Long distance Naval flight

 In 1925 the US Navy, wanting to show they were up with aviation times, attempted a non-stop California- Hawaii flight with two PN-9 flying boats. These were an American development of the British Felixstowe F-5. Two aircraft were used, one was forced to land on the water only 300 miles after takeoff. It was rescued and towed back to San Francisco. The second plane flew 1841 miles before it ran out of fuel and was also forced to ditch in the sea. The crew jury-rigged sails from wing fabric and sailed another 450 miles in 10 days before being rescued off the coast of the island of Kauai. Hard to believe that was 99 years ago.

 The plane was later used in another long distance flight over the Caribbean where it was forced to ditch once again. This time it was sunk as a navigation hazard.