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Summary

The historic US Army Pan-American Goodwill Flight of 1926 and 1927 through Mexico and Central and South America was intended to improve relations with Latin American countries, to encourage commercial aviation, and to provide valuable training for Air Corps personnel. This collection consists of two color National Geographic Magazine Maps, which have been hand-annotated, presumably by advance officer Ivan Moorman, with the route of that flight.

Biographical / Historical

The Pan-American Goodwill Flight of 1926 and 1927 was proposed by Major General Mason Patrick, Chief of the US Army Air Corps. He suggested a flight through Mexico and Central and South America to improve relations with Latin American countries, to encourage commercial aviation, and to provide valuable training for Air Corps personnel. Supporters of the flight hoped also that the mission would interest the Latin American nations in US aircraft and engines, emphasize the advantages of aviation for transportation and communications in regions that were without rail or road transport, and help stimulate the struggling US aircraft industry. The 22,000 mile flight, made by ten pilots in five Loening OA-1A amphibians, began on December 21, 1926, from San Antonio, Texas. The course extended through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica; across the Panama Canal to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia; down the west coast of South America to Valdivia, Chile; across the Andes Mountains to Bahia Blanca, Argentina; north to Montevideo, Uruguay; up to Paraguay; back down the Paraná River; along the coasts of Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, the Guianas, and Venezuela; thence through the West Indies and up the coast of the United States to Washington, DC. Advance officers visited all the planned stops, selected landing areas, arranged the diplomatic schedule, and selected representatives who were contracted to store the advance shipments of engines, spare parts, and other supplies. One of these advance officers was Lieutenant Ivan Moorman (died 1928).

Identifier

NASM.2006.0021

Creator

National Geographic Magazine

Date

1921-1927

Provenance

Pamela M. Staffier, Gift, 2006, NASM.2006.0021.

Extent

0.05 Cubic feet (1 map folder)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the following two color National Geographic Magazine Maps, which have been hand-annotated, presumably by advance officer Ivan Moorman, with the route of the Pan-American Goodwill Flight of 1926 and 1927: "The Countries of the Caribbean including Mexico, Central America," "The West Indies and the Panama Canal," copyright 1922, size 25 by 44 inches; and "Map of South America," copyright 1921, size 25.75 x 36.5 inches.

Arrangement note

Collection consists of two items.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Citation

Pan-American Goodwill Flight of 1926 and 1927 Maps, Accession number 2006-0021, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Loening OA-1A

Aeronautics

Aeronautics -- Central America

Endurance flights

Aeronautics -- Flights

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Maps