852.00/6178
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Seville (Bay)
Sir: I refer to the Consulate’s telegrams of July 27 and July 28,72 and despatch No. 102 of July 28, 1937, in regard to the alleged appearance of airplanes of American manufacture in the air force of the Spanish Government.
The Department has observed most carefully the export of all airplanes from this country since the outbreak of hostilities in Spain and has no reason to believe that any of the planes listed on page three of despatch No. 102 was actually of American origin. Manufacturing rights for certain types of Boeing, Curtiss, and Martin planes have, however, been sold during recent years by the interested companies [Page 598] to the Government of the Soviet Union, and it is understood that numerous planes of these types have been manufactured in that country. You may, in your discretion, convey this information to General Queipo de Llano should the subject be again discussed between you.
I may add that the only planes of American origin which the Department believes have reached Spain since the outbreak of civil strife are those which were on board the Mar Cantabrico, which was captured by the insurgent forces in March 1937, and, in addition, six used transport planes—three Lockheeds, two Vultees, and one Northrup—which were exported from the United States to France in December 1936, before our embargo was in effect, and which have apparently been transshipped from France to Spain within the last two or three months. Thirteen additional used transport planes were exported to France along with these six, but the others are, according to our latest information, still in France and are believed to be unserviceable for military purposes.
Very truly yours,
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