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The Flying Irishman (1939)

The Flying Irishman (1939)

Drama

See the "inside story" of his flight in this exciting drama of life!

Release Date: 1939, April 7
Directors: Leigh Jason
Countries: United States of America
Production: RKO Radio Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures
Cast: Charles Williams, J.M. Kerrigan, Louis Jean Heydt, Frank Coghlan Jr., Frank Faylen, Lee Phelps, Milton Kibbee, Philip Morris, Joyce Compton, Don Barclay, Leon Belasco, Olaf Hytten

Overview:

This is the story of the historic 1938 flight of Douglas 'Wrong Way' Corrigan. Mr. Corrigan starred in this film, which chronicled his infamous flight. On July 17, 1938, Mr. Corrigan loaded 320 gallons of gasoline (40 hours worth) into the tiny, single engine plane. While expressing his intent to fly west to Long Beach, CA, Mr. Corrigan flew out of Floyd Bennett Field heading east over the Atlantic. Instrumentation in the plane included two compasses (both malfunctioned) and a turn-and-bank indicator. The cabin door was held shut with baling wire. Nearly 29 hours later, he landed in Baldonnel near Dublin. He forever claimed to be surprised at arriving in Ireland rather than California. He returned to the US as a hero, with a ticker tape parade in New York and received numerous medals and awards.

Keywords:

pilot irish-american aviator