Re: "Titans of Fortune"

Posted by JWL On 2013/11/29 11:36:32

Have not read it, but will keep it in mind when my reading stack gets shorter.

Currently reading "Triumph - The Incredible Saga of the First Transatlantic Flight" by Hy Steirman and Glenn D. Kittler.

It is the story of the Navy's mission to fly four sea planes across the Atlantic in May 1919. Only three were able to start the flight and only one was able to complete it. The lone sea plane was the NC4 (Navy Curtiss 4). The route was from NAS Rockaway to Newfoundland to the Azores to Lisbon. A picket line of destroyers was placed on the route for communication and rescue jobs. The power plants on these aircraft were four Packard-designed Liberty V-12 engines (three pullers and one pusher). I recently became acquainted with the grandson of the engineering officer on the NC4. His grandfather was a customer of my father.

Great holiday reading.

(o{}o)

There is another book on the subject: "First Across! The U.S. Navy's Transatlantic Flight of 1919" by Richard K. Smith. This book appears to be a more technical telling of the flight. Have not read it.

The NC4 is on exhibit at the naval air museum in Pensacola.