March 1, 2019

On March 2, 1949, 70 years ago tomorrow, a United States Air Force bomber called Lucky Lady II landed at Carswell Air Force Base in Texas, completing the first nonstop flight around the world. The achievement took 94 hours and 1 minute and covered 23,452 miles (37,742 kilometers). The bomber, a Boeing B-50 Superfortress, took off from Carswell on February 26, and was refueled in flight four times—a tricky technique that had only recently been developed.

A KB-29M tanker refuels Lucky Lady II (below in the foreground) during a flight in 1948. Credit: U.S. Air Force

The B-50 was a modified version of the famous Boeing B-29 Superfortress that saw extensive action during World War II (1939-1945). The B-50 used powerful Pratt and Whitney piston engines and was the last Boeing propeller bomber built for the Air Force. Later bombers flew with jet engines. Lucky Lady II was specially outfitted with an extra fuel tank and a larger than normal crew of 14 people (including 3 pilots). Captain James Gallagher commanded the mission.

Lucky Lady II flew east from Texas and was refueled over the Azores, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and Hawaii. The aerial refueling technique involved pairs of KB-29 tankers (modified B-29′s). The KB-29′s flew above and forward of the B-50, and each unreeled a long refueling hose. The hoses were attached one at a time to the B-50, the fuel tanks were filled, and the hoses were released. The round-the-world flight of Lucky Lady II took place at altitudes between 10,000 and 20,000 feet (3,000 to 6,100 meters), with an average ground speed of 249 miles per hour (401 kilometers per hour).

After completing the much-publicized mission, the crew of Lucky Lady II received numerous awards and decorations. The success of the mission demonstrated the ever-increasing range of military aircraft, as well as the capability of striking anywhere in the world in a matter of hours.

A B-50 named Global Queen attempted the nonstop round-the-world flight at the same time as Lucky Lady II, but an engine fire forced the plane to land in the Azores. Lucky Lady II followed Lucky Lady I, a B-29 that completed a round-the-world flight—with eight stops—in 103 hours and 50 minutes of flight time in 1948. Lucky Lady III, a jet-powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, completed the nonstop round-the-world flight in 45 hours and 19 minutes in 1957. The fuselage (body) of Lucky Lady II can be seen at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California.