First flight to Chilean Easter Island

[Deleted]

 
Until the middle of the previous century Easter Island could not be reached by plane at all.

The first aircraft to fly to Easter Island was a seaplane in 1951 that had been given the name "Manu Tara" "bird of luck") especially for this flight. It took off on January 19, 1951, from La Florida airport in the Chilean town of La Serena and landed 19 hours and 22 minutes later on Easter Island. Not in the water but on a wide path. Wheels had previously been attached to the aircraft.

The return flight was then not very pleasant, because the plane crashed due to the uneven slope of the sea.

I recreated this flight as well as possible and using a blank PBY-5, the Easter island mesh and landclass of David "Opa" Marshall and the Daniel Rojas' Florida scenery.


Taxiing out at La Florida SCSE




flying over Easter Island




approaching the landing strip at Hanga Roa




and finally landed there




While I did some research about this flight I found this amazing Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lGr0eEw33w

Bernard

[nmlw]

You sure find some interesting aviation history and recreate it pictorially Bernard.

[Erik]

Whoa, that is as far as San Francisco-Honolulu. Fascinating indeed, including that video.
BTW, Manu-tara sort of lives on an can be found at the new Santiago airport nowadays: youtu.be/IGUINma3BR4.

Erik