Charles Knotek: First Non-stop North American Coast to Coast Flight

Artist: Charles Knotek
1933 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1984
Image Size: 16.25 by 12.75 inches
Overall Size: 20 by 15 inches
Medium: Mixed Media on Cold Press Illustration Board

"The impossible has happened," reported Base Commander Major Henry H. Arnold, as the Army Fokker T-2 touched down at Rockwell Field, San Diego on May 3, 1923. Greeted by the applause of 100,000 people, pilots Lt. John A. Macready and Lt. Oakley G. Kelly deplaned, having successfully completed the first nonstop North American coast-to-coast flight. It began on May 2, 1923 at Roosevelt Field in New York. Kelly piloted the takeoff while Macready was given the honor of landing. Five times during that extraordinary flight, the pilots exchanged places. As one of the men flew the plane from near-blind rear controls, the other folded down the back of his seat, abandoning the front cockpit. He then opened a small triangular panel and slithering through the opening, reached the back of the plane to take the rear controls. The pilot in the rear would then snake his way up to the open cockpit and, taking his seat in the cold and drizzle, he would shake the wheel to show he could now take command of the aircraft. In this manner, Kelly and Macready covered 2,520 miles -- from New York to San Diego -- in 26 hours and 50 minutes. Thus, the flight of the Army Fokker T-2 helped prove the possible endurance and range of aviation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® Commemorative Cover for the Man's Conquest of the Heavens series issued in 1983.

Artwork Copyright © 1984 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB08584

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