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The Cuatro Vientos: Seville-Havana / 1933

Success and Tragedy

Crossing the widest part of the Atlantic, the great challenge carried out by the best navigator of the time.

The Crew and the Plane

The desire to break the world distance record with a Spanish flight was finally achieved in 1933 by Captain Mariano Barberán y Tros (pilot) and Lieutenant Joaquín Collar y Sierra (navigator).

Barberán, director of the school for observers (navigators) and professor of aerial navigation at the Military School, had participated in the planning of several great raids, making him undoubtedly the best navigator of the moment.

  • The Cuatro Vientos flight combined the difficulties of route and weather selection with the challenge of navigating over the sea without references other than the stars, and required preparing an aircraft with the capacity to carry 3,550 l of fuel, allowing it to fly more than 7,000 km over the sea.
  • A Breguet XIX was chosen, and CASA converted it into a Super Bidón. The takeoff was from Tablada, as it was the runway closest to sea level on the peninsula.

The Flight and the Record

  • Collar at the controls and Barberán navigating, followed the loxodromic route (constant heading) using dead reckoning and the sextant, despite the difficulties caused by the wind. Route, time, and fuel consumption worked as planned, though poor weather prevented them from reaching Havana, forcing them to land in the city of Camagüey, completing a non-stop flight that lasted 39 hours and 55 minutes.
  • In Havana, they were received with warmth and Cuban affection.
  • The flight not only broke the record of 6,292 km but was also completed in only 12 hours of daylight and without apparent difficulties. However, changing weather and a possible aircraft failure meant the Cuatro Vientos disappeared on its return flight; to this day, there is no verified account of what happened.

Historical Details

The tragic end of two heroes who crossed the ocean to honor Cuba and Spain, achieving destiny and losing their lives on the last leg.

**June 10th, 1933. Seville – Camagüey. 6300 Km. 39h 55′. ** Havana, 43 days later. (World Record)