World Aviation in 1924

1 April
The Canadian Air Force is granted the ‘Royal’ prefix.

19 May
Wing Commander Goble and Flight Lieutenant McIntyre of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) complete theirround-Australia flight. The flight took 90 hours in a Fairey IIID.

1 July
The first regular transcontinental airmail flights begin in the USA.

August
The Bolivian Air Force (Cuerpo de Aviación) is formed.

28 September
The first round the world aeroplane flight is completed. Douglas World Cruisers’ ‘Chicago’ and ‘New Orleans’ arrive back at Seattle. With an actual flying time of 371 hours 11 minutes, the flight required 57 stops.

12 October
US Navy ZR3 ‘Los Angeles’, a Zeppelin built as part of German reparations, leaves Friedrichshaven for Lakehurst in New Jersey.

13 December
The first attempt to hook on to the United States Army TC3 dirigible (steerable airship) is a failure and 1st Lieutenant Clyde Finter, flying a Sperry Messenger, has to make a forced landing.

15 December
Following a failure two days earlier, a Sperry Messenger, successfully hooks up to United States Navy TC3 dirigible.

Also this year…
The Soviet Red Air Fleet is renamed Voenno Vozdushniye Sily (VVS).

The first freefall parachute descent is made as the result of a bet. Staff Sergeant Randall Bose of the United States Army jumps from a height of 4,500 feet over Mitchell Field on Long Island. He falls 1,500 feet before opening his parachute. He had bet a friend he would still be able to open his parachute after falling over 1,000 feet. He won the bet but the amount is unrecorded.

The following air services are established:
•Imperial Ethiopian Aviation
•Imperial Iranian Army Air Office
•Peruvian Naval Air Service
•Afghan Military Air Arm

Huff Daland Dusters is formed and becomes the first crop dusting company in world.