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View of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center tower at sunset

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Bob Hoover Gives an Air Show Performance

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North American P-51C "Excalibur III"

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  • View of a red and white plane. Painted below the cockpit is the American flag.
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    On May 29, 1951, Capt. Charles F. Blair flew Excalibur III from Norway across the North Pole to Alaska in a record-setting 10½ hours. Using a system of carefully plotted "sun lines" he developed, Blair was able to navigate with precision where conventional magnetic compasses often failed. Four months earlier, he had flown Excalibur III from New York to London in less than 8 hours, breaking the existing mark by over an hour.

  • View of a red and white plane. Painted below the cockpit is the American flag.

Created:

December 26, 2019

Photographer

Eric Long

ID#:

NASM2021-00170

Source:

Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Owner:

Smithsonian Institution

Rights Usage:

No known copyright or other restrictions

Terms of Use:

Smithsonian Terms of Use

For print or commercial use please see permissions information.

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Open daily 10:00 am – 5:30 pm

National Air and Space Museum

National Air and Space Museum 650 Jefferson Drive SW
Washington, DC

202-633-2214

Free Timed-Entry Passes Required

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151

703-572-4118

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