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Aviation Reserves in October, 1917. The Coast Patrol Unit school moved to Florida for the winter and he conducted a class there.

During World War I McCulloch received his commission as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and toward the end of 1918, was assigned to the large NC-1 seaplane which was under development at the Curtiss Garden City factory for a transatlantic flight attempt. These large, short-hull, biplane flying boats were first powered by three Liberty 400 h.p. engines, and later a fourth engine was added. The first test flight was made on October 4, 1918, then on November 8th McCulloch flew this 126-foot span flying boat from Long 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 License No. 332.

About May 1, 1919, the fleet of NC flying boats was ready for the Atlantic flight attempt and McCulloch was selected as pilot of the Flagship NC-3. 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 they decided to alight 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 that completed the flight to England.

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