Douglas World Cruiser The Douglas World Cruiser ( DWC ) was developed to meet a requirement from the United States Army Air Service for an aircraft suitable for an attempt at the first flight around the world . The Douglas Aircraft Company responded with a modified variant of their DT torpedo bomber , the DWC . Five aircraft were ordered for the round - the - world flight , one for testing and training and four for the actual expedition . The success of the World Cruiser bolstered the international reputation of the Douglas Aircraft Company . The design of the DWC was later modified to create the O - 5 observation aircraft , which was operated by the Army Air Service . Design and development . In 1923 , the U . S . Army Air Service was interested in pursuing a mission to be the first to circumnavigate the earth by aircraft , a program called " World Flight " . Donald Douglas proposed a modified Douglas Aircraft Company DT to meet the Army ' s needs . The two - place , open cockpit DT biplane torpedo bomber had previously been supplied to the Navy , thus shortening production time for the new series . The DTs to be modified were taken from the assembly lines at the company ' s manufacturing plants in Rock Island , Illinois and Dayton , Ohio . Douglas promised that the design could be completed within 45 days after receiving a contract . The Air Service agreed and lent Lieutenant Erik Nelson , a member of the War Department planning group , to assist Douglas . Nelson worked directly with Douglas at the Santa Monica , California factory , to formulate the new proposal . The modified aircraft known as the Douglas World Cruiser ( DWC ) , powered by a 420 hp Liberty L - 12 engine , also was the first major project for Jack Northrop who designed the fuel system for the series . The conversion involved incorporating a total of six fuel tanks in wings and fuselage . For greater range , the total fuel capacity went from 115 gallons ( 435 liters ) to 644 gallons ( 3 , 438 liters ) . Other changes from the DT involved having increased cooling capacity , as well as adding two separate tanks for oil and water . To ensure a more robust structure , a tubular steel fuselage , strengthened bracing , a modified wing of 49 ft ( 15 m ) wingspan and larger rudder was required . The dual cockpits for the pilot and copilot / crewman were also located more closely together with a cutout in the upper wing to increase visibility . Like the DT , the DWC could be fitted with either floats or a conventional landing gear for water or ground landings . Two different radiators were available , with a larger version for tropical climes . After the prototype was delivered in November 1923 , upon the successful completion of tests on 19 November , the Army commissioned Douglas to build four production series aircraft . Due to the demanding expedition ahead , spare parts , including 15 extra Liberty engines , 14 extra sets of pontoons , and enough replacement airframe parts for two more aircraft were specified and sent to way points along the route . The last aircraft was delivered on 11 March 1924 . Operational history . From 17 March 1924 , the pilots practiced in the prototype which served as a training aircraft . On 6 April 1924 , the four expedition aircraft , named " Boston " , " Chicago " , " New Orleans " and " Seattle " , departed Sand Point , Washington , near Seattle , Washington . " Seattle " , the lead aircraft , crashed in Alaska on 30 April . The other three aircraft with " Chicago " assuming the lead , continued west across Asia and Europe relying on a carefully planned logistics system , including prepositioned spare engines and fuel caches maintained by the U . S . Navy and Coast Guard , to keep the aircraft flying . The " Boston " was forced down and damaged beyond repair in the Atlantic , off the Faroe Islands . The remaining two aircraft continued across the Atlantic to North America , where they were joined by the " Boston II " at Pictou , Nova Scotia . The recently re - christened prototype continued with the flight back to Washington and on the World Flight ' s ceremonial flypast across the United States . The three surviving aircraft returned to Seattle on 28 September 1924 . The flight covered 23 , 942 nm ( 44 , 342 km ) . Time in flight was 371 hours , 11 minutes and average speed , 70 miles per hour . Company . After the success of the World Cruiser , the Army Air Service ordered six similar aircraft as observation aircraft , retaining the interchangeable wheel / float undercarriage , but with much less fuel and two machine gun s on a flexible mounting in the rear cockpit . These aircraft were initially designated DOS ( Douglas Observation Seaplane ) , but were redesignated O - 5 in May 1924 . The success of the DWC established Douglas Aircraft Company among the major aircraft companies of the world and led it to adopt the motto " First Around the World - First the World Around " . The company also adopted a logo that showed aircraft circling a globe , replacing the original winged heart logo . Survivors . In returning to their starting point , during the ceremonial flight across the United States , when the aircraft made it to Chicago for a celebration attended by thousands , Lieutenant Smith , as the spokesman for the mission , addressed the crowd . Eddie Rickenbacker , the celebrated flying ace and chair of the welcoming committee , formally requested that the " Chicago , " as the mission flagship , to remain in its host city , donated to the Field Museum of Natural History . Major General Mason M . Patrick , Chief of the Air Service , was on hand to accept the request , and promised its formal consideration . Upon the request of the Smithsonian Institution , however , the U . S . War Department transferred ownership of the " Chicago " to the national museum . It made its last flight , from Dayton , Ohio to Washington , D . C . , on 25 September 1925 . It was almost immediately put on display in the Smithsonian ' s Arts and Industries Building . In 1974 , the " Chicago " was restored under the direction of Walter Roderick , and transferred to the new National Air and Space Museum building for display in their " Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight " exhibition gallery . Beginning in 1957 , the " New Orleans " was displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton , Ohio . The aircraft was on loan from the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and was returned in 2005 . Since February 2012 , the " New Orleans " is to be a part of the exhibits at the Museum of Flying , Santa Monica , California . The wreckage of the " Seattle " was recovered and is now on display in the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum . The original " Boston " sank in the North Atlantic , and it is thought that the only surviving piece of the original prototype , the " Boston II " , is the aircraft data plate , now in a private collection , and a scrap of fuselage skin , in the collection of the Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum in Poplar Grove , Illinois . Reproduction aircraft . Bob Dempster of Seattle , Washington , is in the process of constructing an airworthy reproduction Douglas World Cruiser , the " Seattle II " . When done , he hopes to repeat the around - the - world flight .