Date

Location

Force

Aircraft

From-To

Crew

15-01-1943

Portela Airport - Lisbon

USAAF    350FG                                                                

Bell P-400 Aircobra       AP310

Land's End (GB) → Port Lyautey (Marocco)

Lt     Horace W. Potter      USA

The squadron was using a B-25 as guide plane, but the bomber went too far into the Atlantic Ocean as result of a navigation error. When it was impossible for the fighter’s to reach Gibraltar because of fuel shortage, they where guided to the Lisbon Airoport. The bomber kept flying to North Africa.

This Aircobra landed on 15.01 hours.

It will part of the group of P-39's and P-400's fighters bought by Portugal for 20.000 dollars to build up the "OK Squadron" from the Portuguese Aeronáutica Militar.

The pilot was interned in Elvas for some time.

Resources:

* “Aviões da Cruz de Cristo” – Mário Canongia Lopes
* "Spitfires e Hurricanes em  Portugal - Mário Canongia Lopes.
* ARQUIVO ANA -Aeroportos de Portugal
* Site: "http://raf-112-squadron.org/index3.html"
* Site "armyairforces.com"
* Robert Brown