First Flight Over the North Pole

 

Byrd and Chief Aviation Floyd Bennett flew over the North Pole on May 9, 1926, in the Josephine Ford, a triple-engine Fokker high-wing monoplane. Byrd’s and Bennett’s flight was the first time an aircraft had flown over the top of the world. The pair took off from Spitsbergen, Norway, and reportedly covered the 1,545-mile trip to the pole and back in 15 hours and 30 minutes, on the same day.

The airplane was purchased for the Byrd Arctic Expedition by Edsel Ford, and named Josephine Ford in honor of Ford’s 3-year-old daughter, Josephine Clay Ford.

For this accomplishment, Byrd and Bennett to Warrant Officer were awarded the Medal of Honor by President Coolidge.