japan washington flight japan washington flight record breaking air voyage specially modified boeing september northern japanese island continuing washington flight generals airmen returning united_states overseas duty world war date involved heaviest load carried american aircraft longest nonstop flight nonstop flight japan united_states complete aircraft flight break world distance record established royal_air_force originally intending fly miles nonstop washington airmen encountered unexpected canada predicted aircraft fuel distance landed chicago instead continued washington awarded including pilots generals donnell distance record long months later american flew guam washington distance miles breaking world record japan washington flight pioneered route similar later importantly airmen america able demonstrate reach light nascent cold war preparation based guam mission records mechanical difficulties selected mission day process continued typhoon okinawa aircraft stripped unnecessary equipment armor gun turrets resulting spaces fuselage smooth metal minimize parasitic drag type bubble windows replaced flat ones painted group markings removed aluminum aircraft skin polished high order achieve possible drag markings painted vertical rudder bomb bay aircraft fitted fuel tanks added normal fuel tanks total gallons fuel capacity railroad tank car filled fuel men ship weighed pounds greatest attempted time aircraft ready flew stopped night loaded fuel hold known intended air base fill long distance flight meaning fuel tanks fly september aircraft left flying north past okinawa typhoon blown continued approach involved japanese air base judged colonel suitable runway long near sea level maximum lift possible air known hold heavily laden bombers concrete cracking sent filled drums crewmen tanks hand japanese air base serve launching point called locally americans today japan ground self defense force camp built southern japan northern island near city base long range flights attack way suicide trips engine bombers function served landed safely stepped aircraft greeted approximately japanese soldiers base commander time realizing intention returning salute treatment setting tone japan relations area airmen certain wear arms walked downtown evenings september later said japanese sailors manning air base posed threat aircraft men commander aircraft lieutenant general deputy commander united_states strategic air forces pacific aircraft carried weather officer making long distance voyage crewmen captain aboard included lieutenant served pilots second aircraft commander chief staff strategic air forces lieutenant served pilots lieutenant colonel flight team 25th bombardment squadron heavy heavy based good friends colonel chief staff joined crew guam personally days earlier crew 25th included sergeant removed guam joined men 44th bomber squadron lieutenant staff remainder crew flight engineer captain 45th bomber squadron lieutenant 24th bomber squadron major captain 40th crew chief master number construction number built months earlier kansas called push produce great air fleets number dubbed combat crew cut consume normal fuel oil carrying missions marked mechanical reliability number commanded donnell ending service commander heavy flight airmen drew great circle shortest distance surface globe flight plan jet stream help farther fuel absolutely required plan aircraft way eastern edge soviet_union alaska continue canadian canada great lakes washington near atlantic coast total miles taking hours air distance broken world distance record held royal_air_force vickers aircraft flown egypt darwin australia covering miles considered good public relations stunt good generals images september airmen early final preparations weather observation aircraft took hour report latest meteorological conditions path ahead super aircraft rigged air sea rescue stood alert airfield lit truck number commanded little local time dawn began glow east ship took eastern war time washington lieutenant colonel lieutenant controls donnell number took minutes later heavily loaded machines required bit foot concrete runway airborne gravel reaching miles hour lifting ground bombers expected washington day hours flight weather officer aboard number observed slight threatened throw overboard hours japan airmen number met bell fighters wearing red star insignia soviet fighter pilots inspected unarmed close range performed maneuvers americans wings salute left continue journey replaced controls maintained radio contact communicating positions hourly independently near magnetic fluctuated wildly ignored relying instead radio compass number radio compass stopped working resumed working later flight wearing fur lined flight suits prevent men feeling extreme cold high altitude pilots rotated duty tired weather continued great concern frequently checked aircraft left encountering north_america hours flight northern lights clearly visible crews systems working outside air temperature altitude feet heating systems completely broken weather problems encountered significant slight observed time expected jet stream complete distance meant washington far eastern war time aircraft number alaska navigator determined schedule said later reported fact general looked thought fault retreated bulkhead check figures later airmen learned typhoon near okinawa week greatly affected jet stream seventeen hours lifting sunrise japan men began sun rise short day able sleep excitement trip penetrating cold crossing canada grew stronger load hard ice clear ice visible wings delivered war complete equipment gear removed months reduce weight increase combat range speed ice load picked night endured melted lower altitudes near regina decision early stops fuel proposed solution land minneapolis donnell land detroit fuel continue washington plan past hours predicted plans states donnell plan land minneapolis detroit fuel plane number commanded believes able washington soon determined chicago municipal airport airport large accommodate directed donnell land sent word radio heading washington new_york newspapers plan headlines land refuel capitol aircraft approached chicago contacted radio donnell landed eastern war time minutes past chicago informed weather marginal washington ordered refuel chicago landed flight time hours minutes straight line distance flown globe miles aircraft newspaper reporters asked questions captain aboard visually targeted nagasaki order drop second atomic bomb crewmen drank coffee waited completed took directly washington reception chicago washington flight uneventful sky giants manned blue ribbon crews flew national airport ronald_reagan washington national airport formation landed generals crews stepped aircraft waiting smoking signature senior staff reporters wives family airport greet airmen crowd photographs taken airport airmen lobby weary men besieged stayed later hear supper club singer grand went bed catch sleep morning news conference held grand emphasized importance route indication future civil military aircraft warned proved remember future enemy able declared wanted second chance prove capable flying miles nonstop said took little expected information indicated passed drop didn need needed nice normal wind arrive schedule averaged mph reporters finished presented airmen told men personal military equipment flight including offered free rides home military aircraft refused parachute ride telling thank general think train crewmen pacific_ocean theatre world war pay attention record breaking flight said 40th knew little trip september busy preparing fly home october months later november colonel lieutenant colonel flew long distance named world distance record miles flying nonstop guam washington taking hours minutes aircraft gross weight greater pounds
1945 Japan–Washington flight