(above) Wiley Post (left) and his navigator on
the around the world flight, Harold Gatty.
Photos
from the Alaska Trip
with Will Rogers in August 1935
(above & below) The last photos taken on August 15, 1935
More photos
from the Alaska Trip
(above) Wiley Post
observes the fueling of his Lockheed Orion-Explorer. (below) Will
Rogers exiting the airplane with Post at the controls.
(above) Wiley Post
and Will Rogers during their fateful trip to Alaska. Post never wore a
hat.
Will Rogers
(Right) This
is the Lockheed-Orion Model 9E Special, NC122823, formerly owned by TWA,
that was modified by Wiley Post for his trip to Alaska. Among other
modifications, Post replaced the engine with a 550 horsepower type,
installed a three-bladed variable pitch propeller, swapped out the wing
with one that was six feet longer from a Lockheed-Explorer Model 7
Special, NR101W, that had fixed landing gear, and then replaced the
landing gear with floats.
(Right) This
is the Lockheed-Orion Model 9E Special, NC122823, formerly owned by TWA,
that was modified by Wiley Post for his trip to Alaska. Among other
modifications, Post replaced the engine with a 550 horsepower type,
installed a three-bladed variable pitch propeller, swapped out the wing
with one that was six feet longer from a Lockheed-Explorer Model 7
Special, NR101W, that had fixed landing gear, and then replaced the
landing gear with floats.