Photograph of the plane "La Croix Du Sud", by Jean Mermoz, in Natal (1934)
Photograph of the plane "La Croix Du Sud", by Jean Mermoz, in Natal (1934)
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Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Digital Warranty ©
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This item is no longer available. However, we can potentially put you in touch with its owner — who knows, they might accept your offer? — or, alternatively, suggest other items of similar interest, with no obligation. Contact us via WhatsApp: +55 31 98221-5758 or email: contato@glorias.com.br
Mermoz's legendary plane "La Croix du Sud" is in Natal.
- Unpublished photograph of the plane La Croix du Sud with a note in French on the back.
- Natal, September 18, 1934.
- 17 cm x 12.3 cm.
- Perfect condition of conservation.
- Unique piece.
Translation of the note from French to Portuguese
“Croix-du-Sud moored in the river, the mechanic performs a final inspection."
The world of aviation has always sparked dreams and curiosity, and it still does today, when we buy our tickets online and track planes' routes in real-time via the internet. But there was a time when the leather seats of aircraft exuded a scent of novelty, and venturing through the skies required a lot of courage. In those distant years, who would have thought that it was a Frenchman who gave wings to Brazil.
His name was Jean Mermoz (1901 - 1936), and although he now names countless schools, his adventures were far from academic benches. In fact, in 1920, at the age of 19, Mermoz failed the university entrance exam, and only for that reason enlisted to be an army aviator. However, military discipline did not appeal to him, and, four years later, he left the army and went to seek work in civil aviation. Although talented, Mermoz was almost not hired by Latécoère Airlines in 1924, since, in his admission test, his acrobatics displeased the company's rigorous director, Didier Daurat. However, after a small correction, Mermoz performed a normal and perfect flight.
From then on, the pilot began working as a mailman of the skies and accumulating adventure stories. At the beginning of his career, Mermoz flew over a vast part of the African continent, where, in 1926, he suffered an accident, crashed over the Sahara, and was taken hostage by a group of Tuareg rebels. Luckily, he managed to escape. But Latécoère had plans for South America, and Mermoz soon became head pilot in the region. In one of his flights in the south of the continent, the engine failed, and the pilot had to land in the middle of the Andes Mountains. He stayed there for 50 hours trying to fix the engine until he had the idea of pushing the plane off a cliff to gain momentum to fly. It's almost impossible to believe that the plan worked!
But Mermoz's greatest adventure was yet to come: to establish the connection between Europe and South America, it was necessary to fly non-stop. Thus, Mermoz made the first non-stop transatlantic airmail journey in history! A flight of more than 21 hours between Senegal and Natal, Brazil.
Since then, the French pilot became a distinguished visitor. He always returned to Natal, where he made friends and even lived in his own house. There, Mermoz rested from his long flights, played tennis, and swam in Natal's beautiful beaches. His plane, the Croix-du-Sud, became a beloved acquaintance in the city. As we can see in the unpublished photograph from 1934 which shows the prestigious plane shortly before taking off from Natal. The photo was probably taken by one of the crew members, as written on the back: "Croix-du-Sud moored in the river, the mechanic performs a final inspection."
Unfortunately, in 1936, Mermoz disappeared in this same plane, on a flight towards Natal. The Croix-du-Sud did not withstand the journey and crashed into the sea; none of its crew members were found. Years later, it was discovered that Mermoz's plane had been sabotaged by the Uruguayan Nazi Party. Although he left us very young, Mermoz became unforgettable; his stories and adventures inspire dreams, and his achievements began to connect Brazil to the rest of the world. This photograph is, therefore, in many respects, historical.
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