Special: Around the Globe

Pilots,

Long before jet lag started plaguing our jet-set generation, people were already dreaming of aircraft that would be able to carry them to the ends of the Earth and back. In the early days of aviation, making a round-the-world trip wasn’t as easily done as simply booking a ticket to a destination of your choice at the nearest airport.

The first time anybody ever made it the whole way around the world in a plane was in 1924. The flight itself, which started on 6^th April an impressive 90 years ago, took many months of preparation, four crews and five aircraft. This weekend, we want to tell you the story of the courageous airmen who set this record and hope it inspires you to strive for things that others deem impossible today.

Check out the bonuses that you can pick up during this history special:

Triple XP for the first victory of the day

It took eight of the most experienced pilots of their time to complete the first aerial circumnavigation of the world. Let this show you the importance of experience pilots!

50% discount on equipment

Your own aerial voyage around the World (of Warplanes) will only succeed if you mount the right equipment first.

30% discount on standard and Premium ammunition

You never know who you might meet when circling the skies on your long-distance trip. Better take some insurance in the form of extra ammunition belts!

The special runs from Friday 4^th April at 08:00 until Monday 7^th April at 07:30 CEST (GMT+2).

It wasn’t long after the Wright Brothers’ flight in 1903 that people turned their minds to using aircraft to travel all the way around the world. Attempts were made early in the 1920s but the first success story came in 1924.

The expedition consisted of four Douglas World Cruiser aircraft, which were based on the DT-2 torpedo bomber design. As well as being adapted for long-distance travel through varying climate and weather conditions, they were also fitted with interchangeable floats and wheels so that they could land on land or water.

Some of the US Army Air Service crew members that took part in the World Flight.

One of the four Douglas World Cruiser Aircraft used in the World Flight.

Each of the four planes was manned by two crew members from the US Army Air Service. They set out on 6^th April 1924 from Seattle, Washington, and headed westwards. One of the four planes crashed in Alaska, but the crew managed to get to safety. Later on, another plane had to pull out due to mechanical problems and later sank in the Atlantic.

The remaining two planes, along with a replacement for the one that sank, completed the trip and arrived back in Seattle on 28^th September. It had taken 175 days and 74 stops to travel just under 45,000 kilometres (27, 550 miles).

When are you going on your own trip around the World (of Warplanes), pilots?