Russell Boardman intended to depart on a transatlantic flight with this aircraft in the weekend of 5 September 1930 but it was severely damaged when catching fire during refuelling at Boston on 4 September (not 2 September). NR761W was rebuilt at a cost of some $25,000 and flew all the way from New York to Istanbul non-stop in July 1931, no longer promoting the 1930 American Legion Convention in Boston. Photo by: Leslie Jones / Boston Public Library

Used for two eastbound transatlantic crossings in 1931 and 1934. The first was flown by Capt Holger Hoérüs with passenger Otto Hillig, of Liberty, NY, who owned it. The plane was named after the town. The destination was Copenhagen but fog forced a diversion to Germany. The second flight was by Polish brothers Bolesław and Jozef Adamowicz. NR797W remained in Poland after the flight. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Bellancas made amazing long-distance flights. Cape Cod flew 8066 km (5012 miles) non-stop from New York to Istanbul in July 1931, piloted by Russell Boardman and John Polando. Photo dated September 1930 by the source but the aircraft, then wearing 'The 1930 American Legion Convention' titles, was severely damaged by fire on 4 September 1930. Repairs cost of $25,000. Photo by: Leslie Jones / Boston Public Library

The J-300 was a long-range version of the CH-300 Pacemaker. Repainted in orange and maroon in preparation, NR13137 took off for a non-stop transatlantic flight to Rome on 13 May 1937, but pilots George Pond and Cesare Sabelli came down in Ireland with a broken fuel line. They 'walked into Lahinch almost unobserved and, going to the Commercial Hotel there, booked rooms and went off to bed'. They eventually reached Rome and embarked on a reverse crossing, but crashed the aircraft into the Mynydd Carningli mountain, Wales, on 19 August. Pond and Sabelli were unhurt. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution