It Only Took 94 Hours in the Air and More Than 23,000 Miles on the Odometer!
On 26 February 1949 the Boeing B-50A-5-BO Superfortress, Air Force serial number 46-010, named “Lucky Lady II” took off on what was to become the first non-stop around-the-world flight.
That’s Almost 4 Days in the Air!
United States Air Force Captain James G. Gallagher and his crew (including two additional pilots and twice the normal crew complement) departed Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas at 1221 local time and headed east. The Lucky Lady II returned to Carswell 94 hours and one minute later (on 2 March 1949) after flying a total distance of 23,452 miles.
Slow Bomber Back to Carswell
The Lucky Lady II was a standard B-50A of the 63rd Bomb Squadron, 43rd Bombardment Group and was equipped with the normal B-50A defensive armament consisting of 12 50 caliber machine guns. The bomber did carry an additional fuel tank in its bomb bay to provide additional range. Even with the extra fuel capacity, the B-50 was refueled in midair four times by KB-29 tankers during the mission. Flown primarily at altitudes between 10,000 feet and 20,000 feet, the first non-stop circumnavigation of the planet averaged only 249 miles per hour! ground speed.
The Brass Roll Out the Welcome Back
Strategic Air Command’s commander Lieutenant General Curtis LeMay greeted the Lucky Lady II upon its return to Carswell. Other dignitaries at Carswell for the historic event included Secretary of the Air Force W. Stuart Symington, Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, and Major General Roger M. Ramey, commander of the Eighth Air Force. The significance of the event was not lost on LeMay, who took advantage of the opportunity to remark that the Air Force (and of course Strategic Air Command) could now be based entirely in the continental United States and still attack any place in the world that “required the atomic bomb.”
Record-Setting Crew
For the record-setting flight of the Lucky Lady II, Captain Gallagher was the aircraft commander. 1st Lieutenant Arthur M. Neal was the relief pilot. Captain James H. Morris was copilot. Captain Glenn E. Hacker and 1st Lieutenant Earl L. Rigor were the navigators. 1st Lieutenant Ronald B. Bonner and 1st Lieutenant William F. Caffrey operated the radar. Captain David B. Parmalee was the project officer for this flight and flew as the chief flight engineer. The crew flight engineers were Technical Sergeant Virgil L. Young and Staff Sergeant Robert G. Davis. Technical Sergeant Burgess C. Cantrell and Staff Sergeant Robert R. McLeroy operated the radios. Handling the guns were Technical Sergeant Melvin G. Davis and Staff Sergeant Donald G. Traugh Jr. The Lucky Lady II’s crew was showered with awards including the National Aeronautic Association’s Mackay Trophy and the Air Force Association’s Air Age Trophy. Each crew member also received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
I was honored to be on matianance crew for wb29
wb50, and kb50 from 1956 until 1959. At yokota ab, japan and langley afb, va.
My dad was one of the Navigators on the KC97’s fueling the B52’s in ‘57. Great story, appreciate the article!
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I was a crew chief on WB-50 AT Kindley AFB,Bermuda 1961-1963 tail number 337 launched it on last mission.