Going to Belem, Brazil

One day layover in Natal, Brazil (assumed based on return trip itinerary).

Sunrise was observed.

Sometime after 0800, both planes leveled off at 9000 feet. After having been in the air for 7 hours, the flight crossed the equator about an hour before scheduled time. Those in plane #2 quickly organized a "Neptune party" to complete the "Crossing the Line" ceremonies. Capt. Durno sat on the throne attired as Neptune, with Lt. Fox as his Royal Advisor, and Chief Ship Clerk Terry as Royal Prosecutor.

Plane #2 landed in the River Para at Belem, Brazil.

Plane #1, bearing FDR, arrived at Belem, Brazil after having flown 1075 miles since FDR had left the Macqueripe Beach Hotel at Trinidad, BWI that morning. FDR went ashore at Belem, Brazil and was met by Vice Adm. Jonas Ingram, USN, Commander South Atlantic Force, with Brig. Gen. Robert L. Walsh, Commanding General South Atlantic Wing, ATC, and Commanding General, US Armed Forces in the South Atlantic.

While the planes were fueling, preparing to fly the Atlantic, FDR and his party, including Adm. Ingram and Gen. Walsh, drove to the nearby Pan American Airways flying field, now under the control of the Army as part of the Air Transport Command and were entertained by Maj. L. E. Arnold, the Commanding Officer of the South Atlantic Wing Station, ATC, at Belem, Brazil at his quarters.

Shortly after 6 PM, FDR and his party returned to the docks and following a short boat trip, embarked in the two clippers which were now ready to depart for Bathurst, Gambia, 2100 miles to the northeast on the continent of Africa.

The planes took off just before 7 PM and cruised at only 1000 feet for several hours while fuel consumption diminished the heavy weight of 4600 gallons of gasoline which had been loaded into the plane at Belem, Brazil. Each of the planes burned approximately 3/5 of a ton of gasoline during each of the 19 hours it took to make the crossing.

During the night the flight had "gone upstairs" to 7000 feet, but had found it rather turbulent at that level. FDR's plane managed to find smooth flying weather at 4000 feet. Plane #2, after finding it rough at 7000 ft, descended to 1000 ft, flying all morning at this height, but climbing to 5000 ft at 2 PM

Returned from West Virginia

Note: arrival time is 12:50 am. Since no other entries are given for ER on this day, this may actualy be 12:50 am on Jan. 13.