Dieudonne Costes

Dieudonné Costes (14 November 1892 - 18 May 1973) was a French aviator, known of long distance and record breaking flights, a fighter ace of World War I.

Costes was born in Septfonds, Tarn-et-Garonne. He received a pilot diploma ("brevet") on 26 September 1912. During the World War I he served in the French Air Service, in MF55 and MF85 Farman squadrons, then in N506, N507 and N531 fighter Nieuport squadrons, on the Balkan front. He scored there 8 victories (6 confirmed), the first in April 1917, the rest in January-September 1918. He ended the war as a 2nd Lieutenant.

After the war he flew in a civilian aviation, starting with Latecoere in 1920, flying with mail on Tolouse-Casablanca route, then flying on Bordeaux-Paris route in 1921 and on Paris-London route in Air Union airlines in 1923. From 1925 he became a test pilot in Breguet works. Then he started to perform long-distance and record breaking flights with Breguet 19 aircraft.

On 26 September 1926 he flew 4100 km from Paris to Assuan, with René de Vitrolles, attempting at breaking a world's distance record. He broke the world's record of 5396 km distance on 28 October 1926, flying from Paris to Jask in Iran with J. Rignot, as a part of 19,625 km Paris-India-Paris flight.

Between 10 October 1927 and 14 April 1928 Costes and Joseph le Brix flew 57,410 km around the world, in Breguet 19GR named "Nungesser-Coli", from Paris through Argentina, Brazil, USA, Japan, Inda and Greece. On 14 October they flew non-stop across South Atlantic between Saint-Louis, Senegal and Natal, Brazil, as the first aircraft (they only traveled across Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Tokio by ship).

On 13 July 1929 Costes and Maurice Bellonte made an attempt at crossing the North Atlantic westbound, from Villacoublay near Paris to New York, flying Breguet 19 Super Bidon, named "?" ("Point d'Interrogation" - Question mark). They returned however after 17 hours due to weather. On 27-29 September 1929 they set the world's distance record 7905 km from Paris to Qiqihar, China. In 15-17 December 1928 Costes, with Paul Codos, set the world's record of distance in a closed circuit 8029 km.

In 1-2 September 1930, Costes with Maurice Bellonte, flew Breguet 19 Super Bidon "?" from Paris to New York, as the first aircraft in more difficult westbound direction, between North American and European mainlands. They covered 6200 km in 37 hours 18 minutes (some sources claim 5850 km).

During the World War II he was an instructor in pilot's school in Versailles, as a colonel lieutenant. He died on 18 May 1973 in Paris.

He was awarded, among others, with Legion of Honour, Croix de Guerre with 7 palms and a gold star, and Medaille Militaire. He also received the FAI Gold Medal in 1929.

References

*Tadeusz Malinowski: "Lotnicy świata", Warszawa 1985, ISBN 83-206-0495-8 (in Polish)
* [http://www.septfonds.com/septfonds_dieudonne_costes_01.htm Dieudonné COSTES - Biographie d'un aviateur Septfontois]
* [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/costes.php The Aerodrome]