The North Atlantic Ferry Routes from Maine through Goose Bay Labrador or Gander Newfoundland, to Greenland, to Iceland to Prestwick Scotland were the shortest and fastest routes for US-built aircraft to reach England and ultimately the 8th Air Force.
But winter weather was treacherous along the north corridors and thus were unuseable during the winter months if other routes were available. So in the 1940s the US War Department was making plans for southern routes to Europe, the Mediterranean and the Far East before the US entered WWII.
This map illustrates the routes developed. Work began on airfields to make these routes available for ferry flights and for transport aircraft.
First, note the distance difference between the Northern route to England and the various distances along the possible southern routes. The southern route was a reliable alternative but it came at a price ... up to 10,000 miles longer distance than the northern route.
The first order of business for the US Corps of Engineers was to construct an airfield at the British island of Bermuda, to be known as Kindley Field. Another airfield was constructed on Terciera Island on the Portuguese held Azores Island chain, to be known as Lajes Field. From Lajes Field aircraft could fly to England or Lisbon Portugal. This route was not useable for ferry flight until December 1943 when Portugal allowed use of the Azores for staging. From that time on it experienced heavy use for ferry and transport flights.
But the leg of that route from Kindley to Lajes was too long for the fuel range of most aircraft so another route was needed.
This is an interesting story. Pan American Airways had regular flights to Central and South America. The US War Department made a secret agreement for Pan American to begin in 1940 lengthening and strengthening its airfields along the Caribbean Islands and the east coast of South America to meet the requirements of military aircraft. The US provided Pan Am with engineers and financing. Construction work was primarily done by indigenous workers at each location.
Work began in January 1941 at Puerto Rico, Antigua, Santa Lucia, and Jamaica. A bit later a field was begun at British Guiana, Curacao, and Aruba. French Guiana was the last site for work to begin because of French indecision on which side to be on. By late 1941 work had begun on Brazil location at Belem, Natal and Recife.
An agreement was reached with England on use of Ascension Island for an intermediate base. Earlier, Liberia had allowed work to begin on bases in its territory in Africa in 1941. From Liberia, other routes were developed to ferry planes north to England or east across Central Africa to the Near and Far East.
While work was underway for permanent asphalt and concrete ramps and runways, as an interim at fields along the new route pierced steel planking was installed for temporary use. By late 1941 the southern routes were being used on a regular basis as workers continued their work toward final completion.
Although out of the way by thousands of miles, the southern routes were heavily traveled by ferry aircraft and transports hauling troops and supplies destined for North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, to Russia, to India and to China.
The South Atlantic Ferry Route, always heaviest in winter, peaked in the month of month of March 1944 when a monthly total of 1675 tactical planes passed eastward through Natal.
This is an amazing bit of history when you connsider the fact that an airbridge and beachhead from US factories were constructed, developed and in operation before the US formally entered WWII.
But winter weather was treacherous along the north corridors and thus were unuseable during the winter months if other routes were available. So in the 1940s the US War Department was making plans for southern routes to Europe, the Mediterranean and the Far East before the US entered WWII.
This map illustrates the routes developed. Work began on airfields to make these routes available for ferry flights and for transport aircraft.
First, note the distance difference between the Northern route to England and the various distances along the possible southern routes. The southern route was a reliable alternative but it came at a price ... up to 10,000 miles longer distance than the northern route.
The first order of business for the US Corps of Engineers was to construct an airfield at the British island of Bermuda, to be known as Kindley Field. Another airfield was constructed on Terciera Island on the Portuguese held Azores Island chain, to be known as Lajes Field. From Lajes Field aircraft could fly to England or Lisbon Portugal. This route was not useable for ferry flight until December 1943 when Portugal allowed use of the Azores for staging. From that time on it experienced heavy use for ferry and transport flights.
But the leg of that route from Kindley to Lajes was too long for the fuel range of most aircraft so another route was needed.
This is an interesting story. Pan American Airways had regular flights to Central and South America. The US War Department made a secret agreement for Pan American to begin in 1940 lengthening and strengthening its airfields along the Caribbean Islands and the east coast of South America to meet the requirements of military aircraft. The US provided Pan Am with engineers and financing. Construction work was primarily done by indigenous workers at each location.
Work began in January 1941 at Puerto Rico, Antigua, Santa Lucia, and Jamaica. A bit later a field was begun at British Guiana, Curacao, and Aruba. French Guiana was the last site for work to begin because of French indecision on which side to be on. By late 1941 work had begun on Brazil location at Belem, Natal and Recife.
An agreement was reached with England on use of Ascension Island for an intermediate base. Earlier, Liberia had allowed work to begin on bases in its territory in Africa in 1941. From Liberia, other routes were developed to ferry planes north to England or east across Central Africa to the Near and Far East.
While work was underway for permanent asphalt and concrete ramps and runways, as an interim at fields along the new route pierced steel planking was installed for temporary use. By late 1941 the southern routes were being used on a regular basis as workers continued their work toward final completion.
Although out of the way by thousands of miles, the southern routes were heavily traveled by ferry aircraft and transports hauling troops and supplies destined for North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, to Russia, to India and to China.
The South Atlantic Ferry Route, always heaviest in winter, peaked in the month of month of March 1944 when a monthly total of 1675 tactical planes passed eastward through Natal.
This is an amazing bit of history when you connsider the fact that an airbridge and beachhead from US factories were constructed, developed and in operation before the US formally entered WWII.