History of aviation – October 20, 1927. On this Thursday, October 20, 1927, it is the aviator Léon Challe who is making aeronautical news, the latter landing on this day at the Bien Hoa airfield. The pilot of French nationality was thus at the origin of an air raid in ten stages between Villacoublay and Saigon in record time, having done better than his sidekick Georges Pelletier-Doisy.
Leaving in the company of his mechanic Rapin, on October 11, 1927, Léon Challe completed this connection by air in less than ten days, installed at the controls of a military aircraft, namely a Potez 25 equipped with an engine from the Lorraine-Dietrich firm capable of developing 450 horsepower. The aviator having passed through the cities of Rome, Athens, Aleppo, Basra, Bender-Abbas, Karachi, Allahabad, Calcutta, Bangkok, to reach Saigon.
Léon Challe and Rapin will have covered a distance of approximately 12,000 kilometers during this raid. A very good performance which will be praised in particular by the League of Friends of Aviation which will not miss the opportunity to organize a reception for the two men.
