Finally, on a B-707!
LIS to Luanda, Angola.
I was still in my Course in England when I received the news: I was going, with my younger Brother, to meet my Father in Angola and stay there for 2 months! I was just worried for flying in the AF, as I had nightmare stories (from my Mother) about her previous experiences on their terrible DC-6s...
But this time, the Ministery of Defence decided to buy the 707s, some of the last 'civilian' 707s to leave the Boeing factory, to transport the troops back and forth, 10 hours instead of 10 days!
Going, it was a night flight, returning, during the day. Absolutely 2 uneventfull flights, the only oddity was Portuguese Aircraft could not overfly Africa, so we had to navigate over the Atlantic Ocean, making a flight that would take 7 hours, last for 10. Later I knew these 2 Aircraft did not have (for military reasons) the INS, so they had a crew of 4 in the cockpit, including a Navigator, still using the Aeronautical Sextant, develop in the 1920's by another Portuguese Officer, Adm. Gago Coutinho, and since used thorougly before the advent of electronics...
But it was a great great thrill to fly in a vessel with 2 huge Crosses of Christ on each wing, reminding the times when Portugal was the big ruler of the seas!...