Originally Posted by
Sabai
If I recall correctly, refueling stops were also needed with jets. I remember flying PA 747-100s transpacs and there were stops where we took on fuel. I think the 747SP was designed to obviate the need for these.
Thanks for that addition. I was puzzled by recalling more than one stop on those atolls, despite the fact that I think only the 1953 trip was on non-jets.
Originally Posted by
east_of_the_sun
I'm an Army brat and I remember a bit of our mid-1950's landing on Wake Island to refuel on a Tokyo-SFO flight. I don't remember what the airport looked like on Wake, but I seem to recall that the runway began only a few feet from the water's edge.
I think our flight took about 36 hours as well.
I'm sure that MATS flight felt like an Eternity to my parents, but my brother and I thought it was very cool.
It was very cool! On our 1953 trip my dad's company flew us in first class, a practice that changed after the advent of jets. The airplane seats made into beds and additional berths dropped down from the ceiling, all rather like train compartments. The berths were wide enough to accommodate my sister and me together at ages 9 and 10.