title: Blériot XLII
text: # Blériot XLII
  
  The Blériot XLII was a First World War French reconnaissance plane designed and built by Blériot.
  
  ## Design
  
  The crew was housed in a partially armored cabin. A small window was installed in front of the fuselage to facilitate observation. For reconnaissance, the observer lay horizontally on the cabin floor.
  
  ## Development
  
  The Bleriot XLII was built in March 1913 for use as a reconnaissance and observation aircraft. It was a double mid-flight, equipped with an 80 hp Gnome engine. The Bleriot XLII passed the test cycle, but the military was not interested.
  
  ## Specifications
  
  Data from Aviafrtance : Blériot XLII
  
  General characteristics
  
  * Crew: 2
  * Length: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
  * Wingspan: 8.50 m (27 ft 11 in)
  * Wing area: 18.00 $m^2$ (193.8 sq ft)
  * Powerplant: 1 × Gnome Monosoupape 7 Type A air-cooled rotary piston engine, 60 kW (80 hp)
  * Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propellers
  