▁releases ▁immediately ▁before ▁the ▁flight , ▁the ▁US ▁Navy ▁referred ▁to ▁it ▁as ▁" The ▁Tru cul ent ▁T urt le ". ▁ ▁Lo aded ▁with ▁fuel ▁in ▁extra ▁t anks ▁fitted ▁in ▁pract ically ▁every ▁spare ▁space ▁in ▁the ▁aircraft , ▁" The ▁T urt le " ▁set ▁out ▁from ▁Per th , ▁Australia ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁With ▁a ▁crew ▁of ▁four ▁( and ▁a ▁nine - month - old ▁gray ▁k ang ar oo , ▁a ▁gift ▁from ▁Australia ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁Z oo ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C .) ▁the ▁aircraft ▁set ▁off ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁with ▁a ▁R AT O ▁( ro cket - ass isted ▁take off ). ▁ 2 ▁ 1 / 2 ▁days ▁( 5 5 h , ▁ 1 8 m ) ▁later , ▁" The ▁T urt le " ▁touched ▁down ▁in ▁Columb us , ▁Ohio , ▁ ▁from ▁its ▁starting ▁point . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁longest ▁un - ref ue led ▁flight ▁made ▁to ▁that ▁point ▁be ating ▁the ▁uno fficial ▁record ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁who ▁had ▁made ▁a ▁ ▁flight ▁in ▁a ▁T ach ik awa ▁Ki - 7 7 . ▁This ▁would ▁stand ▁as ▁the ▁absolute ▁un ref ue led ▁distance ▁record ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁( be aten ▁by ▁a ▁US AF ▁Bo eing ▁B - 5 2 ▁Str at of ort ress ), ▁and ▁would ▁remain ▁as ▁a ▁p ist on - eng ined ▁record ▁until