QUESTION MARK (AIRPLANE)

'''Question Mark''' was a modified Fokker C-2 airplane, flown by aviators from the United States Army Air Corps to experiment with aerial refueling. The flight took place on January 1 to January 7, 1929.
The mission was commanded by then Major Carl Spaatz and was also flown by USAAC officers Ira Eaker, Elwood R. Quesada, Harry Halverson and one enlisted man, Master Sergeant Roy W. Hooe. They established an aviation record by keeping the airplane in the air over the Los Angeles vicinity for over 150 hours. The name of the aircraft comes from the standard response that the crew gave prior to the flight when asked how long they planned to stay aloft. Their never-changing response was: "That is the question." The flight finally ended when one of the engines suffered a pushrod failure.
The aircraft was modified to add extra tanks as well as a trap door on the top of the fuselage behind the wing. Two Douglas C-1s took turns refueling them with a hose lowered from the tankers to a waiting crew member standing in the opening. Food and other supplies were also passed on a rope in the same fashion.
All five crew members were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for their participation in the mission. Both Spaatz and Eaker would later serve as (four-star) Generals in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Quesada and Halverson also served in World War II, and became general officers.

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External links

External links

★ Air Force magazine article about the mission

★ USAF Historical Studies Office article about the mission