AVIATION JACQUES MORTANE SIGNED AUTOGRAPH LETTER (Writer) 1922 Lafitte

  

SIGNED AUTOGRAPH LETTER - AVIATION. JOURNALIST, HISTORIAN, AND FRENCH WRITER OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

Blue letterhead from Pierre Lafitte & Cie Editions. My dear friends, Simone and I had decided to attend your daughter's wedding and to convey our best wishes for the young couple's happiness.

Unfortunately, last night at the Aéro-Club banquet, I met Sadi-Lecointe, who needed to give me very important information. He invited us to lunch this morning. I could not refuse, and it would have upset him if I had not gone to his place with Simone. That is why you did not see us, but we were wholeheartedly with you, and we regretted this unfortunate setback.

Believe, my dear friends, in our deep and sincere friendship - Signature. Joseph Sadi-Lecointe, born on July 11, 1891, in Saint-Germain-sur-Bresle (Somme) and died on July 15, 1944, in Paris, was a French aviator who set several world records for altitude and speed. Later, during World War II, he became a great Resistance fighter (friend of Jean Moulin). He was a French writer and journalist, specializing in aviation. Mortane is an anagram of Romanet.

Initially a history teacher, he became a sports journalist as early as 1908, writing notably for La Vie au grand air. He soon became passionate about the burgeoning aviation sector, quickly becoming close to the greatest figures and specializing in aviation journalism during World War I. He published his articles concerning the French military aviation in numerous newspapers, including Le Matin, L'Illustration, Le Journal, and La Revue de Paris. In November 1916, after publishing his articles in the magazine J'ai vu, he founded his own weekly: La Guerre aérienne illustrée, which would be renamed La Vie aérienne in early 1919. He married Simone Leclercq on September 20, 1921, in Ambleteuse (Pas-de-Calais), with René Fonck ["the Ace of Aces"], a star pilot of the war, as a witness and a close friend. He was a confidant of several Aces, including Georges Guynemer, Charles Nungesser, and René Dorme.

He did not forget the bombers and observers, whom he sought to bring out of the shadows. He published numerous works dedicated to the Aces of aviation, thus contributing to their legend.

Decorated with the Legion of Honor, he taught at the École nationale supérieure d'aéronautique. He died in July 1939. His works include: Les Vols émouvants de la guerre, Pierre Lafitte, 1917; Chasseurs de Boches, l'Édition française illustrée, 1917; Les As peints par eux-mêmes, Lemerre, 1917; La Guerre des nues racontée par ses morts, with Jean Daçay, preface by René Fonck; La Vie des hommes illustres de l'aviation, from its origins to August 3, 1914, Éditions Roche d'Estrez, 1926; Pelletier-Doisy sa vie - ses raids, Bernardin-Béchet, 1927; La Chevauchée des mers, Baudinière, 1928; Missions spéciales, Baudinière, 1929; À travers les filets de l'ennemi, Baudinière, 1929; Navarre Sentinelle de Verdun, Baudinière, 1930; Les Héros de l'air, Delagrave, 1930; Traqués par l'ennemi, Baudinière, 1931; Leur dernier vol, Baudinière, 1931; Au poteau! Histoires vécues, Baudinière, 1932; Flèche d'amour, Editions du Siècle, 1932; Les Sentinelles de l'air, Baudinière, 1932; Carré d'As, Guynemer - Nungesser - Madon - Dorme, Baudinière, 1934; Au péril de l'air, Baudinière, 1935; Les As nous parlent, Baudinière, 1936; La Belle Vie des pilotes de ligne, Mame, 1936; Prix Sobrier-Arnould de l'Académie française 1937; Les Grands Raids d'avions, illustrated by Géo Ham, Mame, 1936; Hélène Boucher, Aviatrice, Plon, 1936; À travers les filets de l'ennemi, Baudinière, 1937; Deux grands chevaliers de l'aventure, Marc Pourpe et Raoul Lufbery, Baudinière, 1937; Jean Mermoz, Plon, 1937; Les Ailes à la conquête des mers, Baudinière, 1937; Les Dirigeables tragiques, Baudinière, 1938; Tragédie chez les Druses, Baudinière, 1938; Deux archanges de l'air : Georges Guynemer, Jean Mermoz, Baudinière; Roland Garros génie du geste et de la pensée, Baudinière, 1938; Sadi Lecointe, Baudinière, 1939; Louis Blériot, héros de la Manche, Baudinière, 1939; L'Aviation à tire-d'aile, Mame, 1940; La Conquête de l'air, J.

Les Civiles héroïques, Baudinière, 1935. 1 sheet of white paper, written on one side only. Good overall condition, clean and fresh, paper slightly yellowed, as always. Small tear on the fold to the right, various folds on the edges.