Amiot 123 - Ludwik Idzikowski's flight

[Dana Bell]

This would appear to be as good a place as any to ask a question about Polish aviation - I hope someone can help. In August 1928 Ludwik Idzikowski and Kazimierz Kubala attempted a non-stop flight from Paris to New York in an Amiot 123 named Marszalek Pilsudski. (Please forgive my spellings - I haven't figured out how to get foreign diacriticals to work online.) The turned for home due to a oil leak and after some 31 hours in the air they put down at sea next to a freighter - they were rescued, but the aircraft was reportedly a total loss.

In July 1929 the aviators tried again in what was supposedly a second Amiot 123. With the engine losing power, they tried for the Azores, where Idzikowski died when the Amiot crashed while landing. Many US sources claim this aircraft was also named Marszalek Pilsudski, but other sources say it was White Eagle. Do any Polish sources clarify which name the second aircraft used?

I'm including the story in a book on trans-Atlantic flight before WWII, and I'd really like to get this detail correct.

Cheers,


Dana

 

[v2]

This would appear to be as good a place as any to ask a question about Polish aviation - I hope someone can help. In August 1928 Ludwik Idzikowski and Kazimierz Kubala attempted a non-stop flight from Paris to New York in an Amiot 123 named Marszalek Pilsudski. (Please forgive my spellings - I haven't figured out how to get foreign diacriticals to work online.) The turned for home due to a oil leak and after some 31 hours in the air they put down at sea next to a freighter - they were rescued, but the aircraft was reportedly a total loss.

In July 1929 the aviators tried again in what was supposedly a second Amiot 123. With the engine losing power, they tried for the Azores, where Idzikowski died when the Amiot crashed while landing. Many US sources claim this aircraft was also named Marszalek Pilsudski, but other sources say it was White Eagle. Do any Polish sources clarify which name the second aircraft used?

I'm including the story in a book on trans-Atlantic flight before WWII, and I'd really like to get this detail correct.

Cheers,


Dana

Initially the second plane was called " White Eagle" but before the flight the name was changed to "Marszałek Piłsudski".

 

[Wurger]

Yes I agree with the post above. However the more correct name of the plane should be "Orzeł Biały" - the Eagle White. It was the initial name of the plane founded by the Polish Americans and had been changed into the "Marszałek Piłsudzki" shortly before the flight. Anyway, the name "Marszałek Piłsudzki" was used in the newspapers. I found a couple of scanned copies of them issued both in 1928 and 1929. Below parts of these scans with underlined name of the plane. And at the bottom there is a ZIP file with the full scanned pages.

The Eagle White in 1929 ..

the pic source: the Internet.

1928..

1929 ...

and here the news after the crash...

 

[Dana Bell]

Many thanks, Gentlemen!

I appreciate the straight info - I couldn't tell if the second aircraft had a name change or if folks had confused the first and second aircraft!

Cheers,



Dana

 

[Capt. Vick]

The Polish connection strikes again! Great work boys!