✈️ Blériot XI (France): step-by-step build

The wood-and-cloth monoplane that first flew across the English Channel in 1909.

In 1909 Louis Blériot flew his little Blériot XI across the sea from France to England, the first flight over the English Channel. It was made of wood, wire and cloth. This is a Technic-parts model inspired by it, not a real flying plane: tan beams look like wood and cloth, there is no cockpit roof, and the wooden-looking propeller turns freely on its axle.

• Level 3 of 5 (medium)
• About 40 minutes
• 24 steps, 75 parts
• Powered by: Push
• Series: Aircraft from 21 Countries

What you will learn

• Pins: Grippy or Smooth: Pins join beams together — some hold tight, some let things swing.
• Triangles Are Strong: A triangle cannot be squished — a square can.
• Centre of Gravity: Keep the heavy stuff low and in the middle and your model won't tip.
• Axles: An axle is a cross-shaped rod — anything on it turns together.
• Axles & Wheels: A wheel on an axle turns dragging into rolling.

Parts you need

• 4 × L-beam 3×5
• 16 × Blue long pin
• 22 × Black pin (grippy)
• 2 × Beam 11
• 1 × Beam 9
• 4 × L-beam 2×4
• 1 × Boomerang beam 3×7
• 12 × Beam 5
• 1 × Long pin-axle block
• 2 × Axle 3
• 2 × Bush
• 4 × Beam 3
• 1 × Axle 6
• 3 × Train wheel

Steps

1. Lay the floor of the fuselage: take a tan 3×5 L-beam (short leg down: the tail-wheel leg), then push 1 black pin and 1 blue long pin in and press a tan 11-hole beam onto them.
2. Lay the floor of the fuselage: push 2 blue long pins in and press a tan 9-hole beam onto them.
3. Lay the floor of the fuselage: push 2 black pins in and press a black 3×5 L-beam (short leg up at the nose) onto them.
4. Add the roots of the wings and the tail: push 1 black pin in and press a black 2×4 L-beam (short leg up) onto them.
5. Add the roots of the wings and the tail: push 1 black pin and 1 blue long pin in and press a black 2×4 L-beam (short leg up) onto them.
6. Add the roots of the wings and the tail: push 2 black pins in and press a black 2×4 L-beam (short leg up) onto them, then slide a black 2×4 L-beam (short leg up) onto the blue pins that stick out.
7. Add the roots of the wings and the tail: push 2 black pins in and press a black 3×5 L-beam (short leg down: a landing-gear leg) onto them.
8. Add the roots of the wings and the tail: push 2 black pins in and press a black 3×5 L-beam (short leg down: a landing-gear leg) onto them.
9. Build the top of the fuselage, the cockpit and the tail fin: push 2 black pins in and press a tan 11-hole beam onto them.
10. Build the top of the fuselage, the cockpit and the tail fin: push 2 black pins in and press a tan boomerang beam (its bent end leans back: the tail fin) onto them.
11. Build the top of the fuselage, the cockpit and the tail fin: push 2 blue long pins in and press a tan 5-hole beam (the cockpit) onto them.
12. Fit the propeller: push 2 black pins into the upright leg and press the long pin-axle block onto them.
13. Fit the propeller: push an axle into the block, slide on the tan propeller beam and lock it on with a bush (the propeller spins freely on the axle).
14. Build the tailplane: push 2 black pins in and press a white 3-hole beam onto them.
15. Build the tailplane: push 1 black pin in and press a white 3-hole beam onto them.
16. Fix the wing on top of the fuselage: slide a white 5-hole beam onto the blue pins that stick out, then push 2 blue long pins in and press a white 5-hole beam onto them.
17. Build the right wing: push 2 blue long pins in and press a white 5-hole beam onto them, then slide a white 5-hole beam onto the blue pins that stick out.
18. Build the right wing: push 2 blue long pins in and press a white 5-hole beam onto them, then slide a white 5-hole beam onto the blue pins that stick out.
19. Build the right wing: push 2 black pins in and press a white 3-hole beam onto them.
20. Build the left wing: slide a white 5-hole beam onto the blue pins that stick out, then push 2 blue long pins in and press a white 5-hole beam onto them.
21. Build the left wing: slide a white 5-hole beam onto the blue pins that stick out, then push 2 blue long pins in and press a white 5-hole beam onto them.
22. Build the left wing: slide a white 3-hole beam onto the blue pins that stick out.
23. Put on the wheels: push a 6-long axle through both legs and put a wheel on each end.
24. Put on the wheels: push a 3-long axle through the leg, with a wheel on one side and a bush on the other.

Play time

Blow on the propeller to spin it, then fly the model around the room in your hand!

Real-world inspiration

Blériot XI, the French monoplane of the first flight across the English Channel (1909).

Credited demonstrations and component sources

• Blériot XI — Wikipedia: Public reference for the real aircraft's shape and colours; this is a Technic-parts model inspired by it, not a flying or tested replica.