Douglas World Cruiser (1:32)

Span: 14.75"
Length: 19.125"

After the successful crossings of the Atlantic in 1919 by the US Navy's NC-4 and the British Vickers Vimy, the next venture was naturally to circumnavigate the globe by airplane. When the US Army Air Service put out a requirement for an aircraft suitable to fly around the world, the Douglas Aircraft Company responded with a modification of their DT torpedo bomber, the Douglas World Cruiser (DWC). Five of these aircraft were ordered, one for testing and training, and four for the actual expedition. The design of the World Cruiser was a sturdy, two-seater biplane with a span of 15 meters. The aircraft did not have radios or advanced navigational aids, only the standard rudimentary flight instrumentation of that time.
For the expedition, four of the Air Service's top pilots were selected. The crews trained in navigation and meteorology at Langley Field in Virginia, and practiced with the prototype airplane while the flight aircraft were being constructed and prepared. Meanwhile, preparations were underway for fueling and repair sites at strategic locations along the route, arranging of overflight and landing clearances, and securing the cooperation of the US Navy (USN) and the British Royal Air Force. Because the US did not recognize the Soviet Union at that time, flying over Siberia was prohibited. Thus a Southeast Asian route was to be taken, adding 11,000 km to the journey.
The four expedition aircraft, named Boston, Chicago, New Orleans and Seattle, departed Seattle on April 4, 1924. The Seattle crashed into a mountain in Alaska on April 30. The crew survived. The other three aircraft continued on through Asia, the Middle East and Europe, relying on a carefully planned logistics system, including pre-positioned spare engines, to keep the aircraft flying. Later on the Boston was forced down while crossing the Atlantic and damaged beyond repair while being towed by a USN cruiser. The remaining aircraft continued across the Atlantic back to the United States, where they were joined by the test aircraft, now christened Boston II. The aircraft returned to their Seattle starting point on September 28, 1924, 23,942 nautical miles and 175 days since departing. The success of the DWC established Douglas Aircraft Company as one of the major aircraft companies of the world, and led it to adopt the motto First Around the World - First the World Around.

Made To Order Model

Our "Made to Order" line consists of aircraft, ships, helicopters, space craft, plaques, and other models that we commence production on once we receive your order. These models are made to match the image you see here using blueprints and specs on-hand in our production facility. Production & Delivery time for a Made To Order model is approximately 12-14 weeks.

In addition to our "Made to Order" models, we can build any model to fit your exact specifications through our "Custom Model Program". This is the perfect way to recapture those memories that will last a lifetime.

Click here for more information about our Custom Model Program.