The year was 1926, reigned in Spain, or so he thought, "Alfonso XIII, and running the country, Primo de Rivera. Aviation Masters Loriga Joaquín Taboada and Rafael Martínez Esteve, perhaps looking for a heroic air, or perhaps the result of bullying in tasca, planned to mimic more part of Western countries. But with a clear slogan, arriving with their planes to another location in the world, faster and earlier than other countries. The trip itself was to unite Spain with the Philippines, twenty-eight years after they cease to be the same country.
The route was clear and direct, from Madrid fly over North Africa, then to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, after entering Indian territory by the city of Karachi, and leaving it for Calcutta, Bangkok down, up in Indochina and later to the Portuguese colony of Macao, from which would come to Manila. The truth is that at first glance, seemed simple and exciting but as usual, things started to go wrong from the start. Then, when the two planes were prepared French-Breguet-XIX, biplanes, Captain Esteve ill and had to be replaced by Captain Eduardo Gonzalez Gallarza, because everything was already prepared, with pomp and paraphernalia.
But it turned out, our protagonist, Esteve-captain, suddenly improved and decided he would run out as the issue was. Therefore, the government saw the need to recover a plane from the war in Morocco and do a quick check to join the patrol, and was baptized as "Juan Sebastian Elcano", which would couple the other two ships, the "Ferdinand Magellan" and "Lopez de Legazpi. Forming well, that history or known as Patrol Squadron Elcano.
The case is to overcome the early setbacks, the whims and obstinacy of some and other stakeholders, we planted on April 5, 1926, when the three biplanes with his three captains and three mechanics on board, took off with more Hope illusion Cuatro Vientos aerodrome. The truth is that the adventure had its pluses and minuses, which I also tell by heart, because what interests me is something else. But if you give a small outline of what happened from takeoff Madrid until the arrival in Manila.
When our hero, Captain Esteve flying over the Arabian desert, his plane suffered several problems which made it to hit the sand dunes of the desert, looking left with his mechanic, with no way to contact anyone and no means to survive, just, could drink water from the radiator unit until five days after a plane flying overhead English the rescue. For its part, the two other expedition mates, they had not a field of roses under his feet as the plane of Loriga have problems with the water system, and the mechanic also can not go on a trip severe oral infection. Which, made the two captains and Gallarza Loriga, "continue to journey together, from Macao. In one plane, "Lopez de Legazpi, arrived in Manila on May 11, 1926. While on the other hand the captain Esteve was forced to return to Spain without being able to carry out their deed.
not giving up, in the years restated, Esteve-captain, new routes and chimeras for a new heroism, had no opportunity to move on with your flying career, until it disappeared Primo de Rivera of the English political landscape , which apparently was dedicated to deny help automatically, without really knowing because. So here it was with the advent of the Second Republic, when Captain Stephen, took over the post of head of the air base in Seville Tablada.
seemed that finally someone would recognize his actions, and all remained well until the summer of 36, Francisco boys rose in Africa, and these were followed by others. Were more, no doubt, but we are interested in the city of Sevilla, who remained under the command of General Queipo de Llano. It was then, when the government of the English Republic, ordered the captain to the excited Esteve bomb in the city of Seville.
wanted the fortune or misfortune, which in the military who were Esteve order, was the young lieutenant Vara del Rey-conspirator with the rebels, and tried by all means boycott the legitimate government order, rooks enmity with peers, and having to enter a screened-Esteve captain his post as head of forced-base, so you will not spend a knife. The thing is further complicated when our captain, despite commune with Republican ideas, decided not to bomb the city, not to cause civilian deaths. Moreover, after this, he received a strong threat of Queipo de Llano, which led him to prostrate before him.
This meant I had to face a court martial that sentenced him to death, and so would have ended, if not curiously Vara del Rey, who feel indebted to Estelle, convinced the new owners of the country, to commute his death sentence to thirty years in prison. Who served, was released during the years of the Franco dictatorship. When his life had no meaning, for his wife and three of his five children had died in exile, accused of treason by both sides. Finally, one of the hero of the Fleet Elcano, died alone, sad and forgotten in Madrid in 1965. After surviving two deserts, the Arabian and English politics.
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