The First South Atlantic Air Crossing (30.03 - 17.06.1922)
Learn about one of the greatest achievements in the history of world aviation
Modified Sextante for air navigation over the sea (1919) by Carlos Viegas Gago CoutinhoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
Modified Sextante for air navigation over the sea
Belonged to Gago Coutinho, who developed an innovative process to determine the position of an aircraft over the sea, using the techniques of astronomical navigation used on board ships. To measure the heigh of the stars they used the sextant, modified in order to observe the stars when the horizon line was not visible. The modification consisted in the introduction of an artificial horizon system to the nautical sextant.
Course correction device (1921) by Carlos Viegas Gago CoutinhoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
Course correction device
Gago Coutinho designed this device to calculate the seaplane drift, due to the wind direction and speed. The course correction device was first used in the flight between Lisbon and Funchal, in 1921, when the techniques and calculation procedures that would be used in the air crossing of the South Atlantic were tested.
Camera
It belonged to Gago Coutinho who used it on the flight between Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro, in 1922.
Flight helmet
It belonged to Gago Coutinho who used it on the flight between Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro, in 1922.
Handwritten messages exchanged between the pilots
Because of the enormous noise during the air crossing, the pilots had to exchange handwritten messages in order to communicate with each other.
Piece of the seaplane "Lusitânia"
Object recovered, such as the following that was part of this seaplane, after this seaplane suffer an accident while landing in high swell near the Penedos de São Pedro and São Paulo.
Speed indicator
It was part of the seaplane "Lusitânia".
Piece of a float
It was part of the seaplane "Lusitânia".
Compass
It was part of the seaplane "Lusitânia".
Propeller set on the float
It was part of the seaplane "Lusitânia".
Rocks of the Penedos de S. Pedro
Collected by the pilots, when forced to stop at this location, as a remembrance of the trip.
Pieces of eggshell
Like the Rocks of the Penedos de S. Pedro, it were collected by the pilots, when forced to stop at this location, as a remembrance of the trip.
Nestlé Chocolate
The aviators reduced the weight of the seaplane as much as they could, to maximize his autonomy, discarding all no essential pieces. This effort included the reduction of food, based only on small chocolates and little pieces of bread.
Bread
Small pieces of bread that served as food during the air crossing.
Propeller blade fragment
Belonged to seaplane "Fairey" 16. It was the second seaplane used during the aircrossing but, during the flight between Fernão de Noronha and Penedos, on the 4th of May, the engine had a malfunction, and the aviators were forced to make an emergency landing at sea.
Commemorative soap
Soap designed in honor to Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, produced by Ach Brito. it was one of the several iconographic items sold after the completion of the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic.
Route of the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic (1922) by Gago CoutinhoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
Route of the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic
Designed by Admiral Gago Coutinho, this was the route used by the aviators, aboard the three seaplanes used along the voyage that, with great success, completed the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic, connecting Portugal to Brazil by air.
1st leg navigation card of the first air crossing of the South Atlantic (1922) by Gago CoutinhoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
1st leg navigation card of the first air crossing
Navigation card used on the seaplane "Lusitânia" on the flights from Lisbon to Las Palmas on the 30th of March and from Las Palmas do Cape Verde on the 5th of April of 1922.
2nd leg navigation card of the first air crossing of the South Atlantic (1922) by Gago CoutinhoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
2nd leg navigation card of the first air crossing
Navigation card used on the seaplane "Lusitânia" on the flights from S. Tiago to Penedo of S. Pedro on the 10th of April of 1922.
3rd leg navigation card of the first air crossing of the South Atlantic (1922) by Gago CoutinhoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
3rd leg navigation card of the first air crossing
Navigation card used on the seaplane "Lusitânia" on the flight from Cape Verde to Penedo de S. Pedro on the 18th April of 1922. It was used later on the seaplanes «F16» and «F17» on the flight Fernando Noronha - Penedo de S. Pedro - Sea - Fernando Noronha - Rio de Janeiro, from 11th of May to 17th of June of 1922.
"Vaga de Glória" (Wave of Glory" (1928) by António Maria RibeiroPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
"Vaga de Glória" (Wave of Glory)
Sculpture that received high praise from the Portuguese community in Brazil, whose author was awarded several awards and decorations. Contains the signatures of Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral.
Model of the seaplane "Lusitânia" (c. 1901 - c. 2000) by Henrique Maufroy de SeixasPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
Seaplane "Lusitânia"
Model of the seaplane in which, on March 30, 1922, Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral began the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic.
Model of the seaplane "Santa Cruz" (c. 1901 - c. 2000) by No infoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries
Seaplane "Santa Cruz"
Model of the seaplane in which, on June 17, 1922, Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral completed the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic.
