"Breguet - Nungesser & Coli" polo

In 1926, French pilot Dieudonné Costes took the controls of the Breguet 19 GR Nungesser-Coli, an aircraft specially designed for long-distance flights. Alongside Navy lieutenant Joseph Le Brix, he embarked on an ambition never before attempted: completing a round-the-world flight. Their meticulously planned journey led them across several continents, following a route of 57,000 kilometers with 39 stopovers, each one celebrated as a true event. The feat captured international attention and marked a decisive milestone in the era of great long-distance aviation raids.

One of the most memorable moments of the journey was undoubtedly the first non-stop crossing of the South Atlantic, a challenge still considered extremely risky at the time. This leg of the flight, linking Saint-Louis in Senegal to Recife in Brazil, demonstrated not only the exceptional endurance of the Breguet 19 but also the technical and human mastery of the Costes–Le Brix duo. The achievement showed the world that connecting continents by air was becoming possible, symbolically paving the way for future transoceanic commercial aviation.

After crossing South America, North America, and Asia, the two aviators completed their world tour with a spectacular final stretch: a Tokyo–Paris flight in under four days. This last segment impressed audiences as much as the rest of the journey, proving that long-distance aerial missions could not only be attempted but successfully mastered. The Costes–Le Brix adventure thus stands as one of the great French aviation achievements, blending audacity, innovation, and a true pioneering spirit.