LOCKHEED VEGA Model 1 NC34E
EARLY ENDURANCE RECORD
This airplane is a Lockheed Vega Model 1
(S/N 35; ATC #49) manufactured in January 1929 by Lockheed
Aircraft Corporation, Burbank,
CA. It left the factory with a Wright Whirlwind
engine (S/N 9302). It was a five-place airplane.
NC34E was licensed to the Lockheed Corporation with an “NX” registration. It
was to be used for an endurance flight attempt by Lockheed
test pilot Herbert Fahy (landed at Tucson six times; five
times in Lockheeds). Fahy set a new solo endurance
record of 36 hours 56 minutes on May 28-29 over Burbank,
CA.
Just before the record-setting flight, NC34E landed at Tucson
on February 9th and March 2, 1929, both times flown by C.A.
Burrows carrying one passenger (H. Moffett on the 9th). They
were eastbound on 2/9 from Los
Angeles, CA to El Paso, TX. On
March 2nd their route was reversed. This was probably
a month-long business trip to the east.
A little over two months after the record flight, on August
4, 1929, NC34E suffered an accident at Flint, MI. The
pilot, E.L. Benway, carried three passengers. There
is no record of injuries or fatalities. The airplane
acquired a broken fuselage, as well as damage to the landing
gear and wing. It was termed “washed out” and
the license was cancelled as of the accident date. No
further information.
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UPLOADED: 04/15/06 REVISED: 02/20/09
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