“En Buenos Aires,” Ramón Franco wrote, “the reception from the Argentinian people exceeded all limits and was indescribable. It was truly madness.” This artwork we now stand before, La Hazana, commemorates a feat of early aviation. The Plus Ultra hydroplane’s arrival here on February 10, 1926, was a watershed moment.
The plane, manned by Ramón Franco, Julio Ruiz de Alda, Juan Manuel Durán, and Pablo Rada, had departed from La Rábida, Huelva, on January 22, 1926. La Hazana celebrates this first great achievement of Spanish aeronautics. The seaplane left Palos de la Frontera at 7:55 on January 26, 1926. The Dornier Do J Wall was 16.25 meters long and 1.75 meters high. It had two 450-horsepower engines. Its cruising speed was 180 kilometers per hour. It could carry 3,900 liters of fuel. The plane weighed 6,800 kilos and had a flight autonomy of ten hours.
The goal was ambitious. They sought to break the world record for distance traveled in stages. They also aimed to open a fast mail line across the Atlantic. The journey was to cover 10,270 kilometers. They hoped to complete it in 59 hours and 30 minutes.
The stages were carefully planned. Palos de la Frontera to Las Palmas spanned 1,300 kilometers. Las Palmas to Porto Praia in Cape Verde was 1,745 kilometers. Porto Praia to Noronha, Brazil, covered 2,305 kilometers. Noronha to Pernambuco was 540 kilometers. Pernambuco to Rio de Janeiro was 2,100 kilometers. Rio de Janeiro to Montevideo was 200 kilometers. Montevideo to Buenos Aires was the final 220 kilometers.
King Alfonso XIII and Miguel Primo de Rivera supported the expedition. Yet, Ramón Franco personally paid for the 300,000 pesetas aircraft. During the journey, Lieutenant Juan Manuel Durán left the expedition in Cape Verde. This lightened the seaplane’s load.
In the first stage, the atmosphere reduced visibility. The second stage to Porto Praia lasted 9 hours and 50 minutes. Visibility issues persisted. The third stage crossed the Atlantic to Brazil. To lighten the seaplane, personal luggage was removed. Juan Manuel Durán stayed behind. The seaplane then weighed 3,626 kilos. They reached their destination over 12 hours after leaving Porto Praia. Upon crossing the Equator, they celebrated with cognac.
The fourth stage proved most difficult. The main propeller broke. While Rada tried to fix it, Franco ordered the jettisoning of spare parts, luggage, and some fuel. After changing the propeller and traveling 2,100 kilometers, they reached Rio de Janeiro on February 4, 1926.
Five days later, they headed to Buenos Aires. Exhausted, the crew stopped in Montevideo. They finally arrived at the Río de la Plata. It was a few minutes late, at 00:27 on February 10, 1926. Besides being an aeronautical feat, the Plus Ultra flight had other implications. It led to the implementation of the radio direction finder. This allowed for orientation in flight without visibility.
The story of the Plus Ultra is a testament to courage and ingenuity. La Hazana stands as a reminder of that pioneering spirit. It also shows the strong ties between Spain and Argentina. This artwork before us keeps the legacy of these aviators alive.