Glass plate mono negative

American air armada to cross Pacific flight that will eclipse Balbo ' s . An armada of six , huge United States Navy aircraft are to cross the Pacific to Hawaii . This will be the longest , open - water mass flight ever attempted , 2150 nautical miles . Many planes have tried the flight to Hawaii , but only five have succeeded . The mass flight , if successful , will eclipse the feat of Air Marshal Balbo and his Italian armada across the South Atlantic . Photo shows ; three of the Sitka - based P2Y-1 planes , which are to be used in the flight at North Island , San Diego , California . A United States battleship is in the background . 10 January 1934 30s, 30's, 1930s, 1930's, thirties, nineteen thirties