In 1924 the U.S. Army sent eight young men on a bold attempt to be the first to circumnavigate the globe by flight. Men from five other countries-Great Britain, France, Portugal, Italy and Argentina-had the same goal. The race was on! First Flight Around the World documents the exciting journey of four American planes-the Chicago, Boston, New Orleans and Seattle-and their crews on a race around the world. The trip held many challenges: extreme weather, tricky navigation, unfamiliar cultures, fragile planes and few airfields. The world fliers risked their lives for the sake of national pride. Based in part on the journal of one of the crew members, First Lieutenant Leslie Arnold, along with commentary, newspaper reports and archival images, First Flight Around the World is a captivating tale about ingenuity, gumption and perseverance.

 

This book was recognised in the Nonfiction category by the Parents' Choice Award.

There are 96 pages in this book. This book was published 2015 by Abrams .

Tim Grove, Chief of Museum Learning at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, manages a staff that produces a wide range of programming for all ages and he develops exhibitions and websites. A trained historian with a graduate degree in history and an undergraduate degree in journalism, he blogs at www. historyplaces. wordpress. com.