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United States 48 Star Flag and a 1939 World's Fair Flag, Flown Around the World with Howard Hughes in 1938. ...
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$3,750.00
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Description
United States 48 Star Flag and a 1939 World's Fair Flag, Flown Around the World with Howard Hughes in 1938. These two 8" X 12" dye printed; silk flags were aboard the Lockheed Electra that Howard Hughes flew on his 1938 "Round-the-world" flight. As part of the promotion, Hughes took several US and World's Fair flags on the circumnavigation. The World's Fair president Grover Whalen had appointed him Ambassador and dispatched Hughes to carry New York's cordial wishes to the peace-loving peoples of the Earth. After the flight Howard Hughes gave these flags to Albert I. Lodwick, his flight operations manager.When Hughes decided to circumnavigate the globe, he was also determined to attempt to set a record for the fastest around the world flight. Hughes named Al Lodwick as the flight operations manager for his record-setting attempt and Lodwick turned his considerable administrative skills to the task of making Hughes' flight possible and successful. Lodwick made all the arrangements with foreign governments to gain permission for Hughes to fly over and/or land in their countries and to obtain fuel, mechanical services, equipment and supplies as needed. He also provided Hughes with a detailed flight operations manual, which Hughes carried with him on the flight and to which he could refer to as needed.
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (December 24, 1905 - April 5, 1976) was an American aviator, industrialist, film producer/director, philanthropist, and one of the wealthiest people in the world. He gained fame in the late 1920s as a maverick film producer, making big budget and often controversial films like Hell's Angels, Scarface, and The Outlaw.
As an aviator, Hughes set multiple world air-speed records, for which he won many awards, including the Congressional Gold Medal, and both the Harmon and Corbin trophies. He won the Harmon trophy due to his circumnavigation of the globe, in a journey time of a little over 91 hours, in 1938. He accomplished this feat with a flight crew of four; Harry Connor as the co-pilot, Thomas Thurlow acting as navigator, Edward Lund as flight engineer and with Richard Stoddard operating the radio. The vice-president of Curtis-Wright, Al Lodwick, assisted the flight by handling the logistical flight operation in terms of clearances, permits and fuel provisioning.
This historic flight departed from Long Island, New York on a Lockheed 14 Lodestar Super Electra Monoplane on the 10th of July 1938. It was sponsored by New York's World Fair, for which Hughes served as an aeronautical advisor, and the aircraft was subsequently named 'New York World's Fair 1939'. It was the official emblem of the city's forthcoming international exposition, a goodwill missionary to the rest of the globe.
The Electra was a flying laboratory, and he needed a four-man crew to help him manage it. The flight itself was strictly business all the way; New York to Paris, to Danzig, to Moscow, to Alaska, to Minneapolis, and back to Floyd Bennett Field, on schedule, promoting the concept of air travel to visit the upcoming fair. Hughes was carrying his own radio station, and he broadcast live to the world from midair, also promoting the Fair. Hughes wanted to demonstrate the triumph of technology and indicate what would be possible in the future.
A unique pair of flags which should be of great interest to Aviation History and Worlds Fair collectors, as well as enthusiasts of historic American flags.
Condition: light age.
Provenance:
• Made by the Annin Flag Company 1938
• Purchased by Hughes Aircraft Company
• Used on 1938 "Round-the-world flight".
• Conveyed to Flight Operations Manager Albert Lodwick, until 1961
• Bequeathed to George "Rock" Kitt until 1984
• Bequeathed to Edith O. Stratton Kitt until 2007
• Acquired by Walter Beckwith.
• Acquired by ZFC in an Internet auction 2008. From the Zaricor Flag Collection.
View all of [The Zaricor Flag Collection ]
Auction Info
2023 November 13 - 14 Americana & Political Signature Auction Signature® Auction #6276 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
November, 2023
13th-14th
Monday-Tuesday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 8
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 433
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $300,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $300,000 and $3,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $3,000,000 per lot.
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