Dagoberto Godoy
Dagoberto Godoy Fuentealba | |
|---|---|
 Godoy in 1918 | |
| Born | 22 July 1893 Temuco,Chile |
| Died | 8 September 1960(aged 67) Santiago,Chile |
| Allegiance | Chile |
| Service/ | Chilean Army |
| Years of service | 1915–1924 |
| Rank | Capitan |
Dagoberto Godoy Fuentealba(22 July 1893 – 8 September 1960) was aChileanmilitary pilot and the first person to fly over theAndes.[1]
Biography
[edit]Godoy was born inTemuco,the son of Abraham Godoy and Clotilde Fuentealba. He was orphaned at the age of two and was raised by his maternal aunt Petronila y Tránsito Fuentealba.[2]
He entered theEscuela Militar del Libertador Bernardo O'Higginsmilitary school in 1910, destined for a posting in theBatallón de Ferrocarrileros( "Railway Battalion" ) of the Army Engineers. In 1915 he requested a transfer to theServicio de Aviación Militar de Chile( "Military Aviation Service of Chile" ), and spent a year at the School of Military Aeronautics before graduating, and being promoted to lieutenant on 12 February 1916.[3]He took part in several international competitions in 1916, winning the President of the Republic Prize, and coming second in a race held inBuenos Aires.[2]
In mid-1918 Chile received twelveBristol M.1caircraft from Britain. MajorVictor Huston,a British flying ace, also arrived to assist in training the Chileans. In December Godoy, encouraged by Huston, obtained permission of the head of air service,Pedro Dartnell,to attempt a crossing the Andes, taking advantage of the Bristol's superior performance to any aircraft they previously had.[2]
On 12 December 1918, flying Bristol M.1cC4988,Godoy took off from the airfield ofEl Bosque,and flew pastTupungato,through the mountain passes ofCristo RedentorandUspallata,passing close to the summit ofAconcagua,before landing in a field in Lagunitas, close toMendoza, Argentina.He crashed into a fence, damaging his landing gear, propeller and starboard wing, and hitting his head on the dashboard, receiving a slight concussion. The flight had lasted 90 minutes at a speed of 180–190 kilometres per hour (110–120 mph), at a maximum altitude of 6,300 metres (20,700 ft), and was made in an open-cockpit aircraft without heating or oxygen. Godoy eventually returned to Chile to public acclaim, and was promoted to captain.[2][4]His feat encouraged others, with Lieutenant Armando Cortinez Mújica flying another Bristol to Argentina and back on 5 April 1919, and the same year Sergeant Jose del Carmen Ojeda established the first South American altitude record of 7,188 metres (23,583 ft).[2]
Godoy left the army on 15 July 1924, and married Ernestina Lisbon Uribe the following year, with whom he had six children. In 1930 theChilean Air Forcewas created as an independent branch, and in 1936, Godoy was granted the honorary rank ofCapitán de Bandada.In 1952 Godoy was promoted to the honorary rank ofComandante de Grupo,and toGeneral de Brigada Aéreain 1957.[3]
Godoy died inSantiago de Chileon 8 September 1960.
References
[edit]- ^Shaw, Albert, ed. (1919)."Flying over The Andes".Review of Reviews and World's Work.New York: The Review of Reviews Corporation. p. 652.
- ^abcde"Godoy Fuentealba, Dagoberto (1893–1960)".MCNBiografias.com(in Spanish). 2016.Retrieved7 May2016.
- ^ab"Dagoberto Godoy Fuentealba: Cóndor de Los Andes"(PDF).Anuario del Instituto de Conmemoración Histórica de Chile(15): 40–42. 2010. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2014-11-29.Retrieved7 May2016.
- ^"Flight over the Andes".Flight.X(521): 1431. 19 December 1918.Retrieved7 May2016.
