 Following a number of test flights, a highly-publicised demonstration flight was conducted in December 1935, flying via Dakar, North Africa to Natal, Brazil, before turning north towards the French West Indies.This long distance flight was timed to deliberately coincide with the 300th year of French rule in the Americas.However, tragedy struck when, shortly after having successfully reached Pensacola, Florida, the aircraft was caught in a hurricane and wrecked.