Seaplanes in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1924-1941
In 1919, as the Canary Islands represented a strategic point for air service with Guinea and South America, the Spanish aeronautical programme signed agreements with France and Germany so that seaplanes could land at the maritime airports in the Canaries. For this reason, the Tenerife Cabildo offered the Spanish Ministry of the Navy the necessary land to create an airfield between Bufadero and the La Jurada quarry, using the Anaga dock as a take-off and landing strip.
The first serious initiative for establishing air communications with the Canary Islands dates back to 1923, the year in which representatives of the French company Lignes Aériennes Latécoère held talks with the Gran Canaria and Tenerife cabildos. The aim was then to develop a connection from the Spanish post Cabo Juby, in the Sahara, a stopover contemplated in its longer connection with Dakar, Senegal.
Although at the beginning of the following year the Spanish military aviation had successfully completed the Larache-Canaries raid, the French company sent a Schreck FBA 17 seaplane to the Islands, an amphibious seaplane transformed by means of a retractable landing gear, which served both for manoeuvring on land and water. The plane carried out test flights in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria and a trial flight between Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
On 11 July 1924, a seaplane arrived in Santa Cruz from Las Canteras beach, piloted by Louis Delrieu; it carried the Spanish military officer Francisco Cervera as a passenger. Due to the possibility of colliding with some of the boats in the port, the pilot decided to attempt landing outside, but as he approached the water a wave struck the aircraft and it, after bouncing, tilted its nose downwards, causing its crew to fall into the water, from where they were rescued without any personal injuries.
Another seaplane was seen in these parts shortly afterwards. On 29 September 1924, a single-engine Junkers took off from the South pier and performed an aerial demonstration over the city.
The third aerial demonstration took place during the stopover on 1 October 1927 of the transatlantic Stutgart , with German tourists. The ship carried a Junkers seaplane on board which, once placed on the waters of the bay, started its engines and made several take-offs and landings while flying over the urban area.
During the first days of July 1930, the Dornier Wal seaplane of the Luft Hansa company arrived at the port. It was the first test flight to establish the Germany-Canaries route. During its stay, it made several flights of scientific interest to the Teide area.
On 7 March 1931, a Caes 55 seaplane of the French Navy, making a military and geopolitical interest journey from Berre to Dakar with two pilots, a radio telegraphist and a mechanic, had to land in the port of Santa Cruz for technical reasons.
On 29 January 1941, the Savoia seaplane landed with a commission of technicians from the Ministry of the Air who came to carry out studies of Los Rodeos airport.
Finally, on 3 March 1941, the Spanish transatlantic Cabo de Buena Esperanza disembarked in the port of Santa Cruz the British seaplane Fairey Swordfish and its crew, due to a forced landing in the Atlantic waters because of lack of fuel.
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