James Mattern
In July 1932 Bennett Griffin and James Mattern tried to break the round-the-world record
set by Post and Gatty, but they failed in their attempt.
On June 3, 1933 Mattern tried again for a round-the-world flight, but this time he would
do it solo. He departed Floyd Bennett Field, Long Island in his Lockheed Vega monoplane
"Century of Progress." 23H 55M later he landed at Jomfruland, Norway. He refueled and took
off for Oslo and Moscow, Russia. He was ahead of the Post-Gatty round-the-world record.
After departing from Moscow, the weather turned bad delaying him several days. His chance to
break the current record was dashed. He decided to continue his flight still hoping to be
the first to fly solo round-the-world.
However, this was not to be, as he had to make a forced landing on July 15, 1933 in the
tundra near Anadyr, Siberia after losing oil. He abandoned his damaged Vega and was rescued
by a Russian pilot, Levanefsky who flew him to Nome, Alaska.
Mattern secured another plane in Alaska and continued his flight arriving back in New York
on July 29, 1933 setting no records but completing his round-the-world flight adventure.
