris and is on display in the Interwar Hall at the Musée de l'air et de l'espace. Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France.