liberty12

The prototype Douglas World Cruiser, Army Air Service serial number AS 23-1210, McCook Field prototype number P-318. She'd later be named "Boston II." The aircraft was designed and built to US Army Air Service (USAAS) specifications for the purpose of completing the first flight around the world (hence, the ability to operate either with interchangeable fixed handing gear or floats) . Four production aircraft were built for the flight. They were named, "Seattle" (AS 23-1229), "Chicago" (AS 23-1230), "Boston" (AS 23-1231), and "New Orleans" (AS 23-1232). Both "Seattle" and "Boston" would fail to complete the journey. "Seattle" would crash in Alaska on April 30, 1924 (the story of the survival of her crew is worth learning about). "Boston" would be forced to land at sea near the Faroe Islands after her engine failed. She'd be irreparably damaged in the forced landing, and would sink while being towed by the light cruiser USS Richmond (CL-9), on August 3, 1924. After the loss of "Boston," the prototype (AS 23-1210) was pressed into service for the remainder of the flight, now named "Boston II." It would join the flight at Pictou Harbor, Nova Scotia, on September 3, 1924. Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_World_Cruiser en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_aerial_circumnavigation

The Seattle Star. May 12, 1924, Page 7, column 1 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87093407/1924-05-12/ed-... reports the safety of the crew of the "Seattle" with headline "Aviators make their own rescue: Martin and Harvey walk for days to reach safety." Another description of the survival of the crew of the Seattle is at web.archive.org/web/20120622074326/http://www.alaskaairmu... This piece has a photo of the crashed plane. The Palisadian. September 12, 1924, ROTOGRAVURE SECTION, Image 9 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020438/1924-09-12/ed-... also includes a picture of the crashed plane.

Thanks TVL1970, we'll update our catalog record.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_aerial_circumnavigation

September 8, 1924, Lt. Lowell H. Smith (in front cockpit) and 1st Lt. Les Arnold (standing adjacent to the rear cockpit) with Douglas World Cruiser "Chicago" (Air Service Serial No. A.S. 1230) have just arrived at Mitchel Field, Long Island, NY, as Chief of the Air Service, Maj. Gen. Mason Patrick (back to camera) looks on.

This photo was published in the New Britain Herald. July 30, 1923, Page 9 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014519/1923-07-30/ed-... From the caption: "Official Photo, U. S. Army Air Service" "Photo gives splendid indication of the real size of the Barling Bomber, world's largest air plane, soon to take the air at Wilbur Wright Field, Dayton, O. Note the height of the wheels compared with that of General Mitchell. Left to right: Walter H. Barling, designer of the plane, General William Mitchell, assistant chief, Air Service; Major Martin, Major A. W. Robins, Mr. Carisi. Lieutenant Dichman and Lieutenant Blackburn." The Evening Star. August 19, 1923, Page 4 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1923-08-19/ed-... has a description of the aircraft. See also www.earlyaviators.com/eschobe5.htm

This took a full day of research, but I have identified each and given them a Wikidata entry, if they lacked one already: Walter Henry Barling (1890-1965) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107577357 General William Mitchell (1879-1936) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q863201 Major Harold Smith Martin (1892-1961) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107580274 Major Augustine Warner Robins (1882-1940) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4821225 John Carisi (1884-1960) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107577822 Lieutenant Ernest Wyckham Dichman (1892-1955) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107579240 Lieutenant Thomas Welch Blackburn (1892-1964) www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107580412