French WWI ace Charles Nungesser and François Coli took off from Le Bourget for a non-stop transatlantic flight to New York on 8 May 1927, but disappeared without trace in L'Oiseau Blanc (The White Bird). This was just before Lindbergh's successful crossing. The PL.8 was developed for this flight from the French navy's PL.4 reconaissance type and the plane wears naval markings. The undercarriage was jettisoned after take-off. Photo from: Bibliothèque nationale de France - Gallica