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Photo: Robert Deering 1985 National Museum of the USAF Wright-Paterson AFB (FFO) Dayton, Ohio |
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The historic Pan-American
Goodwill Flight of 1926 and 1927 through Mexico and
Central and South America was intended to improve
relations with Latin American countries, to encourage
commercial aviation, and to provide valuable training
for Air Corps personnel. The flight was made by ten
pilots in five Loening OA-1A amphibian aircraft. To
stimulate public interest, each airplane was named after
a major U.S. city-the New York, the San Antonio, the San
Francisco, the Detroit, and the St. Louis.
The 35,200 km (22,000 mi) flight began on December 21, 1926, from San Antonio, Texas. The journey took 59 flying days, interspersed with 74 days for scheduled maintenance and diplomatic meetings and ceremonies. The flight concluded at Bolling Field in Washington, D.C., on May 2, 1927. Within three weeks, however, the impressive achievement was eclipsed by Lindbergh's solo trans-Atlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis. Dimensions: Wingspan: 13.9 m (45 ft 7 in) Length: 10.7 m (35 ft 1 in) Height: 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) Engine: Liberty V-12, 313 kw (420 horsepower) Materials: duralumin, wood, metal, rubber Physical Description: The hull is constructed of duralumin over a wooden frame, and the fuselage was built on top of the hull. Engine: Liberty 12-A, water-cooled, 420-hp (V-1650-1), mounted inverted Serial/Mfg. No.: #28312 Propeller: Aluminum, three blades, adjustable pitch.
Source: Smithsonian Air & Space Museum |
