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Uni: The Navy-Curtiss NC-4 Trans-Atlantic Flight, Plymouth Sound - 31st May 1986

A pair of Consolidated PBY-6A "Catalina" flying boats - including C-FOWE, registered to Robert Franks - land in Plymouth Sound to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the Curtiss NC-4 flight in 1919 - the first trans-atlantic flight, albeit with stops on the way - and also the 75th anniversary of US Naval aviation. The original NC-4 flight plan called for a first leg of 864km (540 miles) from the U.S. Naval Air Station at Rockaway Beach, New York, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then 736km (460 miles) to Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland. The third (long) leg of the flight, from Newfoundland to the Azores, was 2,080km (1,300 miles). The fourth leg, 1,280 km (800 miles) to Lisbon, and the last, 1,240 km (775 miles) to Plymouth, brought the total distance to 6,200 km (3,875 miles) [source: National Air and Space Museum]. The plane suffered some damage when it collided with some buoys in the Sound, but was repaired and flown back to Canada. Later, there's a Plymouth Sound Radio outside broadcast near the Armada Centre, as part of its grand opening.

next album: Uni: A Tutorial Miscellany and Cromwell Road, Plymouth Polytechnic, Devon - 2nd June 1986
previous album: Uni: Gill Leaves the James Street Vaults, Plymouth - 30th May 1986

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Andy Bray hangs around with Nosher

Andy Bray hangs around with Nosher

The PBY does a pass over Drake's Island

The Catalina flying boat does a close pass

Catalina C-FOWE - flies over

The Catalina lines up to land in Plymouth Sound

Touchdown on the water

Canoeists float around, watching

The flying boat comes to a halt

The crew is collected from the floating Catalina

Crowds wait on the Mayflower Steps, whilst the band plays

The barge pulls up to the steps

The Mayor mounts the Mayflower Steps

The mayoral Rolls-Royce

The second Catalina bobs around

A RIB buzzes by the racing catamaran 'Anne Claire'

A racing catamaran: Optique Baumont

Pink buoys around the Yacht Marina

A tramp sleeps on the grass in Beaumont Park

A tramp sleeps by a park bench

Kids play footie in the park

A '261 Plymouth Sound' DJ talks to the crowd

The Armada Centre with a Cokin starburst filter

Crowds in the newly-opened Armada Centre

A band plays at the Plymouth Sound roadshow

Plymouth Sound Radio is broadcasting live

People watch as a band plays live on air

The obsession with the Cromwell Road view

A ball of bath foam is held up to the light