Douglas DWC (Douglas World Cruiser)
The aircraft that earned Douglas's moto "First Around The World".
In 1923 the US Air Service decided to investigate having the US military conduct an attempt at the much contested race to achieve a round the world flight. The Douglas DT-2 Cloudster was the closest aircraft suitable for the task, and Douglas proposed a modified version suitable for both floats and wheels as the DWC. A contract for 4 aircraft and spares was awarded, and the last aircraft was delivered on 11 March 1924.
In preparation for the flight, spares (including 15 engines, 14 sets of floats and another 2 aircraft disassembeled as spares) and support were positioned at various locations around the world. The flight commenced on 17 March 1924 from Santa Monica for Seattle. In Seattle the aircraft were fitted with floats. Due to fog delays, the aircraft only continued on to Alaska on 4 April as the first official leg.
With multiple stops 3 aircraft soon prepared to leave the Americas, while the No.1 aircraft "Seattle" had crashed during fog and been destroyed, fortunately without fatalities. The Soviet Union had not given overflight permission, so the flight required a mid-ocean refuelling stop at a tanker vessel, continued down via Japan and Korea, and through IndoChina to Calcutta.
Refitted with wheels the aircraft continued through the Middle East and Europe, and in northern England floats were again refitted for the Atlantic crossing. No.3 aircraft "Boston" suffered an oil pump failure and ditched into the Atlantic. After several hours the aircraft was rescued by a US light cruiser which attempted to tow the aircraft back to shore. Unfortunately rough water capsized the aircraft only a mile from safe harbour.
The remaining 2 aircraft continued via Iceland and Greenland, where both undertook engine changes. In Nova Scotia wheels were refitted, and the prototype DWC was flown up to join the 2 remaining aircraft, flown by the crew of the ditched "Boston". Routing down to Washington, the aircraft then flew across the US to return to Seattle on 28 September.
The flight had taken 175 days, flown 46,580 km, in 371 flight hours. Both aircraft that successfully completed the flight were donated to museums.