The ambitious 1957 flight that circled the globe with the US Air Force

History · Published 4 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On January 18, 1957, five aircraft departed from California to execute one of the most significant peacetime missions in United States Air Force history.

Operation Power Flite was a massive undertaking involving five planes that took off from Castle Air Force Base in California. Described as one of the most colorful and vital peacetime operations ever conducted by the Air Force, the mission represented a major feat of aviation and logistics during the mid-20th century.

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