Back Up Top

- The Italia expedition -

A short flight east

Summary

airship Italia heading east from Kings Bay
Date of event: Friday, 11 May 1928 / By hidden europe

Airship Italia heading east from Kings Bay

Although the North Pole was Nobile’s main goal, he and his team were also keen to make a foray eastward from Spitsbergen across what was, at the time, still largely uncharted territory. On 11 May, the Italia took off from Kings Bay, heading east towards Nordaustlandet and Franz-Josef Land. But just three hours out from Kings Bay, the airship ran into bad weather, and Nobile decided to play safe and return to Kings Bay.

hidden europe 1: Feature (1)
Related article

Sea fever

by Nicky Gardner
In Design

When one time English poet laureate John Masefield extolled the lure of the ocean ("I must down to the seas again..."), he clearly didn't have Cunard's luxury Queen Elizabeth II ship or the same company's new super liner Queen Mary in mind.

Read now →
hidden europe 2: Snippet (1)
Related article

Cardinal points

by hidden europe

One travel guide claims that Finisterre is the most westerly point on the European mainland. This is in fact wrong, just as other points that lay claim to special status as geographical extremities are often spurious. We map Europe's extremities.

Read now →
Close