Launching from Philadelphia at the Naval Aircraft Factory, a PN-12 seaplane (P for mission - Patrol, N for manufacturer - Naval Aircraft Factory) piloted by LT's Arthur Gavin and Zeus Soucek, flew from 03 May until 05 May for a total of 36 hours and 1 minute, setting the world duration record for Class C seaplanes.
The PN-12 was a seaplane developed from the Felixstowe F5L flying boat of the First World War by the Naval Aircraft Factory at Philadelphia. Characteristics
- Crew: Five
- Length: 49 ft 2 in (14.99 m)
- Wingspan: 72 ft 10 in (22.21 m)
- Height: 16 ft 9 in (5.11 m)
- Wing area: 1,217 ft² (113.1 m²)
- Airfoil: USA 27
- Empty weight: 7,699 lb (3,500 kg)
- Loaded weight: 14,122 lb (6,419 kg)
- Power plant: 2× Wright R-1750 D Cyclone 9-cylinder single row radial engine, 525 hp (392 kW) each
- Maximum speed: 99 knots (114 mph, 184 km/h) at sea level
- Range: 1,139 nm (1,310 mi, 2,109 km)
- Service ceiling: 10,900 ft (3,300 m)
- Wing loading: 11.6 lb/ft² (56.8 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.074 hp/lb (0.12 kW/kg)
- Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m): 16 min
- Single .30 in (7.62 mm) calibre machine guns in bow and amidships cockpits
- Four 230 lb (105 kg) bombs underwing
LT Zeus Soucek would resign from the Navy in 1929, but his older brother Apollo, who was a famous naval aviator and test pilot in his own right, was a Vice Admiral when he retired in 1955 . The Naval Air Station Oceana airfield was named for him, Apollo Soucek Airfield, in 1957.