WRONG WAY CORRIGAN and his 1929 Curtiss Robin (scratchbuild)

For more than ten years it had been Douglas Corrigan’s ambition to emulate his hero, Charles A. Lindbergh, and to fly solo, non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean. An aircraft mechanic, he had worked on the construction of the Spirit of St. Louis as an employee of Ryan Aircraft Co.
In 1933, Corrigan bought a secondhand 1929 Curtiss Robin for 310 dollars, a single-engine, high-wing monoplane, that had a cruising speed of 84 with a maximum speed of 100 miles per hour, and a range of 480 miles (773 kilometers).
Corrigan continuously worked on the airplane, repairing, overhauling, re-skinning and modifying her. He replaced and repaired the engine, installed extra fuel tanks taking his total spent on the aircraft to about $900 (equal to $15,130 today)
The Bureau of Commerce had repeatedly refused to authorize Corrigan’s requests to make a trans-Atlantic flight as his airplane was considered unsuitable for such a flight. .Eventually he gets approval only for a California / New York cross-country flight.
In his autobiography he expresses his exasperation with official resistance and he is widely thought to have responded by deciding that year to make an unofficial crossing.
So in early July 1938, Douglas Corrigan made a non-stop flight from Long Beach, California to Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York. A week later the plane was repaired and ready. He announced that he would make the return flight and had his Robin fueled with a total of 320 gallons (1,211.3 liters) of gasoline.
Corrigan's plane had fuel tanks mounted on the front, allowing him to see only out of the sides. He had no radio and his compass was 20 years old
At dawn, on 17 July 1938, Corrigan and his Robin took off, but because of buildings at the Western edge of the airport, he choose the runway heading East. After gaining altitude he was expected to swing around and turn West, heading back to California. To everyone's surprise he keeps on flying East until the little plane disappeared into a cloudy sky ...28 hours 13 minutes later, he landed at Baldonnell Aerodrome, Dublin County, Ireland.
He said that he had become disoriented in the clouds, misread his compass and flew East rather than West. .
Even though his "navigational error" was seen as deliberate, he never publicly admitted having flown to Ireland intentionally Crowds loved him, and he was forever after known as Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan
The Los Angeles “Herald Express” , the New York Post and others around the country honored "wrong way" Corrigan with a rarity in the newspaper world: ...a headline printed backwards!

Por mas de 10años la ambicion de Douglas Corrigan fue emular a su héroe Charles Lindbergh, y poder hacer un solitario vuelo sin escalas a través del Oceano Atlantico. Como mecanico de aviación trabajo en la construcción del avión de Lindbegh, el Spirit of St Louis mientras era empleado de la Ryan Co.
En 1933 compro’ de segunda un Curtiss Robin por 310 dolares. Tenia una velocidad crucero de 84 millas y una máxima de 100 millas por hora, su rango era de 480 millas (773 Kilometros)
Corrigan trabajo’ sin descanso en su avión,
llevando los gastos a cerca de 900 dolares (15 mil en la actualidad)
El organismo oficial repetidamente rehuso autorizar el pedido de Corrigan para hacer este vuelo trans atlántico, pues su avión fue considerado no apto para tamaña empresa. Eventualmente solo consiguió permiso para hacer un vuelo a través del continente de California a Nueva York
Asi fue que los primeros días de Julio de 1938, Douglas Corrigan empezó su vuelo sin escalas de Long Beach, California hacia el campo de Floyd Bennett en Brooklyn, Nueva York. Una semana después de arribar, anuncio que estaba listo para el vuelo de regreso. Su Curtiss Robin fue recargado con un total de 320 galones de combustible.
Su avión tenia los tanques auxiliares montados en la cabina frente a el, y solo tenia visibilidad a los lados. No tenia equipo de radio y su compas tenia 20 años de antigüedad.
La madrugada del 17 de Julio, Corrigan y su Robin decolaron, pero debido a edificios en el lado Oeste del aeropuerto, escogio’ la pista orientada al Este. Despues de ganar altura se esperaba que vire en redondo y se dirija con rumbo Oeste hacia California. Pero para la sorpresa de todos se mantuvo volando al Este hasta que el pequeño avión desaparecio’ en el nuboso cielo…28 horas y 13 minutos después, aterrizo’ en el aeródromo de Baldonell, Condado de Dublin en Irlanda. Dijo que se desoriento’ en las nubes, y malinterpreto el compas...Adorado por las multitudes, fue bautizado Douglas "ruta equivocada" Corrigan
El “Herald Express” de Los Angeles, el “New York Post” y otros diarios alrededor del país, honraron a “Ruta Equivocada” Corrigan con una rareza en el mundo del periodismo: una primera plana…al revés!

Видео WRONG WAY CORRIGAN and his 1929 Curtiss Robin (scratchbuild) канала Julio Fairlie