This flight cap was used by Bernt Balchen in 1933 when he served as the pilot for Lincoln Ellsworth's first attempt at a transantarctic flight. The venture failed, however, because their aircraft, the Northrop Gamma Polar Star, was damaged when the ice floe on which it was resting broke apart.
Display Status
This object is on display in Thomas W. Haas We All Fly at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
Object Details
Date
c. 1933
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Helmets & Headwear
Pilot
Bernt Balchen
Physical Description
Brown, cloth lined leather with strap and buckle.
Dimensions
3-D (Laying on side, mostly flat with padded insert): 25.4 × 10.2 × 36.2cm (10 in. × 4 in. × 1 ft. 2 1/4 in.)
Materials
Leather with cloth lining and metal buckle
Inventory Number
A19840377000
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Bernt Balchen
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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