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-- This Happening Right Now -- in 1937 -- -- A NEW PHOTO EVERY DAY --
DAY TWENTY In Dakar, Amelia is finally is able to see the power she holds over the world. Though she has thus far traveled through Central America, South America and Africa -- no authorities had thought to so much as to even ask for her passport. To the American heroine this was an amazing testament of respect.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
Amelia and Fred arrive in Dakar after only 40 minutes in the air. The Electra's engines need looking at again. According to Amelia the fuel flow meter has failed. But that was not the only failure -- according to Fred, the radio direction-finder was not functioning either. He had no radio bearings to use in his navigations. Unlike the engine problems, the radio is not fixed.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY EIGHTEEN Amelia and Fred are at the airport at three in the morning with flashlights in hand. Because of the current winds, they must take off from a short, grassy runway rather than the tarmac as originally planned. Once satisfied that their makeshift runway is safe, Amelia and Fred leave the ground. Today Amelia makes history once more -- she becomes the first woman to fly from South America to Africa across the southern Atlantic Ocean. Yet she flew beyond her stop at Dakar and on to St. Louis in French West Africa.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY SEVENTEEN Today is perhaps one of Amelia's easiest flights on her journey -- certainly it is one of the shortest. She's only in the air for about two hours and five minutes, and her timing is so perfect that she lands in Natal mere minutes before the big storm hits. The rain suddenly comes down so hard that the airport mechanics end up pushing the Electra into the hanger with Amelia and Fred still inside the plane.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY SIXTEEN Amelia finds herself for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere and must stay for a day, allowing her plane to get needed repairs. Amelia and Fred spend today shopping -- but all work related of course -- among their purchases are work coveralls and sponge rubber to seal up leaks.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY FIFTEEN By now Amelia is used to early mornings but today is the first time she is told that it is too early to get the weather forecast in Paramaribo, Suriname. Amelia and Fred must truly venture out into the unknown as they fly over 1,300 miles to Fortaleza, Brazil. Not knowing what nature has in store for them is particularly worrisome as they had only yesterday been delayed by terrible weather.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY FOURTEEN Only a couple days into her official world flight and Amelia finds herself already behind schedule. She arrived in Caripito, Venezuela yesterday and wanted to continue on right away -- but was delayed by strong headwinds and heavy rain showers.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY THIRTEEN It is still dark when Amelia awakes in Puerto Rico, but peaceful. Amelia and Fred stayed with their friend and fellow pilot Clara Livingstone in her San Juan Plantation -- a blessing, according to Fred, as Clara spared them from having to socialize with diplomats. Here they were able to get some much needed rest. (Click image to enlarge) Dorado Airstrip of Clara Livingstone. Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY TWELVE On this day in 1937 Amelia and Fred arrive at the airport shortly past four o'clock in the morning. As dawn approaches they prepare to leave for San Juan, Puerto Rico -- the next stop in their journey across the world. Michaelfelder hands Bob Thibert a new radio loop to install on the Electra. Photographers pile up next to the tarmac to get one last shot of the duo, and after an oil leak scare, Amelia and Fred finally leave the ground at 5:40 A.M. Around 15 minutes later Miami hears her first radio transmission:"FLYING AT 3,500 FEET AND EVERYTHING OKAY"
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY ELEVEN Today is a big day for Amelia. She finally gets to test fly her plane, and many changes have occurred in Miami. One such change is the covering of the navigation window on the starboard side. A strange choice considering the usefulness of this window to Fred as he navigates the world for her. The test flight takes a total of six hours and apparently the changes to the Electra are not complete -- when she returns from her test Amelia's plane no longer has a DF loop either.
(Click any image to enlarge) Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY TEN On this day in 1937 Amelia finally test flies her Electra once more. Radio expert, Louis Michelfelder, has attempted a new but still unsatisfactory solution to the radio problem, and Amelia is sent back up into the air today to test it along with other adjustments made to her plane. Amelia and Fred spend an hour and a half flying about half a dozen test courses. Upon landing they report that many of the fixes made to the Electra, have not been successful. The Mast antenna is moved forward.
(Click any image to enlarge) Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY NINE The entire day is dedicated primarily to Amelia's radios. One of the problems Amelia discovered during her journey to Miami concerned her communication ability. Flying over the Gulf of Mexico she found that her primary radio was extremely limited distance-wise. This was naturally a matter of great concern. Radio expert Louis Michelfelder is sent to Amelia from the Pan American radio shop and he spends all of today in 1937 trying to get the radio's transmitter to appropriately tune to the antenna -- and fails. The Trailing-ball antenna is removed.
(Click any image to enlarge) Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY EIGHT Despite her humor Amelia was extremely dedicated to her work - a trait that ultimately won her many admirers amongst the all-male mechanical crew. Reporter Allen writes: "It was, undoubtedly, something of a shock to discover that the 'gal' with whom they had to deal not only was an exceptionally pleasant and reasonable human being ... but that she knew exactly what she wanted done and had sense enough to let them alone while they did it. There was an almost audible clatter of chips falling off skeptical masculine shoulders."
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY SEVEN Amelia spends most of her time at the airport overseeing her plane, often frying her delicate skin as she sits in the blistering heat of her cockpit. Allen of the New York Herald-Tribune writes, "At times during her stay she protested plaintively that she wanted to take time out for a swim and a sun bath:" 'I want to soak up a little sunshine, not be fried by it.'
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY SIX That morning, it looked as though Amelia just might get one good day, a day of solutions, a day that passes smoothly. She arrived the airport to find progress being made -- her autopilot rudder has been worked on replaced in the plane, she helps install her new "G" meter, and is told that her radios tested well in the shop and reinstallation should be easy -- it appears that her fixes will be smoothly completed within a couple of days .
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY FIVE Amelia can only dodge the curious press for so long. Now reporter Carl B. Allen of the New York Herald-Tribune arrives in Miami and Amelia finally relents and gives him a special announcement: she is indeed in the midst of her second attempt to circumvent the globe in her Electra -- she was careful to keep this from the press since leaving Oakland nearly one week ago. Now she finally lets them in on her secret.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY FOUR Amelia's first priority was her Electra and she hurried to the airport to assess the damage. What she found is a surprise fatal flaw -- someone had scratched his initials into the landing gear. Who this mystery person could be, is unclear and how they gained access to Amelia's aircraft not known. The fact though is this: these tiny, frivolous scratches could have caused the gear to fail. It wasn't just work for Amelia in Miami, socializing must be done as well. Amelia and her husband attend a dinner celebration for two men she openly tells reporters that she greatly admires: Dick Merrill and Jack Lambie, the two pilots who had just flown a round trip between New York and London in a Electra and left it at the Eastern Air Lines Terminal in Miami -- exactly like the one Amelia will be flying around the world.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart Now, go watch her last day in California:
DAY THREE From New Orleans Amelia takes the Electra across the Gulf of Mexico on her way to her last North American stop - Miami, Florida. During this ride Amelia has the opportunity to test her new Western Electric transmitter and finds to her dismay that it is quite limited distance-wise. The 450 mile flight from New Orleans to Miami over the Gulf of Mexico provided Navigator Fred Noonan the chance to show his talent. Arriving late that afternoon, he was but five miles south. Amelia landed at the Eastern Air Lines 36th Street Airport, then took off and flew north to Miami Municipal Airport. Amelia's first words to the press waiting for her as she
disembarked her plane: Actually this was her second mishap. She broke a wheel strut upon landing. Yet, sitting at the Eastern Air Lines Terminal five miles south, is the only Lockheed Electra aircraft near identical to Earhart's in the entire world.
(Click any image to enlarge) Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
DAY TWO Amelia, Fred and George arise early the next morning. Flying a plane heavy with fuel in the hot desert is dangerous and even makes it more difficult to get the plane off the ground -- Amelia needs an early start to beat the heat and fly to El Paso. Here again she had to change plans, as intense surface winds blow dust storms through Texas and another possible mishap. She bypasses Texas completely and heads straight for New Orleans, Louisiana.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
At 2:25pm Amelia Earhart left Burbank with her navigator Fred Noonan and her husband George Putnam. She took off from Union Air Terminal and made her first flight adjustment of the journey. Rather than head straight to El Paso, Texas as originally planned, Amelia decides to go only as far as Tucson, Arizona due to the later hour. After three and a half hours in the air, the group lands at Tucson Municipal Airport for the night. It is here that she confronts her first potentially dangerous mishap.
Taken from the forthcoming book: Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
MAY 20, 1937 In 1937 Amelia Earhart prepared to leave a second time on her Last Flight. A second photo shoot took place on May 20, 1937 just before she and her navigator Fred Noonan left -- and would disappear near 45 days later.
Now, go watch her last day in California:
This portion of the story is detailed in:
Now, go watch her last day in California:
That's All Until Tomorrow on: The
Last Flight of Amelia Earhart
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