Around-the-World

Counterclockwise to the sun. a U. S. monoplane was winging its way over strange soil and seas. Brown natives on lonely wastes and swarthy fishermen on desolate coasts looked upward from their fires and nets to see the huge hummingbird dart eastward overhead. Edward F. Schlee, Detroit oil man, and William S. Brock, onetime air mail pilot, drove the Pride of Detroit toward the glory of circling the world in record time. The previous record made by airplane, train and boat: 28 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes.

First two days. From Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, to Croydon Airdrome, London, from London to Munich all went well (TIME, Sept. 5).

Third day. Leaving Munich before the world was awake, they landed at Bejanija airdrome, Belgrade, Jugoslavia, late in the morning. They jumped out to stretch, smoke cigarets, eat luncheon, refuel their bird; planned to hop off almost at once for Constantinople. Reports of strong winds and fog directly in their path over Sofia forced caution. Disappointed, they slept in Belgrade. Schlee praised their plane as "more faithful than a woman!"

Fourth day. Another 500 miles was behind the Pride of Detroit as she coasted to earth at Stamboul, Turkey. Said the military commandant at the field: "In the name of Turkish aviators of the future I greet and welcome you . . . ." Pleased with this courtesy the aviators prepared to hasten on toward Aleppo. Official Turkey ordered them to wait while the red tape was unwound from an official permit to fly over Turkish territory.

Fifth day. Impatient, the flyers parleyed with officials; obtained official permits. Said Flyer Brock: "Flying over the Atlantic is a cinch compared with crossing Turkey."

Sixth day. Flyer Schlee was given a "good luck bead," used by Turkish cabbies to decorate their horses, and he blamed the bead for the delay in Turkey. He said it worked against his rabbit's foot. The Pride of Detroit, un-superstitious machine, rose from Constantinople, flew to Bagdad, 1,075 miles, making up time.

Seventh Day. Harassed on the one hand by harsh fatigue, on the other by the passing of precious time, Schlee & Brock swung the Pride of Detroit into the air from Bagdad and flew to Bender Abbas, Persia.

Eighth Day. Two dusty and unshaven men crawled from the cabin of the Pride of Detroit after she was wheeled into a hangar at the British Air Service Field at Karachi, India. They were greeted by a Sunday crowd; British officers; the American Consul. They reported the Pride functioning flawlessly, despite the heat.

Ninth Day. They landed at an airdrome six miles outside of Allahabad, took notice that they had completed slightly more than one-third of their proposed journey in slightly less than one-third of the world's record time.