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Steponas Darius and Stasys Girenas were Lithuanian pilots (USA citizens) who made a significant flight in the history of the world's aviation. On July 15, 1933, they flew over the Atlantic Ocean, covering a distance of 3,984 miles (6,411 kilometers) without any landing in 37 hours, 11 minutes. As far as the distance of non-stop flights was concerned, their result ranked second after that of Russell Boardman and John Polando, and it ranked fourth in terms of duration of flight at the time. Though Darius and Girenas had no navigation equipment and flew under unfavorable weather conditions, the flight made by the airmen was one of the most precise in all aviation history at that time and it equaled Charles Lindbergh's classic flight. You can see portraits of Darius and Girenas on the 10 litas note. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Stasys Girenas (born Stasys Girkis October 4, 1893 in Vytogala; died July 17, 1933) was a Lithuanian-American pilot. ... Stepnas Darius (born Steponas Darasius January 8, 1896 in Rubiskes; died July 17, 1933) was a Lithuanian-American pilot. ... Stasys Girenas (born Stasys Girkis October 4, 1893 in Vytogala; died July 17, 1933) was a Lithuanian-American pilot. ... Icarus and Daedalus Humanitys desire to fly probably dates back to the first time prehistoric man observed birds. ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... A mile is any of several units of distance, or, in physics terminology, of length. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ... There are several traditions of navigation. ... Composite satellite image showing the progress of a hurricane weather system approaching the east coast of America Weather comprises all the various phenomena that occur in the atmosphere of a planet. ... Charles Lindbergh with the Spirit of St. ... The Litas (LTL or Lt, Lithuanian plural form Litai) is the official currency of Lithuania. ...

The aircraft

On June 18, 1932, Darius and Girenas purchased a Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker airplane, serial No. 137, registration No. Nc-688 E from Pal-Waukee Company. Since 1929, 40 units of this model were built. It was a single-engine, six-seat, high-wing monoplane. The fuselage was welded chrome-moly steel tubing, fabric covered. The interior of the cabin was covered with sound-absorbing material. The fuselage had side and top windows, with doors on both sides. Wings were of wooden construction, with two spars, fabric covered. Spars and ribs were made of spruce strips and plywood. The wings had two gasoline tanks of 88 US gal (333 L) total capacity. Wing struts were 2/3 wood, 1/3 steel (at the wings) with aero-dynamic steel ribs, fabric covered, giving an additional 47 ft² (4.4 m²) lifting surface. Tail surfaces were made of welded steel tubing; horizontal stabilizer of spruce strips and plywood, with trim-angle adjustable in the flight. Landing gear was a curved steel bar. Wheels 30 × 5 inches (762 by 127 mm). The engine was a Wright J6, radial, air cooled, 9 cylinders, 300 hp (225 kW). June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... AviaBellanca Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft design and manufacturing company. ...

On January 20, 1933, the airplane was moved to E.M. Laird workshops, where she was rebuilt and made suitable for the transatlantic flight. New, elongated wings were built, with two additional gasoline tanks installed in the fuselage, having 220 and 185 US gal. capacity, each tank equipped with emergency dump valves; in the cabin, under the pilot's seat a 25 US gal. oil tank, outfitted with 12 cooling tubes, was placed; a longer, new horizontal stabilizer was built; aero-dynamic wheel pants were installed; the fuselage received a new fabric. A new, higher compression engine, 365 hp (272 kW) Wright Whirlwind J6-9E, ser. No. 12733, had a "speed ring". On March 29, 1933, rebuilding of the airplane was completed, and the registration number was changed to NR-688E. The airplane was painted an orange color. On both sides of the fuselage scrolls with the names of the flight-sponsors were painted. The airplane was given the name "Lituanica" (the word for Lithuania in Latin). January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

The flight

After taking off from New York Floyd Bennet Airfield on July 15, 1933, 6:24 AM EDT, Darius and Girenas in their "Lituanica" successfully crossed the Atlantic, only to perish on July 17, 0:36 AM (Berlin Time) in Kuhdamm village, near Soldin, Germany (now Pszczelnik, Mysliborz area, Poland). The planned route was: New York - Newfoundland - Atlantic Ocean - Ireland - London - Amsterdam - Swinemünde - Königsberg - Kaunas (a total of 7,186 km). Due to weather conditions over Ireland, they changed course to the north and reached Germany via Scotland and the North Sea. In 37 hours and 11 minutes, until the moment of the crash, they had flown 6411 km (over 7000 km in actual flight path), only 650 km short of their goal — Kaunas. A Lithuanian board of investigation appointed to determine the cause of the catastrophe concluded that the pilots were properly qualified to accomplish the mission; from the technical standpoint the airplane was properly outfitted; and the most difficult part of the flight was executed with great precision. The catastrophe occurred (for first time was thought)due to difficult weather conditions combined with engine defects. In vice versa causes nowadays not known, because pilots reached concentration camp of Berlinchen. Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York and abbreviated NYC) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Eastern Daylight Time or EDT is equal to Eastern Standard Time + 1, or UTC - 4. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Éisc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the north-east coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ... London (see also different names) is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... Amsterdam Location Country The Netherlands Province North Holland Population 739,295 (1 January 2005) Coordinates 4°89E - 52°37N Website www. ... Świnoujście (pronounce: [,ɕvinɔujɕtɕȋe], German Swinemünde) is a town in Pomerania, north-western Poland, situated on the islands of Uznam and Wolin with about 41,000 inhabitants (2004). ... Locator map on an international level map of Kaliningrad Oblast Kaliningrad ( Russian: Калининград, German: Königsberg, Polish: Królewiec, Lithuanian Karaliaučius ), seaport city, capital and main city of the Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania with access to the Baltic Sea. ... Kaunas (approximate English transcription [ˈkəʊ.nÉ™s], simplified Lithuanian transcription [kaÅ­nas]; Polish: Kowno, often anglicized as Kovno; Russian Каунас, formerly Ковно), is the second largest city in Lithuania. ...

After death

In July 19th German plane "Deruluft" carried bodies of pilots. Kaunas met heroes, but in oak coffins. Funeral was very great, so most people remembering, when pilots prepared for flight, Lithuanian governiment had not give any cent. They remembered great words of Russian poet N. Nekrasov: "They can understand only deads". In 1936 Lithuanian governiment decide built mausoleum, for pilots. There was chosen project by V. Landsbergis-Zemkalnis. Kaunas (approximate English transcription [ˈkəʊ.nəs], simplified Lithuanian transcription [kaŭnas]; Polish: Kowno, often anglicized as Kovno; Russian Каунас, formerly Ковно), is the second largest city in Lithuania. ...

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