MOSCOW, July 12, 1938 (UP) - Howard Hughes, dashing around the world on a record-breaking flight from New York, brought his two-motored plane down tonight at Omsk, Siberia, at 9 P.M. Moscow time (2 P.M. New York time), completing a flight of 1,437 miles from Moscow.
On its arrival here, the plane was 6,763 miles out of New York in an elapsed time of 42 hours and 40 minutes.
It was well ahead of the record set by the late Wiley Post on his solo flight around the world in 1933, although there was no exact comparison at this point, because Post did not stop at Omsk.
The landing was without incident. He was expected to refuel and take off immediately from Yakutsk.
From New York to Paris in 16 hours and 31 minutes; from Paris to Moscow in 7 hours 41 minutes -- records were shattered as the scientifically-equipped plane conquered space and time.
When they left here for Omsk, the next scheduled stop, at 1:31 P.M. (6:31 A.M., New York time), the fliers were only a little more than 35 hours elapsed time from New York. Their actual flying time was 24 hours and 22 minutes, at an average speed of 213 miles.
They had arrived here in brilliant weather after a flight of 1,675 miles from Paris and 5,316 miles from New York, at 11:15 A.M. (4:15 A.M. Eastern daylight time).
As they took off, after a pause of only 2 hours and 16 minutes, they were gaining steadily on the round-the-world record of 7 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes set by the late Wiley Post in 1933.
Hughes had left Le Bourget Airdrome, Paris, with his four companions at 8:24 P.M. (Eastern daylight time) yesterday in their silver monoplane New York World's Fair 1939.
Flying over central and eastern Europe high above thick cloud banks, in constant danger if they flew too low or permitted ice to form on the plane, the aviators made the Paris-Moscow stage, second of their flight, in 7 hours 51 minutes.
As they arrived they were 32 hours and 55 minutes out of Floyd Bennett Airport, which they left at 7:20 P.M. (Eastern daylight time) Sunday.
They had halved, in their flight from New York to Paris, the time made by Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh in his solo flight in 1927; when they reached Moscow they were 17 hours 15 minutes ahead of the time Post made in 1933, flying by way of Berlin.
Leaving as quickly as they did, Hughes and his companions gained another 36 minutes on Post, who remained here 2 hours and 52 minutes, and they were now 17 hours 51 minutes ahead of the Post record.
They would have gained another ten minutes, but that one of the silver monoplane's two motors did not function well when they taxied round the central airport for their take-off. But the two motors roared in perfect key after the brief delay, and the fliers made an excellent take-off.
A roar of cheers went up from the big crowd here as Hughes and his men headed for Siberia.
Hughes had planned at first to fly direct to Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, for a third stage of 2,281 miles. But as he took off he said he would make for Omsk, approximately 800 miles this side of it on the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Hughes, Richard Stoddart, radio engineer; Thomas L. Thurlow and Harry P. McLean Connor, navigators, and Edward Lund, engineer-mechanic, had 9,394 miles to go to Floyd Bennett Airport to complete their world flight.
Hughes and his companions were unexcited by a flight that was making aviation history.
"We had fine weather and no trouble whatever," Hughes said. "On the first part we had bad visibility until we reached Warsaw. Then it became clearer continually, with a strong west wind."
It was sunshiny when the fliers reached here. But below them, as they crossed sleeping Europe this morning, danger lay at all times.
There was a tail wind. But even when they flew at 17,300 feet they were just skimming on top of clouds that extended almost to the ground. Every time the plane tried to get down through the clouds a deadly film of ice began to form on it. It was raining a great part of the way.
Awaiting the fliers at the Central Airport here were Russian authorities and members of the American Legation staff, including Stuart E. Grummon, first secretary; Charles E. Bohlen, second secretary; Norris B. Chipman, third secretary, and Major Frank B. Hayne, assistant military attach
