COAST-TO-COAST

This Fokker T-2, powered by a 420hp Liberty engine, was originally designed as a transport plane for the US Army Air Service. Modified with extra fuel tanks built into the wings, it made the first non-stop flight across the USA in May 1923 piloted by Lieutenants John Macready and Oakley Kelly.

First Cross Country Flight by Lt Oakley Kelly and 1st Lt John McReady USAS was the first cargo aircraft planned and built in the Netherlands with hopes that the airline companies would order it. But the huge plane proved to be a miscalculation and Fokker sold both finished planes to the US Army Air Service for use as cargo planes.

The T-2 would probably have been forgotten if it had not unexpectedly set a world record. On May 2 1923, Lt Oakly Kelly and First Lt John McReady took off from New York on a flight to San Diego and landed after 26 hours and 50 minutes and 38 seconds in the air.

Crew: One pilot
Capacity: 12 passengers
Length: 49 ft 3 in
Wingspan: 81 ft 4 in
Height: 11 ft
Wing area: 372 ft²
Empty weight: 4,960 lb
Gross weight: 7,630 lb
Powerplant: 1 × Packard-built Liberty L12 piston engine,400 hp

Performance
Maximum speed: 93 mph
Range: 2,550 miles
Service ceiling: 10,500 ft

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