Sunday 9 September 2012

Leno 1

A few months ago, a young movie director from Geneva told me about his project to film the story of the famous French female aviator called Hélène Boucher (nicknamed Leno). He asked me to draw a dozen drawings to illustrate the scenario he was to show to his producers. The movie would be called "Leno".


 Hélène Boucher had a short but intense career. After her first flight at the age of 22 years old, she decided to become an aviator. She quickly managed to accumulate speed and heights records and became famous doing acrobatic flights, guided by Michel Détroyat. The she got a contract as a test pilotfor Caudron-Renault in 1934. She also was the lover of the famous pilot François Durafour from Geneva. He was the first man to attempt a landing on the summit of Mont-Blanc, the whole thing with a plane made out of wood and tarp!
The 30th of November 1934, the young Leno lost her life when she crashed during a test flight.