Round-the-World Flights

Mears & Brown Round-the-World Flight Attempt

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Flown Cover	Card - Rear	Mears Autograph	John Henry Mears	City of New York

John Henry Mears was a theatrical manager and producer whose avocation was the circumnavigation of the world in record time. His appetite to be the fastest round-the-world was whetted again after the Graf Zeppelin made its 1929 RTW flight. Balancing the lighter-than-air record of the zeppelin, Mears wanted to set the RTW speed record for a heavier-than-air aircraft. Mears purchased a Lockheed Vega monoplane and again named it, "The City of New York." He selected Henry J. Brown, an experienced airmail pilot to be his pilot for this round-the-world flight.

They departed Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York heading for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. They set a speed record for this fist leg of their journey. On their take-off run early the next morning in the dark they hit some rocks and crashed. Both men were slightly injured and returned to New York aborting their RTW attempt.

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