Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral left Lisbon at 7 am on 30 March 1922, aboard the seaplane 'Fairey III D Mkll' - baptised 'Lusitânia' - the first of three seaplanes of English origin, from the 'Fairey' brand, which were eventually used in this crossing.
This first seaplane suffered an accident when it landed on the swell near the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago and broke down. A second seaplane, the 'Fairey' No. 16, was sent aboard the Brazilian steamer 'Bagé' so that Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral could continue their journey. However, on the route between Fernão de Noronha and the São Pedro and São Paulo Rocks, on 4 May, the engine broke down and the aviators were forced to make an emergency landing on water.
In order to complete this crossing, a third aircraft, the 'Fairey' No. 17 - named 'Santa Cruz' after the air crossing - was sent aboard the Portuguese Navy cruiser 'Carvalho Araújo'. It was aboard this seaplane that the two aviators arrived at their destination, Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, on 17 June 1922. They were welcomed by the local population amidst celebrations and festivities in recognition of their important achievement.
Seaplane 'Santa Cruz'
A total of 7 aircraft of this type operated in Portugal, 6 of them in Naval Aviation and the other in Military Aeronautics; they were manufactured in England. The Crossing of the South Atlantic was completed using three different “Fairey III D” seaplanes. The F-400, 'Transatlantic' version, was outfitted for the Lisbon-Rio de Janeiro journey. It was larger than the Standard version, and its floats were adapted to carry fuel. The F-400 was named Lusitania. The F-401 was registered with the number 16 and the F-402 with the number 17 (it was later named “Santa Cruz”); both were 'Standard' version.
Characteristics: Single-engine landplane with conventional fixed landing gear and tail skid, or biplane, three-seat floatplane with mixed skin (plywood fuselage and canvas planes), designed for bombing or aerial recognition missions.
Engine: Rolls Royce Eagle VIII twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled V-twin engine, 350 hp
Crew: 1 Pilot and 1 Observer (Navigator)
Dimensions - 'Standard' version / 'Transatlantic' version
Length: 10.97m / 11.25m
Wingspan: 14.05m / 19.17m
Height: 3.70m / 3.98m
Speed and Range 'Standard' version / 'Transatlantic' version: 176 km/h, with a range of 980km / Unknown, with a range of 2027 km
Armament: One 7mm Vickers fixed machine gun in the front, operated by the pilot / One 7mm Lewis mobile machine gun, set up in the rear, operated by the observer / One torpedo