1929
The planet had not yet been fully discovered: there were still icecold, distant pockets of the earth that no man dared to touch. But there was Richard Byrd, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He knew it was going to be a dangerous trip when he took off from Spitsbergen to discover the North Pole on 9th May 1926. He would be soaring above an icy, inhospitable terrain with no landmarks
to guide him. With his chief pilot Floyd Bennett, he explored the North Pole region during a flight lasting more than 15 hours. An oil leak in the engine forced them to turn back earlier than planned; they probably did not reach the true North Pole. But back in the USA, they were acclaimed as national heroes.
In October 1928, Byrd and his crew sailed south and landed on Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf, where they established their base. They named the Rockefeller Mountains for their prominent backer and a yet unknown region, Mary Byrd Land, after Byrd’s wife.
On Friday 29th November 1929, Byrd and his crew took off in their Ford Trimotor aircraft from the Little America base camp. To reach the South Pole, the explorer had to fly about 800 miles (1,290 km). Byrd navigated using a sun compass and Longines watches.
to guide him. With his chief pilot Floyd Bennett, he explored the North Pole region during a flight lasting more than 15 hours. An oil leak in the engine forced them to turn back earlier than planned; they probably did not reach the true North Pole. But back in the USA, they were acclaimed as national heroes.
In October 1928, Byrd and his crew sailed south and landed on Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf, where they established their base. They named the Rockefeller Mountains for their prominent backer and a yet unknown region, Mary Byrd Land, after Byrd’s wife.
On Friday 29th November 1929, Byrd and his crew took off in their Ford Trimotor aircraft from the Little America base camp. To reach the South Pole, the explorer had to fly about 800 miles (1,290 km). Byrd navigated using a sun compass and Longines watches.
Glaciers, massifs and crevasses marked the landscape unfolding beneath them. Most imposing were the Queen Maud Mountains, towering over 11,000 feet (3,350 m). To get their aircraft over the high mountains, the crew jettisoned empty fuel cans and hundreds of pounds of food to reduce the load. They eventually managed to clear the terrain by a tiny margin – and some hours later, Byrd and his crew were the first men to fly over the South Pole. The flight took 18 hours and 41 minutes, with one stop to refuel the airplane.
After this feat, Byrd wrote in a radiogram: “The Longines instruments and chronometer watches supplied by Wittnauer Company New York have given the most satisfactory service. With hearty appreciation, Byrd Antarctic expedition.”
Byrd returned to the Antarctic for further expeditions, sometimes enduring temperatures of between –58 to –76°F (–50 to 60°C), and spending months alone at a weather station. In 1939/40, he wore a Longines Flyback Chronograph on his wrist. Byrd was eventually promoted to rear admiral for his achievements.
After this feat, Byrd wrote in a radiogram: “The Longines instruments and chronometer watches supplied by Wittnauer Company New York have given the most satisfactory service. With hearty appreciation, Byrd Antarctic expedition.”
Byrd returned to the Antarctic for further expeditions, sometimes enduring temperatures of between –58 to –76°F (–50 to 60°C), and spending months alone at a weather station. In 1939/40, he wore a Longines Flyback Chronograph on his wrist. Byrd was eventually promoted to rear admiral for his achievements.
Richard Byrd and his crew made the first flight to the North Pole on 9th May 1926 in this Fokker F.VII aircraft.