Since Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first machine-powered flight, adventurers have pondered the prospect of flying around the world. Though in the early 20th century the idea seemed as plausible as traveling to Mars, aviators made their first attempts in the wake of World War I and have never looked back. This history of around-the-world flights explores the endeavor, starting with the first tentative journeys that allowed changing aircraft en route due to expected breakdowns. Once flying machines demonstrated reliable performance over global distances, a period of one-upmanship emerged, with each new venture striving to outdo the previous one. Today, even with international air travel having become routine, aviators strive to set records, now using unconventional aircraft and fuel sources. Paying tribute to the supporting personnel as well as to the flight captains at the center of attention, this work celebrates aviation’s continued spirit of adventure.

Patrick M. Stinson has published articles in Air Power History and the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings Magazine. He lives in King George, Virginia.

Patrick M. Stinson
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 267
Bibliographic Info: 12 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6282-7
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8716-5
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Preface      1

Prologue      5

Chronology      11

1. First Around      21

2. Another Way to Fly      57

3. Winnie Mae Replies      72

4. As Long as It Takes      91

5. Racing Against Time      105

6. Fate Unknown      120

7. Skirting the Winds of War      136

8. Worldwide Perimeter      148

9. Globe Girdlers from Davis- Monthan      164

10. Surplus Warbirds Circle the Globe      179

11. Power Flite and Westbound      190

12. Over the Poles      215

13. Reinventing the Airplane      226

14. Global Power      237

Epilogue      243

Chapter Notes      245

Bibliography      251

Index      255

“Mankind’s fascination with flying, fueled by the desire to be the first, the best, and the only, inspired the stories that make up this book. The stories within tell of the past the present and the future of these spirited adventurers”—Reference & Research Book News.