nPosted on July 14, 2019
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Key Points
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nThere are so many world records and so many “firsts” accomplished around the world, probably every single day, that I could probably write a story called “First and Fastest” every day.
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nToday’s story is about human flight:
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nOn this date in 1911, an exhibition pilot landed a plane on the White House lawn. This was less than eight years after the first brief flight performed by the Wright Brothers – and already one of their exhibition pilots, Henry Atwood, was dazzling top D.C. officials!
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nLater, President Taft awarded Atwood with a Gold Medal.
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nFlash forward more than half a century…
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On this date in 1938, pilot and businessman Howard Hughes set a new world record – by flying around the world in just 91 hours! This beat the old record by – get this! – almost four days!!
On this date in 1938, pilot and businessman Howard Hughes set a new world record – by flying around the world in just 91 hours! This beat the old record by – get this! – almost four days!!n
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nEven though Hughes had already become rich and successful in business, including in “show biz” (he was a movie producer)…
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nEven though Hughes was known among many Hollywood fans because he had dated actors like Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers…
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nIt was this world record that made Hughes really famous, and New York City even threw him a ticker-tape parade.
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In case you’re wondering, Hughes flew around the world with a Lockheed 14 Super Electra twin-engine plane and a crew of four: in addition to his own role as pilot, Hughes included on this record-breaking flight a co-pilot, a navigator, an engineer, and a mechanic. There was also a man on the ground who worked as a flight operations manager. Hughes’ plane was the latest in 1938 aeronautics technology, including a top-notch radio and navigation equipment
In case you’re wondering, Hughes flew around the world with a Lockheed 14 Super Electra twin-engine plane and a crew of four: in addition to his own role as pilot, Hughes included on this record-breaking flight a co-pilot, a navigator, an engineer, and a mechanic. There was also a man on the ground who worked as a flight operations manager. Hughes’ plane was the latest in 1938 aeronautics technology, including a top-notch radio and navigation equipmentn
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| Hughes’ voyage included legs from New York City to Paris (France); Moscow, Omsk, and Yakutsk (Russia); Fairbanks (Alaska), Minneapolis (Minnesota), and then back to NYC. |
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nAlso on this date:
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nNational Day in Mayotte
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nEmmeline Pankhurst Day
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nBastille Day in France
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nBastille Day in Guadeloupe and Renuion
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nSanta Rosalia Festival
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nRatha Yatra beings in Puri
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nBirthday of Former President Gerald Ford
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nPlan ahead:
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nCheck out my Pinterest boards for:
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nJuly holidays
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nJuly birthdays
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nHistorical anniversaries in July
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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
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nAugust holidays
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nAugust birthdays
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nHistorical anniversaries in August
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