Portugal Banknotes 20 Escudos banknote 1978 Admiral Gago Coutinho
Bank of Portugal - Banco de Portugal
Obverse: Admiral Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho (17 February 1869 – 18 February 1959); Navigation tools: sextant, astrolabe and a direction corrector.
Reverse: Seaplane Fairey FIII-D MkII dubbed Lusitania, in which Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho left Lisbon on 30th of March 1922; Ship; Map outline of the route of the flight; Belém Tower (Torre De Belem) at the entrance of Tagus River leading to Lisbon.
Watermark: Admiral Gago Coutinho.
Author: João de Sousa Araújo.
Printer: Thomas De La Rue and Company, Limited.
Date of Issue: 13 September 1978. Total Emission: Over 109 million banknotes.
Original Size: 135 x 66 mm.
Texts: Banco de Portugal; Vinte Escudos ouro; Twenty Escudos; Lisboa, 4 de Outubro de 1978; 1922 - Almirante Gago Coutinho inicia a navegaçáo aérea astronómica.
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Gago Coutinho
Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho, generally known simply as Gago Coutinho (17 February 1869 – 18 February 1959) was a Portuguese aviation pioneer who, together with Sacadura Cabral (1881–1924), was the first to cross the South Atlantic Ocean by air, from March to June 1922 (some sources wrongly claim 1919), from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro.
The Fairey IIIB seaplane used by Coutinho and Cabral for their transatlantic flight did not have enough fuel capacity to make the entire trip unaided so various stops were made along the way and the aviators were shadowed by a support ship, República. On the journey down the Brazilian coast a heavy rain storm caused the aircraft’s engine to fail and the aviators were forced to ditch in the ocean. Realizing that something was wrong, the República sent out a distress signal asking other ships in the area to look out for the seaplane. After some time in the water, the aviators were found by a British freighter. The Paris City of the Reardon Smith Line, under Captain A.E. Tamlyn, en route from Cardiff to Rio, rescued Coutinho and Cabral; they completed their journey with a new aircraft. A commemorative painting of the rescue was produced by the Portuguese comic artist, José Stuart Carvalhais (‘Stuart’).
Gago Coutinho invented a type of sextant incorporating two spirit levels to provide an artificial horizon. This adaptation of the traditional marine sextant allowed navigation without visual reference to the real horizon. He also invented an optical flight instrument, to be mounted on the plane's cockpit floor, which measures leeway in flight whenever ground remains visible.
Fairey III
The Fairey Aviation Company Fairey III was a family of British reconnaissance biplanes that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and seaplane variants. First flying on 14 September 1917, examples were still in use during the Second World War.
The Fairey IIID was operated by the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm as well as the Naval Aviation of Portugal (11 aircraft) and the air forces of Australia.
Australia received six IIIDs, the first being delivered in August 1921. In 1924, the third of the Australian IIIDs, designated ANA.3 (or Australian Naval Aircraft No. 3), flown by Stanley Goble (later Air Vice Marshal) and Ivor McIntyre was awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club for circumnavigating Australia in 44 days. The IIID remained in Australian service until 1928.
Portugal ordered its first Fairey IIIDs in 1921. Its first aircraft, modified as the F.400 and named "Lusitânia", was used for an attempt to fly across the South Atlantic and demonstrate the new aerial navigation system devised by Gago Coutinho, the navigator. The voyage started on 30 March 1922 (Flyers Day in Portugal), stopping at Las Palmas, São Vicente, Cape Verde and achieving the main navigation goal of Saint Peter and Paul Rocks, where it was lost during refuel. The journey was finished using another two standard aircraft (the second of which was immediately lost in the sea), completing the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic, 72 days after their departure from Lisbon. The last aircraft, "Santa Cruz", is currently displayed at the Museu de Marinha, in Portugal.