Description
Charles Lindbergh’s successful flight to Paris in May, 1927 was the catalyst that launched a wave of aviation hysteria across the United States. Every man who could fly a plane was determined to achieve the same fame as Lindy, whatever the risk. Hawaiian pineapple mogul James Dole sponsored an air derby and offered a prize of $25,000 to the first person to fly from California to Oahu. Thirteen planes entered the competition, despite the staggering difficulty in flying 2,400 miles to find Hawaii, a tiny dot in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. One by one the entrants took off, bound for glory and fame. But only five planes made it into the air from Alameda. Two reached Hawaii. The others were lost at sea and never seen again. The Dole Derby was the worst air disaster since the invention of the airplane. Now you can learn the full account of this ill-fated business venture and hear the stories of the people who attempted it.