Date
Location
Force
Aircraft
From-To
Crew
15-01-1943
Portela Airport - Lisbon
USAAF 350FG
Bell P-400 Aircobra BX434
Land's End (GB) → Port Lyautey (Marocco)
Lt. Robert Weismueller USA
The squadron was using a B-25 as guide plane, but the bomber went too far into the Atlantic Ocean as result of a navigation error. When it was impossible for the fighter’s to reach Gibraltar because of fuel shortage, they where guided to the Lisbon Airoport. The bomber kept flying to North Africa.
This Aircobra landed on 14.54 hours.
It will part of the group of P-39's and P-400's fighters bought by Portugal for 20.000 dollars to build up the "OK Squadron" from the Portuguese Aeronáutica Militar.
The pilot was interned in Elvas for some time.
Resources:
* “Aviões da Cruz de Cristo” – Mário Canongia Lopes
* "Spitfires e Hurricanes em Portugal - Mário Canongia Lopes.
* ARQUIVO ANA -Aeroportos de Portugal
* Site: "http://raf-112-squadron.org/index3.html"
* Site "armyairforces.com"
* Robert Brown
