First World Flight: The Odyssey of Billy Mitchell

In 1924, three years before Lindbergh flew to Paris, four young army airmen answered the call of General Billy Mitchell to save U.S. aviation from destruction by the politicians by winning the race with a dozen other nations to make the first flight around the world. In primitive open-cockpit biplanes powered by unreliable engines and few airfields, they were given little chance of success or even survival. This is the untold epic story of American patriotism, valor, and can-do ingenuity which triumphed over adversity and led to aviation dominance for the balance of the Century -- and the forgotten heroes that made it happen. Over 15 years of research, including the first access ever to the private Donald Douglas collection of Aviation memorabilia including worldwide newspaper accounts, diaries and logs of the aviators, have gone into the writing of this remarkable story.

Historian Spencer Lane has flown 10,000 hours over much of the world in aircraft ranging from biplanes to jets and holds Airline Transport and Commercial Pilot Licenses. He made the first recorded unrefueled turboprop crossing of the U.S. and set new transcontinental speed records in single and multi-engine aircraft. He participates in international air races and rallies and is an active member of AOPA, EAA, and the NAA.