They did not give up! – The 1922 South Atlantic Air Crossing - introduction

One very interesting chapter in the History of Aviation is most likely to be unknown to many. People have certainly heard of Louis Blériot when in 1909 flying an aeroplane he completed the first flight across the English Channel. And other prowesses such as those achieved in June 1919 by British aviators Alcock and Brown with the first non-stop Transatlantic flight.
I can also recall personalities like Alberto Santos Dumont, the ill fated Charles Nungesser and François Coli, Charles Kingsford Smith, Charles Lindbergh, Amy Johnson, Beryl Markham, Amelia Earhart all displaying their courage.
This particular historical event was the product of two Portuguese Naval Officers, their names: Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral. It was the result of stubborness, persistency and endurance. This is how one can describe the enterprise of these two aviation pionneers.

Portugal was a 12 years old Republic that had suffered from a very bitter experience during the Great War (1914-1918).
Under the presidency of António José the Almeida, Portugal and Brazil witnessed an important event related to the History of Aviation: The South Atlantic Air Crossing from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro in 1922.
For this journey a factory modified British Fairey III D floatplane F.15 baptized "LUZITÂNIA", serial number F.400 was specially comissioned for the Portuguese Navy.
On March 30, 1922 they took off from Lisbon and on June 17, 1922 they landed at the Bay of Guanabara in Rio de Janeiro completing a total of 4.527 nautical miles where they were welcomed as heroes by the people of Brazil.