Around the World in 91 Hours
Howard Hughes Around the World Flight of 1938
— Albert I. Lodwick —
Albert I. Lodwick (pictured at the top of the mural) was born in Mystic, Iowa on March 4, 1904. On July 10, 1938, due in large part to Albert Lodwick's organizational skills as his flight operations manager, Howard Hughes set a record by completing a flight around the world in just 91 hours (3 days, 19 hours), beating the previous record by more than 4 hours. Hughes returned home ahead of photographs of his flight.
Taking off from New York City, Hughes continued to Paris, Moscow, Omsk, Yakutsk, Fairbanks, Minneapolis, then returning to New York City. For this flight he flew a Lockheed Super Electra 14 (a twin-engine transport with a four-man crew) fitted with the latest radio and navigational equipment. Hughes and Lodwick wanted the flight to be a triumph of American aviation technology, illustrating that safe, long-distance air travel was possible.
Erected 2014 by Grow Centerville/Organizing for Main Street.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical date for this entry is July 10, 1938.
Location. 40° 44.047′ N, 92° 52.513′ W. Marker is in Centerville, Iowa, in Appanoose County. Marker is at the intersection of 12th Street and State Street, on the right when traveling south on 12th Street. Touch for map.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Union Soldiers Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Centerville Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Real Village of Griffinsville (approx. 10.4 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. Howard Hughes Fight Around the World 1938 at YouTube. (Submitted on November 7, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Albert I. Lodwick MSS at Lakeland (FL) Public Library Special Collections. (Submitted on November 7, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 7, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 824 times since then and 37 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week July 12, 2020. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 7, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
