and went ashore to confer with the British commander. That commander told him he was being asked to wait until a very important person arrived on a BOAC flight and who required transportation to Léopoldville, Belgian Congo. Ford reluctantly agreed and wait. He did find that 100 octant fuel was available. The "VIP" was revealed to be the wife of a minor British official who had inveigled her way onto a VIP list; she was never identified. During takeoff on January 1, 1942, a portion of the exhaust stack on one of the engines dislodged, producing noise and smoke; Ford decided the risk was acceptable and proceeded to Léopoldville. Léopoldville: Upon landing at the Pan American base, Ford and his crew prepared for the longest leg of their journey, mostly over water of 3100 nautical miles. Taking off required moving downriver toward the Congo Gorges. Ford managed to get NC18602 into the air while dangerously overheating the aircraft's engines. Once airborne, Ford and his crew headed west toward Natal, Brazil. During the flight, which lasted almost 48 hours, Ford used a portion of his fuel reserve because he had to navigate around weather systems. NC18602 landed without incident in Natal. Natal: Upon landing, Ford was told by the base manager that his arrival was expected. Ford's crew was well rested and Ford wanted to refuel and to depart for Port of Spain as soon as possible. The manager told him that refueling could be quickly completed but added that new health regulations required that the interior of the aircraft be sprayed for mosquitoes to control an outbreak of yellow fever and remained sealed for one hour. The flight engineers attempted a repair of the exhaust stack. After takeoff from Natal, the exhaust stack repair failed and the crew learned that the safe on the flight deck had been opened and papers and money had been taken. The assessment was that the exterminators were spies and had taken the objects; this was never confirmed. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: The crew got some needed rest after landing. Pan American mechanics completed a repair that lasted on the exhaust stack. In the afternoon of January 5, 1942, NC18602 took off for the final leg of its journey to New York. New York: NC18602 arrived in New York before dawn on January 6, 1942. The aircraft was required to remain aloft until