Air Bleu (Société Anonyme Air Bleu) was a French airline company between 1935 and 1940 that specialised in the delivery of mail within France.
Air Bleu started operations on the 10 July 1935 with
Caudron Simoun
The Caudron Simoun was a 1930s French four-seat touring monoplane. It was used as a mail plane by Air Bleu, flew record-setting long-range flights, and was also used as a liaison aircraft by the ''Armée de l'Air'' during World War II. The airc ...
aircraft operating four different airmail routes across France, the aircraft would leave Le Bourget in the morning and return later in the afternoon.
In August 1936 services were stopped and the aircraft grounded due to financial problems, mainly due to a new surcharge on the cost of letters reducing the volume of mail.
In June 1937 the company was reformed with the French state owning 52% and
Air France
Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
24% of the new company.
In September 1939 the airline was requisitioned for military duties and operated a mail service between Paris and London.
In June 1940 the fleet was reduced to just the
Caudron Goélands and by September 1940 the fleet was transferred to
Air France
Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
and the company was dissolved.
Fleet
* 12 x
Caudron Simoun
The Caudron Simoun was a 1930s French four-seat touring monoplane. It was used as a mail plane by Air Bleu, flew record-setting long-range flights, and was also used as a liaison aircraft by the ''Armée de l'Air'' during World War II. The airc ...
* 5 x
Caudron Goéland
* 2 x
Potez 630
The Potez 630 and its derivatives were a family of twin-engined, multirole aircraft developed for the French Air Force in the late 1930s. The design was a contemporary of the British Bristol Blenheim (which was larger and designed purely as a ...
(fighter aircraft converted into mail carriers)
See also
*
Didier Daurat
Didier Daurat (2 January 1891, Montreuil-sous-Bois – 2 December 1969, Toulouse) was a pioneer of French aviation. He was a fighter pilot during World War I, distinguishing himself by spotting the Paris Gun which was pounding Paris. After th ...
*
Raymond Vanier
References
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{{Airlines of France
Defunct airlines of France
Airlines established in 1935
Airlines disestablished in 1940
French companies established in 1935
1940 disestablishments in France