The Last Start of the Liberty V-12

The Douglas World Cruiser replica 'Seattle II' sounds off for the last time before heading to its new museum home.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, June 14, 2024 at 09:37 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

The 'Seattle II' is a reproduction of a Douglas World Cruiser. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

Pilot Robert "Bob" Dempster and his wife Diane spent over two decades building a reproduction of a 1920s Douglas World Cruiser, the Seattle II, with the help of numerous volunteers.
Their initial plan to fly the Seattle II around the world in 2024 to commemorate the original flight's 100th anniversary was canceled due to insurmountable geopolitical issues.
The Seattle II has been donated to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, where it is hoped to be displayed in the Great Gallery.
A bittersweet final engine start-up ceremony was held for the Seattle II, marking its last operation before moving to the museum.

See a mistake? Contact us.

When something has been part of your life for more than 20 years, it can be hard to say goodbye, especially when that something is an airplane you lovingly built from the ground up.

Pilot Robert “Bob” Dempster and his aviatrix wife, Diane, know this only too well as the couple—with the help of several dozen volunteers—built a reproduction of a Douglas World Cruiser (DWC), the Seattle II. On Saturday they fired up the Liberty V-12 engine for what is likely the last time before the behemoth biplane heads to the Museum of Flight in Seattle.