| Show transatlantic air cable unes lines focus on tiny azores islands 0 N ki 1 A 0 r NC 4 stopped there 2 20 0 years ago during 0 pioneer flight prepared by national Geci graphic society washington D C service welcoming the yankee cli clipper p on its transatlantic flights at horta azores islands is not a new thrill for citizens of the city the navy plane NC 4 which took off from newfoundland on the first transatlantic flight in 1919 landed at horta on may 17 commanded by lieutenant com mander albert C reid the NC 4 was one of three planes that made the hop two planes failed miles short of 0 the azores one was forced down and abandoned by its crew and the other was lost in fog landed on the sea and taxied to ponta delgado the metropolis of the islands lindbergh stopped there again the citizens of horta peered into the skies on november 21 1833 1933 and greeted col and mrs charles A Und lendbergh bergh as they descended into the harbor from lisbon on their epochal flight around the north atlantic the azores port since then has frequently been visited by transatlantic flyers especially during 1938 which was a boom year in transatlantic flying among the planes alighting on the harbor were the german Nord meer and british met mei cury the latter the famous plane the city was also host to the crew of the german brandenburg and the french lieutenant de Vais seau paris it took 17 hours and 33 minutes OLD AND NEW aviation history is made tivice nice at the azores upper photo shows the NC 4 riding at her moorings there du during r 1 epoch e p 0 ch making transatlantic flight 9 1 t of 1919 twenty years later in lower photo the yankee clipper stops slops at fiorta for the yankee clipper to reach horta but the NC 4 two decades ago was in the air only 15 hours and 17 minutes A glance at a map of the atlantic shows that the difference in time is explained by the distances flown the yankee clipper took off from baltimore maryland about 2800 miles west of horta the NC 4 started from newfoundland to the northwest which is about halt half the distance transatlantic cable station horta is the principal port and largest city on fayal island nearly I 1 y 0 one ne third of the islands inhabitants live in the city whose white red rooted roofed buildings sprawl along the shore of one of the finest harbors in the azores situated on the southeast shore of 0 the island the harbor is subject to heavy winds but a halt half mile long jetty makes it a sought for haven during stormy weather fifteen to twenty large vessels may safely anchor in the harbor at a time horta was significant as a transoceanic com communication a iilo s center even before transatlantic flights were made it is the most important junction point of transatlantic cables in one of its buildings six companies british german italian french and two american are housed they handle messages tor for stations in north america europe and south africa and by interconnection for stations in every part of the world |
