Charting Air Routes: The Epic Larache-Canary Raid and the Conquest of the Sky in 1923.

In a remarkable feat, Spanish Army aviators conducted a raid from “Larache” to “Canarias”. Using a Dornier Wall-W-3 seaplane named “Melilla” and two Breguet XIV-A-2s named “Archipiélago Canario” and “Tenerife”, these pilots flew 1500 kilometers in almost a month.

The presence of the three planes on the horizon caused citizens to wave handkerchiefs and express their joy, as the aerial crossing of the ocean was an unprecedented achievement. Even the famous aviator Leonce Garnier had to reach the Islands by boat, but we talk about him in another news item, https://caac.com.es/index.php/2024/02/12/un-vuelo-centenario-sobre-canarias/. This achievement fuelled the desire to connect the entire Spanish territory by air, a dream cherished in the first decades of the last century. In the autumn of 1923, the military raid, “Casablanca” to “Canarias”, was confirmed. Despite the meteorological challenges, experts plotted strategic routes with key points such as “Casablanca”, “Agadir”, “Cape Judy”, “Las Palmas” and “Tenerife”. However, a significant challenge arose: the lack of airfields in the Canary Islands. Faced with this situation, the improved construction of airfields was chosen. The infantry captain Felipe Díaz Sandido, sent from the peninsula, found in El Bailadero (Tenerife) the ideal place after facing difficulties in the search, thanks to the collaboration of Don Martín Rodríguez and Díaz Llanos.

Commander Guillermo Delgado Beckembury led the mission and recruited the crews. At the end of November 1923, he sent a ship with tools, spare parts and fuel to Las Palmas and Tenerife. On January 6, they took off from Casablanca with the goal of conquering the Canary skies, culminating the epic 24 days after takeoff. In 2023 the centenary of this event was celebrated in Gando, with several important authorities related to the Canarian air sector as the chief colonel of the Gando air base among others, also a commemorative plaque was unveiled. Here is a video with the celebration.

This milestone is undoubtedly a very important part of the history of the Canary Islands, as it has helped with the advancement of technology and the creation of much more efficient routes, as well as highlighting the determination to overcome the aerial challenges of its period. The commemorative plaque at the Gando air base when it was inaugurated on the 100th anniversary of the raid makes it clear how significant this feat was and the legacy that marked history as we know it today.

Charting Air Routes: The Epic Larache-Canary Raid and the Conquest of the Sky in 1923.

Charting Air Routes: The Epic Larache-Canary Raid and the Conquest of the Sky in 1923.

In a remarkable feat, Spanish Army aviators conducted a raid from “Larache” to “Canarias”. Using a Dornier Wall-W-3 seaplane named “Melilla” and two Breguet XIV-A-2s named “Archipiélago Canario” and “Tenerife”, these pilots flew 1500 kilometers in almost a month.

CAAC