Any aviation history experts here?
I want to know the route it **actually **took. My search for an authentic source went futile.
I just had a look through the archive at work and found this from The Times (of London), November 25, 1924, page 13:
I have a PDF of the whole article if you would like a copy?
Yes! Please send me a copy.
Dope is an amzing place,with wonderful dopers.:)
Thanks a lot Colophon!
I’ve just emailed you a copy, indian.
Hi Indian!
now, answering this question might need a Native of KLM-Country :). As I´me born and raised near the Amsterdam Airport “Schiphol” my interset is of course with Airplanes an specially KLM.
Well, here the Answer: KLM was directed by a strong visionary man; Albert Plesman. Mr. Plesman was a former WW I-Pilot and a utmost strong believer of civil Aviation. He “inventend” one of the first regulary flightroutes way back in 1919 and regulary in 1920, witch is still used today: the Route Amsterdam-London. A prove of his far sight can be seen in the fact, that KLM is (one of the rare) oldest Airlines still running under his original name. KLM stands for Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (and formerly added by) voor de Nederlanden en de Kolonien (Royal Dutch Airline Company for the Netehrlads and Colonies). Well, a big Name, so action to connect Holland with later Indornesia had to be taken. Remind, the “Imperial Airlines” were good in buisiness, and it would have been easy for them, to make a route via later Indornesia to Australia, so competitors were on the road.
The 1924 flight was a one-Time adventureand, as often, sponsored by companies and private entrepeneurs. So a Commitee was put up to get the things started. As mentioned in the regularies, “the goal is not … as from a sportive nature, the goal is to … investigate, how a world-spannig Arline system can be developed”. A fast Connection to the Far East is not soley an english interest, … Netherlands Interest are crucial as to national (pride) and economical interests". So far the manifesto. The route was adventurous, as the routes were strong depending on english infrastructure as Fuel and Radio-Beacons were accounted. But on the first of october 1924 a nimble Fokker F 7 with one Rolls-Royce line water cooled motor (cylinders in line, like a car-motor, instead of the more common radial motor as often seen later on Fokkers ) started from Schiphol Airfield. a vast 15.000 kilometres were laying ahead. The route would be taken in 22 etappes (see below) and they started escorted by ten military biplanes. Whole the Nation was fevering live or at the wireless at home! Things went well on the first two routes, but things went wrong at the third etappe between Belgrado and Konstantiopel (now Instambul). Nothing was heared an the plane was thougt vanished in the transylvanian mountains. What happened? The motor was loosing cooling water and was running hot. Power was lost rapidly so they had to land: they were lucky, as they just passed mountainious aerias, the Plane managed to reach a grassland-aerea, were they made an emergency-landing with the result of loosing the left landingwheel and, of course, the motor “gone”. Nobody spoke english in near-Transylvania and communication with Amsterdam was the first headace… A new motor for DFL 12.000 was needed and had to be financed! So a national savingsaction was started and thanks to an offer of the dutch weekly “life”-magazine, a motor was bought and transported and fixed on the plane. By the way, servian officials stopped the transport oft the old motor to Holland and wanted a export-allowance… Well, one month later, on the 3rd of November, the voyage was continued at last. The Data I´lle post separately below.
Hi Indian!
now, answering this question might need a Native of KLM-Country :). As I´me born and raised near the Amsterdam Airport “Schiphol” my interset is of course with Airplanes an specially KLM.
Well, here the Answer: KLM was directed by a strong visionary man; Albert Plesman. Mr. Plesman was a former WW I-Pilot and a utmost strong believer of civil Aviation. He “inventend” one of the first regulary flightroutes way back in 1919 and regulary in 1920, witch is still used today: the Route Amsterdam-London. A prove of his far sight can be seen in the fact, that KLM is (one of the rare) oldest Airlines still running under his original name. KLM stands for Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (and formerly added by) voor de Nederlanden en de Kolonien (Royal Dutch Airline Company for the Netehrlands and Colonies). Well, a big Name, so action to connect Holland with the dutch East Indies (later Indornesia) had to be taken. Remind, the “Imperial Airlines” were good in buisiness, and it would have been easy for them, to make a route via (later) Indornesia to Australia, so competitors were on the road.
The 1924 flight was a one-Time adventure and, as often, sponsored by companies and private entrepeneurs. So a Commitee was put up to get the things started. As mentioned in the regularies, “the goal is not … as from a sportive nature, the goal is to … investigate, how a world-spannig Arline system can be developed”. “A fast Connection to the Far East is not soley an english interest, … Netherlands Interest are crucial as to national and economical interests”. So far the manifesto.
The route was adventurous, as the routes were strong depending on english infrastructure as Fuel and Radio-Beacons was accounted. But on the first of october 1924 a nimble Fokker F 7 with one Rolls-Royce line water cooled motor (cylinders in line, like a car-motor, instead of the more common radial motor as often seen later on Fokkers ) started from Schiphol Airfield. a vast 15.800 kilometres were laying ahead. The route would be taken in 22 etappes (see below) and they started escorted by ten military biplanes. Whole the Nation was fevering live or at the wireless at home! Things went well on the first two routes, but things went wrong at the third etappe between Belgrado and Konstantiopel (now Instambul). Nothing was heared an the plane was thougt vanished in the transylvanian mountains. What happened? The motor was loosing cooling water and was running hot. Power was lost rapidly so they had to land: they were lucky, as they just passed mountainious aerias. The Plane managed to reach a grassland-aerea, were they made an emergency-landing with the result of loosing the left landingwheel and, of course, the motor “gone”. Nobody spoke english in near-Transylvania and communication with Amsterdam was the first headace… A new motor for DFL 12.000 was needed and had to be financed! So thanks to an offer of the dutch weekly “life”-magazine, a motor was bought and transported and fixed on the plane. By the way, servian officials stopped the transport oft the old motor to Holland and wanted a export-allowance…
Well, one month later, on the 3rd of November, the voyage was continued at last. The Data were:
3 rd November Philipoppel-Constaninopel
4th November Constantiopel-Angora
5th November Angora-Allepo
6th November Allepo-Bagdad: via Anatolia (Turkey) The Taurus-Mountains were too high for the plane, so they sought for valleys and a slope and found them…
7th November Bagdad Bushire
8th November Bushire-Bandar Abbas
9th November Badar-Abbas-Karachi
10th November Karachi-Ambala
Problems with landing due to birds, compass and … the motor again
12th November Ambala-Allahabad
13th November Allahabad-Calcutta
14th November Calcutta-Akyab
15th November Akyab-Rangoon
17th November Rangoon-Bankok
18th November Bankok-Sengora
Motor running irregulary, Valves were cleaned
21th November Sengora-Medan (Sumatra) the Dutch-East Indian soil was reached!
On the 24th of November Batavia (Djakarta) was reached at last! The first Air Mail was delivered to the post office. The Pilots Mr. van der Hoop was granted “Officer to the Order of Oranje Nassau”, Mr. van Weerden-Poelman as Knight to the order and the much proved technician, Mr. van der Broeke, recieved a gold-Medal, but for recieveing the justified Knight of the Order he had to wait until 40 Years after in 1964. He recalled to the Captain: “Sir, I have been sitting for over 127 Hours, 16 Minutes an 20 Seconds in that little flying Doghut, kicking sometimes to the only navigational Aid, the compass. We couldn´t say those days; boys, put ´er on the autopilot, time to read the morningpaper. No, we flew over hasardous jungles, made landings on improvasised airstrips and the whole time my Fate was in your hand, Mr. van der Hoop! You brought me save home over those 15.000 kilometres. I say a thank you from the bottom of my hart for this sake, even after 40 Years!”
Nowadays you can even take a shower in a A 380 doing the same route. But please think of those, who dared to take the route with nothing but just a little fluid-compass…
Note for any reader: I used many “old” Names for Cities and Counties, as I translated this true Story from Dutch reports from 1924. If anyone feel offended thereby, I sincerely excuse herewith. Sincerely Harry_Holland
Harry_Holland
Thank you for the details. 
I did research this and found some websites which gave the same information.
Colophon sent me a copy of the article covered by his newspaper..And was kind enough to do another search for me.
I loooove the dope.
And was it my question that made you sign up for the SDMB?
regards
Indian