Round-the-World Flights

Von Gronau Round-the-World Flight

Page 2i (rev: 1000)

Flown Cover	von Gronau Autograph	Wolfgang von Gronau	Flown Cover	Gronland Wal Plane

	The Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919 ended WW-I.  The treaty forbid Germany's 
involvement in military aviation.  German aeronautical engineers and designers concentrated on 
passenger-carrying aircraft.  The Dornier works at Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance were 
producing a freight/passenger twin engine seaplane called "Wals" (whales).  Wolfgang von 
Gronau was convinced that the Dornier Wals could be used to establish a commercial air route 
between Germany and the United States.  The German government was not convinced of von 
Gronau's ideas even after he had made two successful round trip Atlantic crossings. To prove 
his case, von Gronau decided to make a third crossing. Once started, he decided to extend his 
3rd trip to a round-the world flight.  He hoped for world-wide recognition to get the 
attention of the German government for his air route ideas.  
	On July 22, 1932 in a Donier seaplane called the "Gronland-Wal" (Greenland Whale) he took 
off from List, Island of Sylt (northern most part of Germany) for his Atlantic crossing flight 
which he changed to a round-the-world flight.  He was accompanied by his co-pilot, Gerth von 
Roth and mechanic, Franzl Hack and radio operator, Frtiz Albrecht.  They returned to Germany 
touching down at Lake Constance on November 9, 1932 visiting the Dornier works and then 
returned to List to make their mark completing a round-the-world flight.

Itinerary:

Departed List, Germany                               07/22/32
	Seydisfjordur, Iceland
	Reykjvik, Iceland
	Ivigtut, Greenland
	Cartwright, Labrador                         07/26/32
	Montreal, Canada
	Ottawa, Canada                               07/30/32
	Lake Saint Clair, Detroit, MI
	Chicago, IL                                  08/02/32
	Milwaukee, WI
	Minneapolis, MN
	Winnipeg, Canada
	Prince Rupert, Canada
	Juneau, Alaska
	Yakutat, Alaska
	Cordova, Alaska
	Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands
	Kanaga, Aleutian Islands
	Attu, Aleutian Islands
	Paramuschir, Russia
	Nemuro, Japan
	Tokyo, Japan                                 09/04/32
	Nagoya, Japan
	Kagoshima, Japan
	Shanghai, China                              09/24/32
	Hong Kong
	Manila, Philippines                          09/29/32
	Zamboanga, Borneo
	Surabaya, Indonesia
	Batavia, (Djarkarta) Indonesia
	Rangoon, Burma
	Akyab, Burma
	Chilka Lake, India
	Colombo, Ceylon
	Bombay, India
	Karachi, Pakistan
	Bander Abbas, Iran
	Basra, Iraq
	Baghdad, Iraq
	Cypern, Turkey
	Athens, Greece
	Rome, Italy
	Genoa, Italy
	Lake Constance, Germany                      11/09/32
Arrived List, Germany                                11/23/32			

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