Jan 4, 2012

Today in Brazilian History, Jan 4th

Brazil News

| NATAL, Brazil, Jan. 4 1934 – The great French flying boat Southern Cross arrived here early today completing an Atlantic crossing from Saint Louis, Senegal.

Saint Louis Senegal to Natal Brazil, January 4, 1934

Saint Louis/Natal (Photo: ohomemilustrado.blogspot.com)

The plane landed at 7:10 o'clock local time (2:10 am PST) for a flying time of 18 hours 27 minutes for the 1970 miles.

The four-motored hydroplane is the French entry in a race with Germany to set up the first transatlantic air mail line between Europe and South America via Africa.

Within two months, the French government hopes to initiate daily service between Paris and Rio de Janeiro—with a nonstop hop scheduled over the south Atlantic.

The giant plane, with a wingspread of 144 feet, landed easily on the Pontengy river. The fliers said they averaged 110 miles an hour.

M. Bonot expressed satisfaction with the ship's performance, in as much as it compared favorably with the fastest south Atlantic lane plane crossings.

A Frenchman, Jean Mermoz, carrying six passengers in a tri-motored plane in 1932, set the present record from Saint Luis to Natal – 14 hours 37 minutes.

The time of the Southern Cross is about two hours slower that the time set by Colonel and Mrs. Charles A Lindbergh in their recent crossing. The French craft traveled a slightly greater distance.

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Source(s) for this article: Spokane Washington Chronicle archive

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