Book details the U.S. Army 1920 New York to Nome, Alaska, flight, which was one of the most daring aviation adventures that took place in the summer of 1920. Eight daredevil U.S. Army Air Service fliers made the historic flight from Long Island, New York, to the barren coast on the Bearing Sea and the famous Alaskan gold mining camp. The round trip distance approximated 9,000 miles, much of it over uncharted country.The flight, involved four modified World War I vintage deHavilland DH-4B bombers, and was inspired by Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell, then assistant chief of the Army Air Service, who had spent some time in the wild Alaskan territory in the early 1900s. The flight, if successful, would help to establish an effective aerial route to Alaska and on to Asia.In all it took three months to make the round trip, with 112 actual flying hours. Each leg of the trip is detailed and is accompanied by surviving photographs of the journey.
|
120 pages, softbound, 150 photos, maps, appendix, 8.5 |