Umberto Nobile (January 21, 1885 - July 30, 1978) was a Italian aeronautical engineer and Arctic explorer. Nobile is notable for having piloted the plane that made the first sighting of the North Pole, but he was more famous for his airship flights. January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1885 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... A North Pole is the northernmost point on any planet. ... Akron in flight, 2 November 1931 An airship is a buoyant (lighter-than-air) aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ...

On May 11, 1926, alongwith Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his American sponsor Lincoln Ellsworth, he left for Alaska in the airship Norge also designed by him. They flew over the pole and landed in Alaska two days later. This "Rome to Nome" flight resulted in controversy between Nobile and Amundsen as to who deserved the credit for the expedition. May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 1926 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Roald Amundsen Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (July 16, 1872–June 18?, 1928) was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. ... Lincoln Ellsworth (May 12, 1880 - May 26, 1951) was a U.S. explorer. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st)  - Land 1,481,347 km²  - Water 236,507 km² (13. ... The Airship Norge was a medium sized airship that on May 12, 1926 with a crew of 16 led by Roald Amundsen became the first to aviate the North Pole. ...

Nobile returned to the north as undisputed leader with another airship, Italia. The Italia expedition began May 22, 1928, but ended in a crash on the ice the next day. The first international polar rescue effort resulted and a month later Nobile was airlifted to Spitsbergen, headquarters of the search effort. Nobile believed he could direct the rescue of his remaining companions better from Spitsbergen, but when the rescue pilot returned to get the others, he himself crashed. Nobile was accused of abandoning his men and spent the rest of his life defending himself. Airship Italia was the airship used by Umberto Nobile in his quest to trans-navigate the North Pole. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 1928 was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, which is situated in the Arctic Ocean and administered by Norway. ...

Amundsen died flying to Spitsbergen to take part in the search.

The story of this disastrous expedition is recounted in the movie The Red Tent.

See also

• List of explorers
• List of firsts

See also explorations, sea explorers, astronaut, conquistador, travelogue, the History of Science and Technology and Biography. ... This is a list of the first man/woman/animal/object etc. ...

External link

• Umberto Nobile ~ The North Pole Flights (http://members.tripod.com/90north/nobilenorthpole.htm)