Viewing page 12 of 38

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamp]]

Island to Washington, D.C., carrying fifteen passengers. From there the flight continued on to Hampton Roads, Virginia where on November 27th he set a new world record, carrying 51 adult passengers. In February, 1919 McCulloch obtained Army and Navy Pilot Licence No. 332.

About May 1st, 1919 the fleet of the NC flying boats was about ready for the Atlanta flight attempt and McCulloch was selected as pilot of the Flagship NC-4. The actual flight started on May 8th from Far Rockaway, Long Island and stops were scheduled at Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, The Azores, Lisbon, Portugal, and Plymouth, England. All went well until the Atlantic crossing from Newfoundland to the Azores. In dense fog, wind and heavy rain squalls the NC-3 became lost and decided to land on the water in an attempt to get their bearings. Once down they found waves so high they could not get off again. Soon the wind and waves damaged the plane and on May 19th they partially taxied, partially drifted into the Azores after 52 hours and 205 miles on the open sea. The Flagship was badly damaged, both lower wings wrecked, wing pontoons gone, tail badly damaged and the hull severely racked and leaking badly. The NC-3 was disassembled and shipped back to New York. The NC-4 was the only plane to complete the flight to England.

All pilots and crews were taken to Europe where they were given receptions in London and Paris. They returned to the United States on the Steamship Zeppelin, arriving in New York on June 26th where they received a tumultuous welcome. On June 30th they were accorded heros' welcomes in Washington, D.C. by the President and the Navy Department. On July 10th they were honored by a dinner and a large reception at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York as the guests of Glenn Curtiss, where all received Medals from the Aero Club of America and the Aerial League.

Following the NC project McCulloch returned to his former position with Trans-Oceanic and, Wanamaker backing, started buying up some Navy surplus flying boats, including some large H-16 type planes powered by two Liberty engines, for their future operations. He converted these for passenger use and fitted them out for luxury travel. For a time these operations were carried on at the Port Washington, Long Island base, then that fall were moved to Florida for the winter. In this way a year-round business was carried on. In December McCulloch flew a 

4