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Show MARS SETS RECORDS The Navy's cargo flying boat, the Mars, the largest plane in the world, has completed its first war mission, setting a record non-stop cargo flight. It carried 13,000 pounds of Christmas mail from Patuxent, Maryland, to Natal Brazil, Bra-zil, a distance of 4,375 miles. The ship averaged 452 miles an hour. Leaving Natal, the Mars carried car-ried 23,000 pounds of cargo to Vellam, Brazil, 977 miles away. From Velam ,the ship next transported trans-ported o5,000 pounds of cargo to Port au Spain, Trinidad. This was the greatest air cargo ever carried car-ried by a single plane. On her next flight, the Mars took 23,000 pounds to Bermuda and then brought 27,000 pounds of war materials to Patuxent. The ship covered 8,972 miles in 55 hours and 31 minutes of flying time. The ship has a wing span of 200 feet and four Wright Cyclone Cy-clone engines, delivering 2,200 horsepower. It weighs 72,000 lbs., empty, or about twice the weight of a Flying- Fortress. |