St. Raphael (aircraft)
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| St. Raphael | |
|---|---|
 Fokker F.VIIa similar to the St. Raphael | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fokker F.VIIa |
| Construction number | 5023 |
| Registration | G-EBTQ |
| History | |
| Fate | Lost Atlantic Ocean 1927 |
The St. Raphael was a Fokker F.VIIa monoplane that was used in 1927 for a transatlantic flight from England to Canada in an attempt to be the first to cross from east to west. With the owner and financial backer Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg as a passenger, the aircraft departed RAF Upavon, Wiltshire, at 7:30 on 31 August 1927 with Frederick F. Minchin and Leslie Hamilton as flight crew.[1] The St. Raphael's last confirmed sighting was west of Ireland, approximately 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) from Upavon at 21:44 by the steamer Josiah Macy;[2] around 06:00 the next morning the Dutch steamer Blijdendijik reported seeing a white light travelling eastward in the sky when about 420 nautical miles (780 km; 480 mi) east-southeast of New York City, which, if it were St. Raphael, was far to the south of its intended route, suggesting that they were lost.[3] After a number of unconfirmed reports of sightings, the aircraft and occupants were never seen again.