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How long did Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett’s 1926 flight last?

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Richard E. Byrd stands on a ship deck in heavy fur clothing and a leather cap, holding a sundial compass during an Antarctic expedition. — Richard E. Byrd Richard E. Byrd.

The 1926 flight by Richard E. Byrd and pilot Floyd Bennett lasted 15 1/2 hours.1

On May 9, 1926, the two men flew from King’s Bay, Spitsbergen, Norway, claiming to have reached the North Pole and returned. While the flight was initially celebrated as a historic achievement, the discovery of Byrd’s diary in 1996 cast doubt on whether they actually reached the pole, as the entries suggested they turned back approximately 150 miles (240 km) short of their destination due to an oil leak.1