The fourth chapter of the stories and inner histories of the airfields that have ended up becoming the current Barcelona-El Prat Airport begins on Montjuïc mountain. Specifically, at the corner of Tarongers street and the road to Montjuïc. At that point, a commemorative monument remembers Lieutenant Juan Manuel Durán, a seaplane pilot from Jerez who was one of the crew members of the famous Plus Ultra, the seaplane that in 1926 completed the first transatlantic flight between Europe and South America, covering the route from Palos de la Frontera (Huelva) to Buenos Aires (Argentina). For someone curious, the question is logical: Why is an Andalusian military aviator remembered in Barcelona? And there is also another: Since when?
The temporal answer takes us to 1928, the year in which the monument sculpted by Jaume Duran Castellanos was inaugurated as a tribute to the aviator who died two years earlier in front of the mouth of the Llobregat, during naval aeronautical training, when he collided in flight with another military seaplane.
Seaplanes in Barcelona: A history of wings and sea
From the port docks to the La Volatería airfield, renamed "of the sailors" by its new owners, seaplanes marked a golden age in which planes not only flew, but also sailed. In the 20s, Barcelona became an epicenter of seaplane aviation, combining military feats, technological advances, and ambitious commercial projects.
In 1917, a Royal Decree signed by Alfonso XIII gave life to the Spanish Naval Aviation, after years of learning initiated in 1912. Barcelona was chosen in 1920 as the headquarters of the Naval Aviation School, located in the Campo de la Volatería. The choice was not casual: the city offered an ideal port for aircraft, which needed calm water surfaces for takeoff and landing. Under the direction of Corvette Captain Pedro María Cardona, the first aircraft were acquired, such as the Macchi M-18s, which operated from the Contradique Dock and the Morrot Basin, where hangars and workshops were installed. The port of Barcelona became the heart of these operations.
A major milestone was the arrival of the Dédalo in 1922, the first Spanish aircraft carrier, a converted German steamer that supported seaplanes in missions such as the Morocco Campaign. Models like the Savoia-Marchetti S.13 and S.16, nicknamed Bicicletas, and the Macchi M-18, some built in Barcelona with Hispano-Suiza engines, soared through the skies and waters, marking the beginning of an era of aeronautical experimentation.
La Volatería: From military field to cradle of civil aviation
The Campo de la Volatería, located where today is the 06R runway head of the airport, began as a civil space before becoming a military center. During the 20s and 30s, it witnessed training, testing of new models and, over time, the beginning of civil flights that would connect Barcelona with other cities on the peninsula and Europe. This transition paved the way for an airfield with a commercial vocation, a precursor to the current Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat.
Aircraft that united continents
Beyond its military role, the port of Barcelona became a key node for commercial flights. In 1928, the Italian company Società Anonima di Navigazione Aerea launched the Rome-Barcelona route, with stops in Genoa and Marseille. Its Dornier Do. R4 Super Wal, capable of carrying 19 passengers, covered 1,500 kilometers in about 10 and a half hours. In its first months, it transported fifty passengers and hundreds of kilos of mail and goods, a modest but promising start.
In 1931, the route was extended to Algeciras, with stops in Barcelona and Cartagena, under the evocative name of Freccia del Mediterráneo. By 1934, after the merger that gave rise to Ala Littoria, new destinations such as Cadiz and Malaga were incorporated, and more advanced models such as the Savoia-Marchetti S.66 and the Cant Z.506 Airone. The port of Barcelona, with facilities on the Muelle de Levante, adapted to receive these winged giants, with hangars, workshops and a passenger terminal.
The Civil War and the decline of seaplanes
The Spanish Civil War marked a turning point. The Barcelona aircraft base, loyal to the republican government, operated models such as the Dornier Do.J Wal and the Savoia-Marchetti S.62, manufactured locally. However, the base was a target for bombings, such as the Italian Legion's attack in November 1938, which damaged key facilities. After the war, seaplane activity plummeted. In 1947, the airfield was renamed Base de Hidros, and by 1960, much of the facilities at Muelle del Contradique were ceded to the Ministry of Public Works, leaving only a small area operational for emergencies.
A legacy that survives
The era of seaplanes in Barcelona left an indelible, though little-known, mark. From hundreds of hours of military training off the coast to commercial routes that connected the city with Europe, naval aviation transformed the port and La Volatería into scenes of innovation and adventure. Today, El Prat Airport is the heir to those days when planes sailed, a reminder of how the sea and sky united to write a unique chapter in Barcelona's history. And who knows: a project to revive commercial seaplanes in the port is underway. If it materializes, we might soon be talking about planes that sail again.