Wilkins Airport, North Attleboro, Mass.

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See links at bottom of page for more info. 

April, 1947

July, 1947

October, 1947

May, 1951

Wilkins Airport Crash – June, 1941

Wilkins Airport Crash – June, 1948    

 Wilkins Airport Fire – 1949

Wilkins Airport Crash – June, 1955

Lippitt Aviation Corp. – 1949

Click on image to enlarge.

The Pawtucket Times
May 18, 1949

Mantup Airfield, Putnam, Connecticut

Mantup Airfield, Putnam, Connecticut

     Mantup Airfield evolved at the Mantup Farm located in the Gary section of Putnam. Connecticut.  The make-shift airport appears to have been established in the late 1920s as a venue for airshows, “barnstormers”, parachute drops, and plane rides.  By the summer of 1930, the airfield had to compete with the newly established Israel Putnam Airport located at the Putnam/Pomfret town line.    Mantup Field was eventually eclipsed by the newer airport, and ceased operations by the mid-1930s.     

Crash at Mantup Airport – April 23, 1929     

Crash at Mantup Airport – November 18, 1929

     Click on images to enlarge.

Putnam Patriot
May 9, 1929

Windham County Observer
November 5, 1930

Windham County Observer
September 14, 1932

Putnam Patriot
August 23, 1934

 

Putnam, Connecticut, Air Meet – 1929

Click here for info on Mantup Field. 

Click on images to enlarge.

Putnam Patriot
May 9, 1929

Windham County Observer
November 5, 1930

Windham County Observer
September 14, 1932

Putnam Patriot
August 23, 1934

Israel Putnam Airport, Pomfret, Connecticut

Israel Putnam Airport     

Putnam Patriot
June 2, 1932

     On June 26, 1930, it was announced in the Putnam Patriot that  Whitman Danielson, and Subbo Nikoloff, both of Putnam, and Mrs. F. W. Goodridge of Pomfret, had formed an association to establish the Putnam Airport Inc.  The airport would be located on the farm of John Larned, and would be known as the Israel Putnam Airport.  The area was ideal for an airport due to its high location.  This airport would exist separate and apart from an existing airfield known as Mantup Field, located in the Gary Section of Putnam.      

     The incorporation for the Putnam Airport began with a capital of $50,000, with $5,000 paid in. 

     In October of 1930, a Colonial Airlines plane had made an emergency landing at the field due to heavy fog conditions.   Not long afterwards, workers began clearing more of the land to expand the field to include a total of 85 to 90 acres.   

     By May of 1932 improvements had been made, but the field still lacked a hangar.  It was also in 1932 that the U. S. Postal Service took an interest in the airport as part of its developing air mail service.  

     In 1933 it was announced that the U. S. Government would take over the airport as part of a ten year lease, and make improvements that would turn it into a “first class airport”.  Construction began in late August/early September of that year.  Improvements included the erection of a large beacon tower. 

     By February of 1935 a radio station for aircraft communications had been established at the airport.   

     It is unknown when the Putnam Airport closed, but newspaper reports indicate that it remained in operation at least until the end of World War II.   

Putnam Patriot
July 13, 1933

Windham County Observer
September 25, 1935

     Sources:

     Putnam Patriot, “Putnam Airport Will Have 85 to 90 Acres”, October 23, 1930. 

     Putnam Patriot, “Government May Take Over Local Airport”, May 9, 1932.  

     Putnam Patriot, “Government To Supervise Airport”, September 21, 1933. 

     Windham County Observer, “Start Erection Of Beacon For Air-Line At Putnam”, November 1, 1933. 

     Windham County Observer, “Putnam Airport Radios Reports To Airplanes”, February 2, 1935.

 

Seekonk, MA.- October 27, 1925

Seekonk, Massachusetts – October 27, 1925

     On the afterno0n of October 27, 1925, what was reportedly “the largest cargo airplane in the world” took off from Hartford, Connecticut, bound for Boston.  The aircraft was a Remington – Burnelli, with an 86 foot wing-span, named the “Miss Essex”.   It carried a crew of three, four passengers, and an Essex automobile.  

     The pilot was an experienced airman with 4,000 flight hours to his credit.

     As the plane was passing near the outskirts of Providence, Rhode Island, at about 3,000 feet, both of its engines suddenly stopped – possibly due to a broken fuel line.  While battling a strong cross wind, the pilot looked for a place to make an emergency landing and aimed for an open area in the town of Seekonk, which borders Providence.  Unfortunately the field wasn’t wide enough to accommodate the large wing-span and the aircraft was wrecked.

     Although the plane had suffered severe damage, the only injury that required medical attention was a laceration to the chin of one of the passengers.  Furthermore, it was reported that the Essex automobile was virtually undamaged from the crash.  

     Source:

     The Pawtucket Times, “Largest Cargo Airplane In World Wrecked By Forced Landing In Seekonk Field”, October 28, 1925

Pawtucket, R. I. , Air Meet – 1928

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Pawtucket Times
October 11, 1928

Colonial Air Transport Inc. – 1925

     Colonial Air transport Inc. was organized on December 12, 1925 in New Haven Connecticut.  

Click on article to enlarge.

New Britain Herald
December 14, 1925, pg. 10

1946 Willimantic, Connecticut, Air Show Ad.

Click on image to enlarge,

Connecticut WWII Civil Air Patrol Articles

Click on images of articles to enlarge. 

Waterbury Democrat
April 29, 1941

Waterbury Democrat
June 10, 1941, p.9

Waterbury Democrat
November 28, 1941, p.13

Waterbury Democrat
January 21, 1942

Waterbury Democrat
January 30, 1942, p.10

Waterbury Democrat
January 30, 1942, p.13

Waterbury Democrat
April 20, 1942, p.3

Waterbury Democrat
July 23, 1942, p.18

Waterbury Democrat
August 4, 1942, p.2

Waterbury Democrat
August 13, 1942, p.8

Waterbury Democrat
August 14, 1942, p.10

Waterbury Democrat
October 21, 1942, p.8

Waterbury Democrat
December 2, 1942, p. 3

Waterbury Democrat
June 19, 1943, p.3

Waterbury Democrat
September 24, 1943, p.2

Waterbury Democrat
October 22, 1943, p.18

Waterbury Democrat
January 7, 1944, p.7

Waterbury Democrat
January 8, 1944, p.3

Waterbury Democrat
April 20, 1944

Waterbury Democrat
September 19, 1944, p.3

Waterbury Democrat
May 2, 1946

 

An Air Traffic Signal in Waterbury, Connecticut – 1932

     By the 1930s the age of mechanical flight was barely 30 years old, and aircraft of that era didn’t contain the modern navigational equipment taken for granted on today’s aircraft.  Therefore, aerial traffic signals directing lost flyers came in many forms such as the one erected on Bunker Hill in the town of Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1932.  

     In April of 1932 it was announced that the newly formed Boy Scout Aeronautic Club of Waterbury planned to aid lost aviators by building a “traffic signal” of sorts atop of Bunker Hill in their town.  The plan was to utilize an open field off Bunker Hill Avenue to create a sign made of stones laid out on the ground stating the name “Waterbury”, above which would be a stone arrow 30 to 40 feet long pointing towards the city.  The stones were to be painted bright chrome yellow to cause them to stand out against the landscape. 

     In addition, beneath the Waterbury sign would be another 30 foot arrow, 8 feet wide, pointing towards Bethany, Connecticut, with “Bethany” spelled out in abbreviated letters.  (Bethany was the nearest airport.)  

     It was further reported that similar signs were planned for the towns of Hopeville and Prospect, which would be created by other Boy Scout troops.  

     Prior to the creation of the Bunker Hill signage, there had been a similar sign painted on the roof of the state armory in Watertown.  The Boy Scout sign, it was thought, would be an vast improvement over the old one. 

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Boy Scouts Plan Erection Of Site At Bunker Hill”, April 7, 1932, pg. 9

Atlantic Ocean – September 4, 1944

Atlantic Ocean – September 4, 1944   

F6F Hellcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On September 4, 1944, Ensign Charles R. Davis was lost on a night training mission over the Atlantic Ocean while piloting an F6F-5N Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70671).  He was assigned to Night Fighter Squadron 106, aka,  VF(n) – 106. 

     Source:

     Information supplied by Larry Webster, aviation historian, Charlestown, R. I. 

How Otis Air Force Base Was Named

     Otis Air Field was named for 2nd Lieutenant Frank Jessie Otis, Jr. who was a flight surgeon with the 101st Observation Squadron of the Massachusetts National Guard.  To see a photo of him click on the link below. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102418618/frank-jesse-otis

     On January 11, 1937, Lt. Otis and an observer, Sgt. John Gibbons, were flying in a National Guard, Douglas O-46 observation plane, from Boston to Moline, Illinois, when the plane crashed Hennepin, Illinois.  Both men were killed.   The cause of the crash is unknown. 

    Although Lt. Otis perished in 1937, Otis Air Field wasn’t officially named for him until December 14, 1940.   It later became known as Otis Air Force Base.

Falmouth Enterprise, (Ma.)
December 20, 1940

     The forgotten man in this situation is the observer who was flying with Lt. Otis on his cross-country flight.  His name is Sergeant John F. Gibbons, (26), of Natick, Massachusetts.  To see a photo of him click on the link below. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131576173/john-f-gibbons

     The article below appeared in The Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.) on January 12, 1937.  

The article below appeared in The Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), on January 12, 1937.  

Waterbury, Connecticut, Airport Ad – 1947

Click on image to enlarge.

Waterbury, Connecticut, Airport Ad – 1946

Bristol, Connecticut, Airport Ad – 1946

Mount Tobe Airport, Plymouth, Connecticut

     Mount Tobe Airport is located in the Greystone section of the town of Plymouth, Connecticut, and is also known as Waterbury Airport.  The concept for building the airport began in 1930, but plans were scrapped shortly thereafter due to lack of funding.  Work was resumed in 1933. 

   Click on images to enlarge. 

Waterbury Democrat
December 14, 1933

Waterbury Democrat
December 14, 1933

Waterbury Democrat
September 13, 1934

Waterbury Democrat
May 19, 1938

Waterbury Democrat
December 27, 1943

Click here for 1940 crash at Mt. Tobe Airport     

Click here for 1944 crash at Mt. Tobe Airport

Click here for April 1946 crash at Mt. Tobe Airport

Click here for May 1946 crash at Mt. Tobe Airport

Click here for June 1946 crash at Mount Tobe Airport

First Airmail Flight In Maine – 1919

Article from the Daily Kennebec Journal, (Maine), October 22, 1919.

Click on images to enlarge. 

Old Orchard Beach School Of Flying – 1919

From the Daily Kennebec Journal, November 4, 1919

Click on image to enlarge.

Newport, ME. – November 13, 1925

Newport, Maine – November 13, 1925

     On November 13, 1925, a severe gale-storm swept through the area of Newport, Maine.  At the Newport Aviation Field, well known aviator George W. Maxim kept his airplane, “The Standard”.  The aircraft was securely tied down, but heavy rains loosened the soil in which the stakes holding the plane down were driven.  Furthermore, winds reportedly reached speeds of 80 mph.  Workers at the airfield noticed that the plane seemed to be straining at the ropes, and attempted to add more ropes, and as they were doing so the aircraft suddenly broke free and was raised up into the air (reportedly) “about as high as a house”. When it came crashing down the damage to the plane was estimated to be $1,500.  There were no injuries to the workers.  

     Source:

      Daily Kennebec Journal, (ME.), “Maxim Airplane Wrecked Friday Storm”, November 14, 1925, page 14. 

Bangor, Maine, Balloon Ascension – 1863

From the Loyal Sunrise, of Fort Fairfield, Maine, October 21, 1863.

 

Presque Isle Balloon Ascension – 1903

From the Fort Fairfield Review, August 26, 1903.

 

Northern Maine Fair Balloon Ascension – 1908

 

From the Fort Fairfield Review, August 26, 1908

Vermont’s First Airport – 1919

Vermont’s First Airport – 1919

     The following article is from The Orleans County Monitor, of Vermont, dated July 16, 1919.

 

Fairfield, CT. – August 18, 1902

Fairfield, Connecticut – August 18, 1902   

 

     On the evening of August 18, 1902, well known aeronaut and performer Clarence C. Bonnette  was performing a balloon ascension and parachute drop at a carnival in the Southport  section of Fairfield.  The performance was going well until he dropped from the balloon.  Just as he was about to land, the parachute became entangled in live electrical wires and his clothing caught fire.  Bonnette was able to disentangle himself, but not before he was severely burned on his left leg and side.     

     Source: The Waterbury (CT.) Democrat, August 19, 1902

     To learn more about Mr. Bonnette, click here.

Louis A. Lauriat Balloon Ascensions – 1830s

Click on images to enlarge. 

Herald Of The Times
(Newport, R. I.)
August 6, 1835

Herald of the Times
(Newport, R. I.)
July 30, 1835

Herald of the Times
(Newport, R. I.)
July 13, 1837

Vermont Phoenix
June 28, 1839

Staunton Spectator & General Advisor
(Staunton, Va.)
July 4, 1839

Click here to learn more about Louis Lauriat

Click here for Lauriant’s Providence balloon ascension

Providence Balloon Ascension – 1835

Click on image to enlarge.

Herald Of The Times
(Newport, R. I.)
August 6, 1835

Portland, ME., Balloon Ascension – 1873

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Portland (ME.) Daily Press
June 27, 1873

Portland (ME.) Daily Press
June 30, 1873

Worcester MA., Balloon Ascension – 1860

Click on images to enlarge.

Worcester Daily Spy
July 2, 1860

Worcester Daily Spy
July 6, 1860

Cape Cottage Park Balloon Ascension – 1898

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The Portland Daily Herald
August 20, 1898

Click here to see: Joseph La Roux Willimantic, Conn. 1896

Rocky Point, R. I. Balloon Ascension – 1907

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From The News Democrat, (Prov., R.I.)
August 14, 1907

Willimantic, CT. – September 30, 1896

Willimantic, Connecticut – September 30, 1896

    On September 30, 1896, Professor Joseph La Roux and his wife were giving a balloon ascension/parachute drop exhibition in Willimantic.  Just after the balloon took off with Mrs. La Roux sitting on a trapeze bar suspended under the gondola,  she lost her grip and fell from an altitude of about forty feet.  As she fell she became entangled in the rope connecting the parachute breaking which softened her fall, but she was till rendered unconscious when she hit the ground.  Still entangled in the rope, she was dragged a “considerable distance”.  Fortunately she didn’t break any bones, and regained consciousness two hours later.

     Later in the day, Professor La Roux was going to attempt another ascension, but the balloon caught fire while being inflated and was destroyed.  

     Source: The Portland Daily Press, (ME.), “Hard Luck Of Prof. And Mrs. La Roux”, October 3, 1896

     Click here for Joseph La Roux Balloon Ascension Ad from 1896

Presque Isle, ME. – November 21, 1956

Presque Isle, Maine – November 21, 1956   

T-33 Trainer Jet
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On November 21, 1956, Air Force Captain Billy Ray Ward, (33), was piloting a T-33 jet aircraft, (Ser. No. 53-6033), from Rome, New York, to Presque Isle, Maine, when the plane crashed in a wooded area about two miles north of the town center.   The cause of the accident is unknown.    

     Captain Ward was the Assistant Operations Officer for the 76th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, and a veteran of World War II.  He is survived by his wife and two children.  He’s buried in Maplewood Park Cemetery in Paducah, Kentucky.    

     To see a photo of Captain Ward, click on the link below. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126750333/billy-ray-ward

     Sources:

     Paducah Sun Democrat, “Paducah Jet Pilot Dies In Crash”, November 22, 1956. 

     www.findagrave.com

     Aviation Safety Network 

Peaks Island, Maine, Balloon – Parachute Drops – 1890s

     Peaks Island is located in Casco Bay, and is part of the City of Portland, Maine.  Click on images to enlarge. 

Portland Daily Press
August 24, 1891

Portland Daily Press
August 26, 1891

Portland Daily Press
August 31, 1892

Portland Daily Press
July 6, 1893

Portland Daily Press

Portland Daily Press
July 22, 1896

Portland Daily Press
July 22, 1896

Portland Daily Press
July 3, 1900

 

Mineral Spring Airport, R. I.

     Mineral Spring Airport is one of Rhode Island’s lost/forgotten airfields.  It opened in the summer of 1945 and was in business until 1955.  It was named for Mineral Spring Avenue which is the main thoroughfare through the town of North Providence.  Despite being named Mineral Spring Airport, it was actually located on Angell Road in the town of Lincoln, just over the North Providence town line.    

     The airport appears to have been operated by American Aircraft Inc., and was known for renting small planes such as Piper Cubs, Taylorcraft, and Aeroncas, and giving flight lessons. 

     In 1951 the State of Rhode Island opened North Central Airport on the Lincoln – Smithfield town line.  At the same time the former Smithfield Airport was still in operation.   

Click on map to enlarge. 

Hull, MA. – March 4, 1930

Hull, Massachusetts – March 4, 1930

     On March 4, 1930, a 19-year-old pilot took off from Rockland, Maine, in a Moth airplane bound for Boston to take a course to qualify for his transport pilot’s license.  The pilot became disoriented, and landed at Brockton Airport.  After receiving directions to Boston, he took off again, but then ran low on fuel and made an emergency crash landing in a field off Nantasket Avenue in Hull. The plane was wrecked but the pilot was not seriously injured.      

     Source:

     New Britain Herald, (CT.), “Student Pilot Wrecks Plane In Forced Landing”, March 5, 1930, pg. 8. 

Webster, MA. – April 30, 1929

Webster, Massachusetts – April 30, 1929

     On the night of April 30, 1929, a U. S. Mail plane belonging to Colonial Air Transport, Inc. was attempting to take off from the Webster – Dudley Air Field when the aircraft failed to gain sufficient speed on the muddy field and crashed into a stone wall.  The plane was bound for Hartford, Connecticut, when the crash occurred.  The pilot, and his passenger, the night supervisor of the New York – Newark, N.J. line, were not injured. 

     Source: New Britain Herald, (Conn.), “Plane Wrecked In Webster”, May 1, 1929.         

Dow Air Force Base, ME. – August 23, 1952

 

F-80C Shooting Star
U.S. Air Force Photo

     In the early morning hours of August 23, 1952, a Maine Air National Guard F-80C Shooting Star, (Ser. No. 48-865), was taking off from Dow Air Force Base when it lost power and crashed and burned.   Although the aircraft was destroyed, the pilot escaped with only minor injuries. 

     Source:

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Jet Crashes, Pilot Escapes”, August 23, 1952

     Maine Wreck Chasers website 

Livermore, ME. – April 18, 1932

Livermore, Maine – April 18, 1932

     On April 18, 1932, two men were flying in a small airplane when it inexplicably dove into the rocky bank of the Androscoggin River near Livermore Falls. The plane exploded on impact and both men perished. 

     The men were identified as James Malloy, 30, of Berlin, New Hampshire, and Fred J. Maxwell, 22, of Livermore Falls. 

     The type of aircraft is unknown. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/240988450/james-malloy

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188730989/freddie-j-maxwell

     Sources:

     Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Two Maine Flyers Die”, April 18, 1932, Pg. A-2.  

     Unknown newspaper, “James Malloy, Fred Maxwell Burn To Death”, unknown date.  Found on www.findagrave.com

Montgomery Airport – North Smithfield, R. I.

 

Montgomery Airport Ad
Woonsocket Call
October 3, 1931

     Montgomery Airport was located on Mendon Road in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, where the St. Antoine Skilled Nursing Residence is located today.   The nursing home is located on the North Smithfield – Woonsocket, city line. 

     The airport can trace its origins to circa 1927, when the area was known as “Ballou’s Field” because the land belonged to R. W. Ballou of North Smithfield.  Airplanes had been using the field for landings and takeoffs but it lacked formal runways, structures, or services.  At this point in time Woonsocket didn’t have an airport, and the field made for a convenient place to have an airfield.  

     A case in point occurred on August 15, 1928 when a large ten-motor Waco bi-plane with two men aboard made a forced landing due to fading sunlight.  Upon landing the plane came into contact with a wire fence but there was no real damage done, and neither occupant was injured.  The plane was then roped off to keep the curious crowds from getting too close to it.  

     In 1928 or ’29 the land was purchased by prominent Woonsocket resident John Montgomery with the intention of developing the area into a recognized airport.  It was renamed Montgomery Field and eventually grew to have two runways, one 1,700 feet long, and the other 1,400 feet long, as well as a 50 by 60 foot hangar which offered aviation fuel, oil, and aircraft repairs.  The airport also offered flying lessons and an occasional airshow during which pilots would perform stunts and parachute drops. 

     Mr. Montgomery had been born in Stornoway, Scotland, March 10, 1881, and came to America at an early age, settling in upstate New York.  He came to Woonsocket in 1914 and worked as manager of the Machine & Press Co. on Second Ave.  In 1924 he established the Montgomery Tool Machinery Company and had many patents to his credit. Mr. Montgomery passed away at his home at 121 Highland Street, in August of 1937 after a five week illness.

      On June 30, 1934, three large army planes came to Montgomery Field one of which was wrecked.  For more info click on link below.   https://newenglandaviationhistory.com/north-smithfield-r-i-june-29-1934/

     By 1934, Woonsocket had an airport of its own. 

     The Montgomery Airport closed circa 1937 when the land was sold to the Catholic Diocese for construction of the St. Antoine Nursing Home.  

July 26, 1930

September, 1930

September 27, 1930

July 11, 1931

 

Savin Rock Balloon Ad – 1908

1908 Advertisement

Professor Samuel Archer King – Aeronaut

     Professor Samuel Archer King, (April 9, 1828 –  November 3, 1914), was one of America’s earliest and well known aeronauts who performed balloon ascensions all over the north east. 

     He made his first balloon ascension at Philadelphia on September 25, 1851 in a balloon he’d designed and constructed himself.  The take off was less than grand, for their hadn’t been enough gas to fill the balloon, but King took off anyway not wanting to disappoint the crown.  As the balloon began to rise, it struck an enclosure, then a bridge, and then some telegraph wires.  The balloon then came down in the Schuylkill River.  It then proceeded to bounce across the river  giving King a good dunking until it finally came to rest on the opposite shore. 

     On another ascension from Wilkesbarre, Pa., in 1855, King found himself over some thickly forested mountains looking for a place to land when the balloon became snagged in the top branches of a hemlock tree and was then driven into the branches of another tree.  The sharp branched caused the gas bag to burst and King fell 40 feet to the ground.     

     In August of 1857, King ascended from New Haven, Connecticut, with two passengers aboard.  Air currents blew the balloon out over Long Island sound and then eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean.  King managed to set the balloon down in the water and allowed it to be “dragged” by winds to a tiny unnamed island.  The men were rescued a short time later by a boat that had been following their progress. 

     On October 13, 1860, Professor King and photographer J. W. Black ascended over Boston in a tethered balloon.  It was during this flight that the world’s first aerial photograph was taken.  

     At the 1861 Fourth of July celebration held on the Boston Common, King ascended with four passengers.  Once the balloon rose, winds began carrying it towards Boston Harbor.  Not wanting to be blown out to sea, King made preparations to land on a small strip of sand at the shoreline.  After dropping ballast and releasing gas, the balloon began to settle towards the intended landing place, but as it neared the ground one of the passengers suddenly jumped out, which significantly lightened the load, and the balloon suddenly shot up again again and resumed its course over the water.  King knew that their only chance of survival was to all leave the balloon at the same time, and after dropping low enough, they all jumped and splashed down in the harbor.  The balloon continued on and was later recovered a few miles off shore by a passing boat.     

     The following year King made another July 4th ascension from the Boston Common with four passengers, and once again he was carried out over the harbor.  Fore more information, click here.

     Another adventure occurred while King was giving tethered ascensions at Melrose, Massachusetts, (Date Unknown), where the balloon was tethered to the ground by men holding it with ropes.  There King ascended with five women passengers.  Then someone lost their grip on a rope, which it seemed to set of  a chain reaction, and within seconds all men had let go, and the balloon sailed upwards.  Two women reportedly “clapped with joy”, which the others expressed concern.  King successfully brought the balloon back to earth about four miles away. 

1870 Advertisement

     On July 4, 1872 King was scheduled to take off from the Boston Common in his new balloon, “Colossus”, the largest balloon ever constructed up to that time.    https://newenglandaviationhistory.com/samuel-a-kings-balloon-colossus-1872/

     Professor continued to pilot balloons well into his 80s.  On October 27, 1907, King and four passengers took off from Philadelphia in the balloon “Ben Franklin“, said to be the world’s largest at the time, holding 92,000 cubic feet of gas.   They landed safely in Belchertown, Massachusetts. 

     Professor King passed away on November 3, 1914, at the age of 87.  Throughout his career he’d made 480 flights in a balloon.  

     Professor King had a son, Frank K. King, who was also an aeronaut.  

     Sources:

     The Charleston Daily News, (Charleston, S. C.), “Up In A Balloon – Perilous Adventures of an Aeronaut – A few Flights With Him “,  March 21, 1870

     The Birmingham Age-Herald, (Ala.) “The Oldest Aeronaut”, November 7, 1914, pg. 7

     The Waterbury Democrat, “First Aerial Photo Shown”, October 1, 1943.  

Weston, MA. – October 2, 1949

Weston, Massachusetts – October 3, 1949

     As of this writing, very little information is known about this crash. 

     On October 2, 1949, a small rented airplane with two young men aboard took off  from Sherman Airport in West Mansfield, Massachusetts.  At some point afterward the aircraft crash-landed on an unnamed golf course in Weston and burst into flames.  The pilot successfully rescued his passenger and both survived.   

     Source:

     Woonsocket Call, “Save Providence Youth From Fiery Plane Death”, October 3, 1949.    

Savin Rock Balloon Ascensions – 1902

Balloon Ascension at Savin Rock, CT.

July, 1902

Smithfield, R. I., Airport Ad – 1944

Click on images to enlarge.

Woonsocket Call November, 1944

The Pawtucket Times
November 9, 1944

Smithfield, R. I. – May 26, 1935

Smithfield, Rhode Island – May 26, 1935 

    On the afternoon of May 26, 1935, a 42-year-0ld East Greenwich man took off from the Smithfield Airport in a Curtiss biplane and began to circle the field.  As he was doing so the aircraft lost flying speed and stalled. It dove nose first into the ground onto the estate of Charles C. Gardiner, and was demolished.  The aircraft was equipped with two tandem cockpits, and the lone pilot had been flying from the rear cockpit.  It was felt that the pilot had survived due to his position in the plane.   The pilot’s injuries consisted of  cuts, bruises, a broken nose, and ribs.   

     Word of the accident spread quickly, and before long dozens of local citizens were flocking to the airport.      

     The accident was investigated by Major Charles R. Blake of the Rhode Island State Police, and an unnamed inspector from the U. S. Department of Commerce. 

     The Smithfield Airport was located where the Bryant University Campus is located today. 

     Source:   

     The Woonsocket Call & Evening Reporter, “Aviator Survives Plane Crash At Smithfield Airport”, May 27, 1935, pg. 1.  

 

Westfield, MA. – June 29, 1905

Westfield, Massachusetts – June 29, 1005

     On June 29, 1905, an aeronaut identified as B. S. Tirrell was scheduled to make a balloon ascension and parachute drop at Hampton Pond in Westfield.  The plan was to rise in the balloon to about 4,000 feet.  and there he was to be shot out of a cannon which was suspended beneath the balloon, then deploy his parachute and land.  However, the firing mechanism of the cannon failed to go off, and Tirrell found himself trapped in the cannon.  Despite the failure of the firing mechanism, an external fire was created which set the balloon on fire.  The balloon then began to loose altitude with Tirrell helpless to do anything.  When the balloon was about thirty feet from the ground, the ropes holding the cannon burned through and the cannon fell striking the ground.

     Tirrell was badly bruised and treated for internal injuries. 

     The reason for the malfunction could not be ascertained.  

     Tirrell was employed by the Boston Balloon Company. 

     Source:

     The Evening Call, (Woonsocket, R. I.), “He Fell From Burning Balloon”, June 30, 1905. 

 

 

Concord, N. H. – August 28, 1901

Concord, New Hampshire – August 28, 1901

    On August 28, 1901, well known Aeronaut Leo Stevens made a balloon ascension and parachute drop at the fair grounds in Concord.  He parachuted safely, but when his unmanned balloon came down it fell upon the high voltage main feed wire to the city’s electrical plant, causing a city-wide blackout. 

     One of those who responded to repair the break was 19-year-old Harry Quint, a lineman for the electric company.  While going about his work up on a pole, he was electrocuted and fell to the ground breaking his neck.  He died instantly. 

     On August 29, Stevens made another ascension.  In this instance, the shell which exploded and releases his parachute set fire to his clothing and he was badly burned. 

     Source:

     The Evening Call, (Woonsocket, R. I. ), “Received Fatal Shock – electric light lineman killed at Concord”, August 30, 1901.    

Caledonia, Vt., County Fair – 1890

St. Johnsbury Caledonian
September, 1890
Click on image to enlarge.

Stolen Balloon – 1907

From The Washington Times, November 4, 1907. 

The Washington Times
November 4, 1907

Professor James K. Allen Ad – 1870

Ad from August, 1870

     To learn more about Professor Allen, click here.

Norwalk, CT. – October 17, 1907

Norwalk, Connecticut – October 17, 1907

     On October 17, 1907, well known aeronaut Charles Jewell of Canton, Ohio, was performing balloon ascensions and parachute drops in Norwalk.  In one instance, the balloon rose to the desired altitude and Jewell dropped away.  All was going well until he approached the ground and realized that the breeze was carrying him towards some railroad tracks, and at that moment the Boston Express train was speeding along in his direction.  Realizing that he was going to land directly in front of the oncoming train, he let loose of his parachute and dropped forty feet to the ground.  He’d aimed for some bushes, but missed, and struck a fence instead, and was seriously injured.  Meanwhile the parachute landed directly in front of the train and was ground to pieces.      

     Speaking about past mishaps in his career, Jewell was later quoted as saying, “My parachute has failed to open, my gas bag has caught fire and I have passed through thunderstorms, but give me all of them in preference to an express train.  My only chance was to drop.  I tried to land in some bushes, but I struck a fence.  The parachute could have been used for confetti after the express passed over it.”

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Train Blocks Parachutist – It was jump or be ground to pieces”, October 19, 1907

Savin Rock, CT., Balloon Ascension – 1896

Click on image to enlarge.

1896 Advertisement

Crescent Park, R. I., Balloon Ascension – 1894

     This may have been the first balloon ascension from Crescent Park. 

Click on image to enlarge.

The Providence News
August 15, 1894

 

Crescent Park, R. I., Balloon Ascension – 1901

The Providence News

August 3, 1901

Crescent Park, R. I., Balloon Ascension – 1906

Advertisement from 1906
Click on image to enlarge.

News-Democrat
(Providence, R.I.)
August 3, 1906
Click on image to enlarge.

     To read more about Professor J. La Roux, click here. 

 

William Van Sleet – Aeronaut, Balloonist

    William Van Sleet, (Born ? – Died ?), of North Adams, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and sometimes reported as living in New York, was a well known New England aeronaut who made balloon ascensions in the early 1900s. 

     The first mention of Mr. Van Sleet in any newspapers that research could find appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner in 1907, and had to do with a car accident which occurred at “Shedd Bridge”, “east of Walloomsac”.  Although both vehicles suffered damage, there were no injuries.   There is some documentation which indicates that Van Sleet, besides being an aeronaut, also worked as a chauffer.      

      Beginning around 1906, balloon ascensions began to be a regular occurrence in the Berkshires section of western Massachusetts, and the towns of Pittsfield and Adams became involved in a rivalry of sorts for the bragging rights and the tourism dollars that each ascension would bring.  It was around this time frame that the Aero Club of Pittsfield was established and Van Sleet became a member.    

     The first reference to Van Sleet’s aeronautical career was found in the Daily Kennebec Journal, July 29, 1908.  The brief snippet stated in part: “The Aero Club of Pittsfield will dedicate their new balloon, the “Heart of the Berkshires” tomorrow at 10 a.m.”  The pilot was Leo Stevens, a prominent aeronaut of the time, with passengers Allan R. Hawley of New York, and William Van Sleet of Pittsfield.  

     In light of the dedication, it was quickly announced that the balloon “Boston” belonging to the Boston Aero Club would ascend at the same time from the town of North Adams, and there would be a “race” between the two to see which could cover the greatest distance.  The “Boston” was to be piloted by Charles Glidden, another prominent aeronaut of the time, with his passenger, Professor H. H. Clayton of the Blue Hills Observatory. 

     Both balloons were of the same size, 38,000 cubic feet.  The “Heart of the Berkshires” took off as scheduled, but only traveled about eight miles before coming down near Wahconah Falls in Dalton, Massachusetts. 

     The “Boston”, on the other hand, didn’t fair much better.  After being caught in a windstorm and carried up to 10,000 feet, the balloon began to fall rapidly and its occupants were forced to discharge all available ballast.  It landed safely on a farm about six miles from its starting point.    

     Exactly who announced that a race would take place is not recorded, but Mr. Glidden later told the press that he was unaware of any scheduled race between the two balloons, and said that each had made independent ascensions.    

     Balloons of this era used hydrogen or coal gas, both of which were poisonous if inhaled.  In mid August of 1908, Van Sleet was scheduled to make a balloon ascension from Pittsfield in the “Heart of the Berkshires”, when he was seriously affected by the release of gas from a malfunctioning valve.  This was to be his fifth ascension to help him qualify as a balloon pilot for the Pittsfield Aero Club.  When the balloon was nearly filled with gas, it was discovered that the valve cord near the top of the balloon had failed to uncoil, so Van Sleet climbed up seventy-five feet of the balloon’s netting to remedy the situation.  When the valve unexpectedly popped open he was hit in the face with a rush of escaping gas.  After closing the valve he made his way back to the ground where he nearly collapsed.  He was attended to by three doctors, all of who warned him not to make the flight in his condition.  Van Sleet ignored the warnings, and made the flight anyway with Dr. Sidney S. Stowell as a passenger.       

     Later that same month Van Sleet made a solo trip in “Heart of the Berkshires”.  He ascended from Pittsfield and traveled ninety miles before landing near Montgomery, New York.  He’d made the trip alone as part of his pilot qualification process.    

     Van Sleet made another flight on September 2, which lasted 32 minutes and landed in South Deerfield, Mass. His two passengers were Frank Smith of Boston, and Oscar Hutchinson of Lennox, Mass.  

     On September 10, 1908, Van Sleet took off from Pittsfield at midnight and sailed eastward across the state covering a distance of more than one-hundred miles before landing safely in the the town of Kingston, Massachusetts, about two miles from the Atlantic Ocean. He had as a passenger Dr. Sidney Stowell. 

     On the same night Van sleet took his overnight flight, Charles Glidden did the same, and took off at midnight from Springfield, Massachusetts.  There was no mention of any competition between the two aeronauts, and neither balloon was in sight of the other throughout the night.  Glidden’s balloon landed safely in the town of Bridgewater, Mass.   

     Most of Van Sleet’s ascensions were without incident, but a flight he made in October of 1908  was anything but routine.  On the afternoon of October 29, he took off from the North Adams Aero Park in the balloon “Greylock”, with M. Monard, or Mennard, as a passenger.  Strong 40 mph winds were blowing at the time and it reportedly took forty men to hold the balloon in place while the two men climbed into it.  Van Sleet was advised to abort the flight but didn’t take heed.    

     The “Greylock” began its ascension at 3 p. m. and was quickly caught in a strong air current which propelled it at 80 mph in a southeast direction.  As the balloon approached Mt. Hoosick the men were forced to jettison ballast in order to clear the top of it. 

     As the balloon approached the town of Whately, Massachusetts, the anchor was dropped.  It caught in the tops of some trees, then a stone wall, and then tore away part of a barn roof.  Realizing that the anchor was useless, Van Sleet pulled the rip cord allowing the gas to escape.  The balloon came down hard from an altitude of seventy-five feet and both men were pitched out, but neither was seriously injured.  The balloon had covered forty miles in thirty minutes.    

     A few days later Van Sleet made another ascension in the “Heart of the Berkshires”, only this time he flew in and above a snowstorm, something that was extremely unusual for the time.   With him on the flight was William C. Hill.     

     On November 17, 1908, Van Sleet made a rough landing in the town of Rockville, Connecticut.  He’d attempted to land in an open lot, but when the anchor rope broke the balloon drifted into the center of town where it tore down some electric and fire alarm wires, and crushed a grape arbor when it landed in a private back yard.  Van Sleet was not injured, but the chief of police arrived on scene and promptly “arrested” the balloon ordering it held until financial damages could be settled.  This incident made national news, for it was believed to be the first case in which a balloon had been “arrested”.   

     On April 19, 1909, Van Sleet and his passenger Oscar Hutchinson came down in a wooded area of Biddeford, Maine, after traveling 160 miles, making it one of the longest balloon flights of the time.

     In June of 1909, Van Sleet flew a honeymoon couple from Pittsfield to the outskirts of Boston.  The balloon took off shortly after midnight on June 21, and drifted eastward throughout the early morning hours.  At about 4:00 in the morning, Van Sleet spotted  the Blue Hills Observatory and prepared to land.  The anchor caught a tree in an orchard and the balloon came down with barely a bump. 

     At the time of the flight a Boston newspaper was offering a trophy to the balloon pilot that could ascend from western Massachusetts and land closest to the Boston Common within a year.  Van Sleet had landed within fourteen miles, thereby breaking the previous record of twenty-six miles.   

     On July 11, 1909, Van Sleet set a new distance record for himself when he landed in Topsham, Maine, a distance of 176 miles.  His previous record set in April had been 160 miles.   

     By May of 1910, Van Sleet had completed fifty balloon voyages. 

     On June 5, 1910, Van Sleet with two newspapermen aboard landed the balloon “Massachusetts” in the center of the town of Bennington, Vermont, about a half-mile from the famous battle monument.  This was the second time that a balloon had landed in that town.      

Bennington Evening Banner
March 26, 1910
Click on image to enlarge.

      An advertisement found in a 1910 newspaper indicates that Mr. Van Sleet was the sales manager for the Tower Motor Company of Adams, Massachusetts, which sold “Overland” automobiles.   

      On October 8, 1911, Van Sleet and a passenger, Jay B. Benton of Boston, traveled 200 miles in the balloon “Boston”, ascending from Pittsfield, Mass. and landing in Lakewood, New Jersey.  This was the longest trip to date made by the “Boston”, and it took three hours.    

     The following year, on October 30, 1912, Van Sleet and Benton completed the longest balloon flight to date in New England when they traveled at night in the balloon “Springfield” from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to Pittston, Maine, a straight-line distance of about 250 miles.  

     It is unknown exactly how many balloon ascensions William Van Sleet made during his career. 

     As of this writing, no further information about his career was found.       

Sources:

     The Bennington Evening Banner, “Van Sleet in Auto Crash”, October 18, 1907 

     The Morning Journal-Courier, (New Haven, CT.) “Air Race Today”, July 29, 1908.

     Daily Kennebec Journal, “Will Dedicate New Balloon At Pittsfield”, July 29, 1908, pg. 4 

     Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Aeronauts Exciting Adventure”, July 30, 1908.

     The Evening World, (N.Y.) “Warned Of Death Peril By Doctors Goes Ballooning”, August 19, 1908.   

     Evening Star, “Qualifying For A License”, August 29, 1908, pg. 2. 

     The Morning Journal-Courier, “Flight of Thirty-Two Minutes”, September 3, 1908, pg. 9. 

     New York Tribune, “Balloons in Moonlight Journey”, September 11, 1908, pg. 5

     New York Tribune, “80 Miles An Hour In Air”, October 31, 1908

     The Bennington Evening Banner, “Aeronauts Go A Mile A Minute” November 2, 1908. 

     The Morning Journal- Courier, “Balloon in Snowstorm”, November 7, 1908.    

     The Marion Daily Mirror, (Ohio) “A Balloon Is Arrested”, November 18, 1908, pg. 2

     Bennington Evening Banner, “Balloon In Tree Top”, April 20, 1909

     Bennington Evening Banner, “Van Sleet Best Yet”, June 22, 1909

     Bennington Evening Banner, “New Record For Van Sleet”, July 12, 1909

     Bennington Evening Banner, Overland Car Advertisement, March 26, 1910.

     Bennington Evening Banner, “Balloon Lands At Bennington Center”, June 6, 1910. 

     Daily Kennebec Journal, “Makes Quick Trip”, October 9, 1911. 

     The (NY) Sun, “Take Long Trip Above Clouds”, October 31, 1912. 

 

 

 

    

Rutland, Vermont, Balloon Ascensions

Click on articles to enlarge.

Middlebury Register (VT.)
July 14, 1858

Middlebury Register
July 14, 1858

Vermont Daily Transcript
(St. Albans, VT.)
September 17, 1868

Portland (Me.) Daily Globe
July 10, 1873

Burlington Weekly Free Press
April 16, 1908, p14

Spirit of the Age
(Woodstock, VT.)
April 18, 1908

Orleans County Monitor
(Barton, VT.)
June 23, 1909, p.6

Orleans County Monitor
(Barton, VT.)
June 23, 1909 p.6

Barre Daily Times
July 28, 1909

Orleans County Monitor
August 18, 1909

Bennington Evening Banner
November 18, 1909

Spirit of the Age
(Woodstock, VT.) December 4, 1909

Spirit of the Age
December 4, 1909

Herald & News
(West Randolph, VT.)
January 27, 1910 pg. 3

Burlington Weekly Free Press
February 22, 1912, p.6

Vermont Phoenix
September 8, 1916

 

Ada I. Mitchell, Aeronaut, Balloonist – 1894

     The following article appeared in the defunct Vermont newspaper, The Herald & News, of West Randolph, Vermont, October 11, 1894.  It relates the experience  of Ada I. Mitchell, (Vandever) (Vandeveer).   

 

Harlow M. Spencer – Aeronaut, Balloonist

Click on articles to enlarge.

The Daily Exchange
(Baltimore, MD.)
September 22, 1858

Worcester Daily Spy
April 2, 1859

Lamoille Newsdealer
(Hyde Park, VT.)
July 17, 1872

Lamoille Newsdealer
(Hyde Park, VT.)
July 17, 1872

Western Connecticut News
August 2, 1872

Connecticut Western News
September 2, 1897

Boston Harbor, MA. – June 17, 1888

Boston Harbor, Massachusetts – June 17, 1888

    On June 17, 1888, the annual Bunker Hill celebration was taking place in Boston.  Part of the program included a balloon ascension which took place late in the afternoon.  At about 4:30 p.m. the balloon took off with three men aboard.  The pilot was famous aeronaut George A. Rogers, with passengers L. W. Cashman of the Boston Globe newspaper, and Rogers’ assistant, George Seavey.     

     The balloon drifted for about over the city before it was blown out over Boston Harbor and came down in the water near Acorn Island.  Upon impact with the water Rogers and Seavey were pitched into the water, but Cashman managed to cling to the upper rigging and remain aboard.  All three men were rescued by a yacht that had been watching the progress of the balloon. 

     This was not the first balloon accident Professor Rogers was involved in.   One occurred in July of 1881, and another on July 4, 1888, and yet another in which he lost his life, occurred on July 4, 1892.   

     Source: The Portland Daily Press, (Portland, Me.) “Balloonists Get A Ducking”, June 19, 1888.

Daily Evening Bulletin
Maysville, KY.)
September 22, 1884
The initial J should have been a G.

 

Two Providence, R. I. Balloon Ascensions – 1835

     Louis Anselm Lauriat, (1786 – 1857), was a Boston aeronaut who reportedly made 48 balloon ascensions during his lifetime.  He was born in Marseilles, France, and came to America in the early 1800s, where he settled in Boston and established a business at the corner of Washington and Springfield Streets in Boston producing gold leaf.  He also developed an interest in science and balloons, and began making ascensions of his own. 

     On July 25, 1835, Lauriat made a balloon ascension from Providence and later wrote of his journey which was published in The Northern Star & Constitutionalist (A defunct newspaper of Warren, Rhode Island) on August 1, 1835. 

     Lauriat made another ascension from Providence on August 8, 1835. (See advertisement below.)   

Click on images to enlarge. 

Herald of the Times
(Newport, R. I.)
August 6, 1835

Click here for more articles

Maine Naval Militia Aviation Corps – 1914

Daily Kennebec Journal
March 6, 1914, p.14

Daily Kennebec Journal
March 14, 1914

The Clawson-Hamilton Aviation Company – 1912

Click on articles to enlarge.

The Barre Daily Times
April 27, 1912

Vermont Pheonix
July 19, 1912

Vermont Phoenix
May 10, 1912 p.7

 

Bowles Agawam Airport – 1930

     The Bowles Agawam Airport was located in Agawam, Massachusetts.  It was dedicated May, 29, 30, & 31st, 1930. 

Click on articles to enlarge. 

New Britain Herald
June 17, 1929

New Britain Herald
May 31, 1930

Waterbury Democrat
May 29, 1935, p4

Evening Star
(Washington D.C.)
July 1, 1935

Waterbury Democrat
May 28, 1943

Bowels Airport, Agawam, Mass. – June 6, 1930

 

Governor Trumbull’s Gift From The Sky – 1928

New Britain Herald
March 5, 1928

The Springfield Aircraft Corporation

Brattleboro (VT.) Daily Reformer

September 22, 1917 p.8

Grand Forks Herald

October 21, 1918

Bridgeport Times & Evening Farmer

January 10, 1919

Evening Public Ledger

(Philadelphia)

November 28, 1919

Brainard Airport, CT. – August 29, 1928

Brainard Airport, Connecticut – August 29, 1928 

     On the morning of August 29, 1928, pilot Frederick J. Boots, (29) took off from Brainard Airport in a Monocoupe airplane.  Once airborne he circled the field and appeared to be attempting to land when the plane suddenly fell from an altitude of about 100 feet and crashed nose first into the ground at the rear of the municipal hangar.  Boots was taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 

     State aeronautical inspectors who investigated the accident concluded that due to this accident, and another which had occurred in Rhode Island a short time earlier, that Monocoupe airplanes “constitute a menace to the safety and aviation in this state” and therefor banned their use for the time being in Connecticut.   

     Mr. Boots had formerly been the chief pilot for Massachusetts Airways Inc. of Springfield, Mass., and had recently come to work for L & H Aircraft Company at Brainard Field. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108732443/fred-julian-boots

     Source:

     The New Britain Herald, “Hartford Aviator Suffers Fatal Injuries When Plane Crashes At Brainard Field”, August 29, 1928, pg. 1  

 

Brainard Airport, CT. – September, 1928

Brainard Airport, Connecticut – September, 1928

     In early September of 1928, (exact date unknown), a 21-year-old mechanic for Interstate Airways at Brainard Airport was working on a plane, which he started by himself with the throttle set on “open”.  Once started, the unmanned aircraft pulled away from him and it was reported that “it was only prevented from taking off without a pilot by striking a fence.” 

     The accident was investigated by Sergeant George Pranaitis, state aviation inspector, who found negligence with the mechanic, who was fined $25 and costs in court for “starting an airplane with an open throttle”. 

     It was stated that this was believed to be the first case of its kind.

     The type of aircraft was not stated.  

     Source: New Britain Herald, “Starts Plane With Open Throttle; Fined”, September 11, 1928, page 7. 

Interstate Airways, Hartford, Connecticut

Click on images to enlarge.

New Britain Herald
August 10, 1929

New Britain Herald
November 11, 1929

New Britain Herald
February 24, 1930

Evening Star
(Washington DC)
May 10, 1930 pg A-2

New Britain Herald
June 4, 1930 p3

Waterbury Democrat
March 7, 1933, p7.

Boston, MA. – December 7, 1929

Boston, Massachusetts – December 7, 1929

     On the afternoon of December 7, 1929, a 24-year-old pilot was taking off from the East Boston Airport in a Stearman bi-plane (NC-6260), when the aircraft struck a bump in the runway and suffered a broken strut to the undercarriage which subsequently caused damage to the propeller and right undercarriage.  The pilot was not injured. 

     Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Aircraft Accident Report, dated December 7, 1929.  (Massachusetts Air and Space Museum) 

 

Boston, MA. – October 11, 1929

Boston, Massachusetts – October 11, 1929

      On the morning of October 11, 1929, an 18-year-old student pilot from Brookline, Massachusetts, was taking off from the East Boston Airport in a DeHavilland Gipsy Moth aircraft, (Reg. no. NC-9733).  When the aircraft reached an altitude of 60 feet exhaust valve seat suddenly failed causing a thumping of the engine to occur.  The pilot turned to make an emergency landing and flew level, keeping the nose up while cutting the fuel switch.  The aircraft made a hard landing damaging the lower wings, landing gear and fuselage beyond repair.  The pilot was not injured. 

     Source:  Commonwealth of Massachusetts Aircraft Accident Report dated October 11, 1929, (Massachusetts Air And Space Museum)

 

 

Wethersfield, CT. – April 25, 1937

Wethersfield, Connecticut – April 25, 1937 

     On April 25, 1937, an airplane containing a pilot and two passengers was flying over Wethersfield when the engine began to sputter.  The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing at the Wethersfield Country Club Golf Course but crash-landed instead.  All three occupants were thrown from the plane in the crash, but none of them was seriously injured.  All were transported to a hospital for treatment. The aircraft was badly damaged. 

    The type of aircraft was not mentioned. 

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Three Hurt As Plane Crashed”, April 26, 1937, page 4.    

Charles Colby – 19th Century Aeronaut and Balloonist

Click on articles to enlarge.

Charles E. Colby – Very little is known.

Portland Daily Press
Sept. 2, 1889

From the Aroostook Republican
September 18, 1889

Staunton Vindicator
April 26, 1889

The Indianapolis Journal
May 11, 1889, p2

The Portland Daily Press
August 27, 1891

Los Angeles Herald
May 17, 1909, p12

Los Angeles Herald
May 24, 1909

 

First Balloon Constructed In Maine – 1889

First Balloon Constructed in Maine

Click on articles to enlarge. 

From the Aroostook Republican

September 18, 1889

Portland Daily Press

Sept. 2, 1889

Staunton Vindicator

April 26, 1889

Douglas H. Harris Airplane – 1930

     The following article appeared in several newspapers in May of 1930.   It’s unknown if any more of Mr. Harris’s aircraft were produced.   What Cheer Airport was in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.  

 

Worcester, MA. – October 3, 1943

Worcester, Massachusetts – October 3, 1943 

   

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On October 3, 1943, 2nd Lt. Edward Miller of Rock Springs, Texas, was piloting a P-47B fighter aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-5982), over the Worcester area when he was forced to bail out of his aircraft.  The airplane crashed in a wooded area and Lt. Miller was slightly injured upon landing. He was taken to a hospital by a passing motorist. 

     Lt. Miller was assigned to the 322nd Fighter Squadron at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts. 

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “British Flyers Killed In N. E. “, October 4, 1943, page 9.  (The article included three separate accidents, Lt. Miller’s being one of them.) 

Otis Field, MA. – September 19, 1946

Otis Field, Massachusetts – September 19, 1946

 

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

On September 19, 1946, an navy SBW-5 Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60238), ground looped upon landing at Otis Field, causing severe damage to the aircraft, but the lone pilot was not injured. 

Quonset Point, R. I. – March 25, 1946

Quonset Point, Rhode Island – March 25, 1946 

 

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

    On March 25, 1946, an SBW-4e Helldiver, (Bu. No. 60113), was practicing take offs and landings at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station.  On one of the takeoffs the aircraft suddenly lost power and crash landed.  The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft suffered heavy damage. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report, dated March 25, 1946  

Branford, CT. – July 4, 1944

Branford, Connecticut – July 4, 1944

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On July 4, 1944, 2nd Lt. John B. Hass took off in a P-47C fighter aircraft, (Ser. No. 41-6556), from Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, for a lone navigational training flight.   about forty-five minutes later, while passing over the town of Bradford, his aircraft dove into the ground and exploded, killing him instantly.  It was raining at the time of the crash, but the cause was undetermined. 

     To see a photo and obituary, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121649607/john-bernard-haas#

     Source:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.  

     www.findagrave.com

Buxton, ME. – October 4, 1943

Buxton, Maine – October 4, 1943

     On October 4, 1943, a British aircraft on a training flight from the Brunswick Naval Air Station was passing over the town of Buxton, Maine, when the pilot was forced to bail out.  The pilot landed safely, and the plane went down in a field in the western portion of town in an area known as Bar Hills.  No further info at this time.  

     Source:

     The Lewiston Evening Journal, “British Pilot Bails Out As His Plane Crashes At West Buxton”, October 5, 1943.

Charlestown, R. I. – October 11, 1944

Charlestown, Rhode Island – October 11, 1944

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On October 11, 1944, an F6F-3N, (Bu. No. 42370), nosed over while landing at the Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Field causing damage to the front of the aircraft.  The pilot was not injured. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy Accident Report dated October 11, 1944

Bethany Airport Advertisement – 1945

Bethany, Connecticut      

Click on image to enlarge.

     In December of 1934, The Waterbury Democrat announced that Bethany Airways Inc. had filed for a certificate of incorporation with the Connecticut Secretary of State office.  The owners were William and Winifred Russell of East Haven.  The corporation would have an authorized capitol of $50,000, and would commence business with $1,500.  Shares of stock in the company would be five dollars each. 

     It is unclear what took place with Bethany Airways between 1934 and 1946.     

     In February of 1946, The Waterbury Democrat announced that the Bethany Airport and Bethany Airways Inc. were under new ownership.  The new owners were Robert Halpin and  Ben Shiffrin. who had purchased the corporation from Walter Reynolds of the Reynolds Flying Service on February 1st.  

     Robert Halpin first flew as a naval reserve pilot in 1936.  Prior of the United States entering WWII in 1941, he helped establish the Connecticut Flying Club at Bethany Airport.  In September of 1941 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a private, but was later promoted to sergeant-pilot, and served in England with the RAF.  In 1943 he transferred to the U. S. Army Air Force and served with the 8th Air Force in England.  He then flew 33 missions on a B-17 Flying Fortress attached to the 303rd Bomb Group.      

     Ben Shiffrin enlisted as a flying cadet in December of 1940, and after earned his wings in August of 1941.  After the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, he was assigned to anti-submarine patrol off the New England coast.  He later served in Greenland before returning to the United States in June of 1944.    

     It was reported that the company planned to purchase three new Aeronca “Champion” aircraft, with hope to purchasing more planes in the future. 

     The men immediately opened a flying school which was to cater to ex-servicemen.  

     For more historical information about the the Bethany Airport, click on links below. 

     Bethany Airport March 2, 1932

     Bethany Airport June 17, 1939 

     Bethany Airport January 24, 1942

     Sources:

     Waterbury Democrat, “Bethany Airways Files Certificate”, December, 4, 1934, pg. 4. 

     Waterbury Democrat, “Bethany Airways Inc. Takes Over Airport”, February 7, 1946, pg. 3.

 

Gallaudet D-4 Light Bomber Seaplane Ad – 1919

Advertisement from March of 1919. 

The Moth Aircraft Corporation

     The Moth Aircraft Corporation 

     In December of 1928, The Moth Aircraft Corporation of New York announced it would be opening a 90,000 square foot aircraft manufacturing factory in Lowell, Massachusetts, next to the Lowell Airport.  The company held the exclusive license of the de Havilland and “Moth” aircraft used by the British military. 

     The company expected to initially employ 200 workers.

     A man named M. M. Warren was company president. 

     In July of 1929 it was announced that the company would be added to the Curits-Wright Corporation’s holdings. 

     In August of 1929 the Moth Corporation announced that the company had reached it’s normal production goal of producing one airplane per day.  Sales for that month were reported to be $100,000.  It was anticipated that sales would continue to increase, and plans were being considered for doubling the capacity of the factory to meet the demand. 

     Sources:

     The Indianapolis Journal, “Moth Factory In East”, December 29, 1928 

     New Britain Herald (Ct.), “Wall Street Briefs”, July 2, 1929 

     The Indianapolis Times, (No headline), September 20, 1929  

The Aircraft Corporation of America – 1927

     The cornerstone for the factory of the Aircraft Corporation of America was laid on September 17, 1927.  Governor John H. Trumbull assisted at the ceremony after having flown in from Hartford for the occasion. 

     The plant was build on the Housatonic River in the town of Milford, at a location that offered a three mile straightaway on the river.  The company’s initial plans were to produce 50 amphibian eight-passenger aircraft per year.  At the time of the cornerstone ceremony the company had already received 30 orders. 

     It was announced that a flying school owned by Bert Acosta was to be established near the aircraft factory.  Mr. Acosta had been the pilot of the transatlantic plane “America”.    

     Source:

     The New Britain Herald, “Trumbull To Assist – Governor Will Aid In Laying Cornerstone of New Aircraft Factory at Milford.”, August 12, 1927.  

Mysterious Airship Over Waterbury, Ct. – 1916

From The Norwich Bulletin, March 10, 1916.

The Norwich Bulletin
March 10, 1916

Off Plymouth, MA. – November 3, 1991

Off Plymouth, Massachusetts – November 3, 1991 

     At 11:00 a.m. on the morning of November 3, 1991, a single engine Piper L-3 aircraft (Reg. No. N6AN) took off from Norwood, Massachusetts, with two men aboard.  While off the coast of Cape Cod, the aircraft encountered thick fog conditions. The crew of a fishing boat saw the aircraft pass nearby at a low altitude over the water, and then disappear into a fog bank in an area known as “Brown’s Bank” off the coast of Plymouth, Mass. They didn’t witness the crash, but at 2:20 p.m. another fishing boat came upon the wrecked plane floating upside-down in the water with one person still inside.

     Sources:

     Providence Journal, “1 Killed, Pilot Missing In Plane Crash”, November 4, 1991, page B-3 

     Aviation Safety Network

Lake Champlain, VT. – June 23, 1957

Lake Champlain, Vermont – June 23, 1957   

P2V Neptune
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 23, 1957, a U.S. Navy P2V Neptune was on a reserve training flight from Grosse Isle Naval Air Station, to Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, New York.  It landed at Plattsburgh, at 2:30 p.m. and departed for Virginia thirty minutes later. 

     At 3:30 p.m., the pilot, Lt. (Jg.) Richard Schwaller, radioed Plattsburgh tower that he was having engine trouble and was returning to the base.  

     At 3: 37 p.m., one engine lost all power, and Lt. Schwaller was forced to make an emergency landing in Lake Champlain.  The aircraft hit the water about a half mile off shore from Shoreham, Vermont, where it struck a submerged sandbar and flipped onto its back snapping off the tail section.     

     The water on the lake was rough due to storm activity in the area, but fortunately all nine men aboard were able to escape the wreckage without injury before the fuselage sank in 12 to  18 feet of water.  

     The men were soon rescued by a passing yacht belonging to John L. Cooney, who owned a car dealership in Rutland, Vt.  Once ashore at Chipman Point, Vermont, the crew was brought by helicopter to Ethan Allen Air Force base in Burlington, Vermont.  

     Sources:

     Unknown Newspaper, “Pilot Ditches Big Plane In Lake; Nine Are Saved”, June 24, 1957

     Unknown Newspaper, “Navy Probing Bomber Crash”, Unknown Date.

     Unknown Newspaper, “Navy Will Try To Raise Bomber From Champlain” Unknown Date.

 

Dorchester, N.H. – December 24, 1996

Dorchester, New Hampshire – December 24, 1996

     On the morning of December 24, 1996, a Learjet 35-A  (N388LS) was in-route from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Lebanon Municipal Airport in New Hampshire with two men in their 30s aboard.  As the aircraft was making its approach to the airport the pilot aborted the landing and circled around for a second try.  Shortly afterward all contact was lost and the plane vanished.  There had been no distress call.

     What came next was the longest search for a missing aircraft in the state’s history, lasting nearly three years.  It was assumed the plane had crashed, and thousands of volunteers turned out to search, but nothing was found.  (The aircraft did not have an emergency locator transmitter aboard.)  Dedicated volunteers continued to scour the wilderness long after the search had officially been called off. 

     The Learjet’s wreckage was finally located near Smarts Mountain on November 13, 1999, roughly 20 miles from the airport.  The plane had disintegrated on impact spreading debris over a large area which was one reason it was so hard to locate.  

     Source:

     Baltimore Sun, “Mystery Of Learjet Finally Reveals Itself”, December 12, 1999, By Ernest Imhoff.

Scituate, R. I. – October 30, 1942

Scituate, Rhode Island – October 30, 1942 

 

Curtiss P-40
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the afternoon of October 30, 1942, two U. S. Army P-40E Warhawks took off from Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, for what was to be a routine training flight.  Both aircraft were assigned to the 317th Fighter Squadron at Hillsgrove.

     Both aircraft headed northeast towards the rural town of Scituate, where they began to engage in a mock “dog fight”.  At one point during the exercise, aircraft #41-36495 was trailing aircraft #40-498 in a left turn climb, when the first aircraft stalled.  When the second tried to break away to the right its wing struck the other planes fuselage.  The pilot of the second aircraft was forced to bail out.  As his plane crashed in a wooded area off Huntinghouse Road, the pilot landed safely. 

     Meanwhile, the other P-40, (41-36495) made it safely back to Hillsgrove.

     The accident was witnessed by a plane spotter in a fire tower in Scituate, who immediately called in the alarm.

     Sources:

     U. S. Army crash investigation report #43-10-30-6

     Woonsocket Call, “Mystery Shrouds Plane Crash Fire”, October 31, 1942   

     Pawtucket Times, “Two Army Planes Collide Over R. I.”, October 31, 1942, page 8. 

Airships And Flying Machines – Real And Imagined

Airships And Flying Machines

Real And Imagined

 

Click on images to enlarge.    

     “An airship inventor is a man who begins by giving interviews on why it will fly, and ends by giving interviews on why it didn’t fly.” – A quote from The Minneapolis Journal, November 5, 1905, author unknown.

      To our early ancestors the solution to achieving manned flight must have seemed obvious; all one needed to do was construct a set of feathered wings.  Greek mythology tells of a boy named Icarus who did just that, but fell to his death when the wax holding the feathers together melted when he flew too close to the sun.  The plight of the mythical Icarus aside, there were those in real-life who attempted to fly via homemade wings with predictable results.  

     And not all homemade wings involved the use of feathers.  On September 23, 1854, an entertaining news item appeared in the New Orleans Daily Crescent that told of a psychic medium living in New York who was getting advice from the spirit world about how to construct a set of wings for flying purposes. His project involved the use of gutta percha, (A latex derived from Malaysian trees.), India rubber, and whalebone.   “The aforesaid medium,” the article stated in part, “when his outfit is completed, will fly off some tower across the Hudson River to Hoboken and other places.  Of course we await the result of his aerial flight with breathless interest.”     

     By the 1700’s, most would-be aviators had come to believe that the secret to aerial navigation rested with balloons, and they were partially right.   Although the idea of a balloon can be traced to ancient times beginning with the use of aerial lanterns, it wasn’t until 1783 that the first successful manned balloon flight took place.  However, balloons lacked maneuverability and were at the mercy of prevailing winds and extreme weather conditions.  Yet after centuries of trying, man had finally found a way to leave terra firma and stay there.  Then he set about to discover a way to navigate the air at will.       

Francisco Lana’s Airship – 1670

     The terms “flying machine” and “airship” actually pre-date manned balloon ascensions.  Leonardo de Vinci (1452-1519) drew sketches of  winged flying machines around the year 1500, and Francisco de Lana (1631-1687) created plans for an “airship” in 1670.  An illustration of his idea depicts a boat supported by four balloons with a sail to provide forward motion.  

     From the late 1700’s until the Wright brothers flew in 1903, the terms “airship” and “flying machine” were seemingly interchangeable until inventors began designing machine driven flying contraptions known as airplanes that didn’t require a gas bag for lift.   

     Beginning in the early 1800’s and continuing for more than a century later, there were many hopeful inventors who publicly claimed to have “perfected” an airship or flying machine, but that didn’t necessarily mean they’d actually built and flew one.    

      For example, an editorial which appeared in the Yorkville Enquirer in 1884 said in part:, “Read the newspapers of to-day, and in one of every ten you can see an article about somebody’s flying machine going to fly somewhere, at some time.  It is always in the future, and none of them ever report any actual flying.”  

     The following year  a reporter from the Evening Star, a Washington, D.C. newspaper, interviewed an examiner from the U.S. Patent Office who said in part, “We no longer issue patents for devices to enable men to fly through the air because the thing is impossible, and the office some years ago made a rule not to issue patents for impractical inventions.”  

     The same patent examiner also told the Star that “on average” the patent office received about two applications per month for patents or improvements on patents already granted for existing patents of airships and flying machines. 

     It’s unknown how many airship and flying machine patents were applied for during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and of course not all applicants received a patent, and of those that did, often times their ideas never left the drawing board.   

    

     Some inventors created working scale-models of their proposed aerial machines hoping to attract potential investors, but most ultimately failed to raise the necessary funds to make their concepts a reality.  And of the airships and flying machines that were actually constructed, only a small portion achieved any level of success.      

     There were no flight manuals or reference books for aspiring inventors to draw from, so each was left to his own imagination as to how mechanical flight might be achieved.  Some envisioned machines with bird-like wings, while others incorporated gas bags, sails, or mechanically driven propellers.  The propeller designs differed in size and shape, with some resembling the blades of a windmill, others the paddle wheel of a steam ship, and even contoured propellers as we know them today.  Depending on the inventor’s imagination, the power to turn the props could come from human labor, steam power, compressed air, electric batteries, or any combination of the above.       

     Many early airship design proposals incorporated a cigar-shaped gas bag with some sort of carriage mounted or suspended underneath.  Gas bag materials varied from silk, rubberized canvas, oiled cloth, and even hollow steel or aluminum.   In most cases the bags were designed to hold hot air or Hydrogen gas, but there was one inventor from Mount Carmel, Ill., who in 1891 reportedly came up with the novel idea of using the decomposition gasses given off by dead birds which he called “Buzzard Gas”.  One might surmise that he did this as a joke.         

Captain Charles A. Smith’s Airship -1896

    When it came to inventing new airship designs, to coin a phrase, “the sky was the limit”.  An article which appeared in the Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser, (Alexandria, VA.), on August 25, 1819, mentioned a New Jersey man who’d built an airship and was hoping to fly it in the near future.  The article related in part: “Upon inquiry, we learn that the airship spoken of is a skeleton of wood in the form of a ship, encompassed with silk, which is to be inflated with inflammable air.  To the ship is to be attached a boat with a rudder, oars, etc. etc.  The ingenious inventor is so confident that he will be able to steer the ship, that he has gone to considerable expense in his arrangements.” 

     Another interesting example of an airship was described in an article that appeared in The (New York) Sun on April 30, 1903, under the headline, “Latest News From Europe”, which stated in part:

     “A modern Darius Green has made a flying machine that will really fly.  It was tested on Thursday by experts at Harrow with quite remarkable results.  The machinery consists of a steam engine in a boat-like carriage on small wheels , an areal screw propeller, and what looks like a great wooden sail of slats like a Venetian blind.  The machine weighs 330 pounds, and dead weights of sixteen and seventy-two pounds additional were attached during the experiments.  The inventor, Horatio Phillips, said it would take a pressure equal to a wind blowing thirty miles an hour against the 136 square feet of sail surface to lift the machine, and he produced a current by means of a 400 revolutions per minute propeller, equal to thirty-five miles per hour.  The artificial gale blown against the slats produced a vacuum and plenum on the upper and lower surfaces respectively, thus giving the greatest possible lifting power.  The experiments took place on a circular track.  On the first trial, with seventy-two pounds added weight, the machine when started ran a little way on the wheels and them mounted three or four feet into the air, and continued unsupported more than a half circuit when the extra weight was reduced to sixteen pounds.  It made a clear flight of more than three-fourths of the circuit of 600 feet.  It dropped to earth and ran on the wheels only, when its course was directly parallel with the rather strong natural breeze which was blowing.  Its speed was at the rate of twenty-eight miles an hour.  The machine is in the experimental stage, the design thus far being principally to test the new kind of aeroplane.  In that respect those results are regarded as most encouraging.”    

     While the Phillips flying machine actually made it into the air, the tests described in the article were unmanned.  

     One early airship inventor was John H. Pennington, of Baltimore, Maryland. (Not to be confused with another inventor of the same last name, Edward Joel Pennington.)  In early 1838 John went to Washington, D.C., hoping to present two airship designs to Congress and ask for federal funding to build them.      

     His first proposed airship was to be powered by steam, with lift provided by Hydrogen gas.  When completed it would measure 234 feet long, 87 feet wide, and 40 feet high, with a car mounted underneath for passengers and a pilot.

     The second airship was to be smaller and powered manually by the pilot, which could be operated silently during war time to spy on enemy positions.   

     Referring to Mr. Pennington’s invention, a notice which appeared in The Native American, (A Washington, D.C. newspaper.) on March 3, 1838, stated in part: “In order to defray the expenses of constructing a Steam or Gas Flying Machine, to carry “Express Mails;” and another, on the same principle, to move without either steam or gas – only by manual power – to reconnoiter the enemy’s camp or situation.  The latter can be constructed in a few months, and at the cheap rate of a few hundred dollars; in which the inventor hopes that the Government of the United States will duly appreciate his designs, and appropriate the sum required to construct one or both those Machines, and thereby put an immediate termination to the Indian War.” 

     John Pennington’s ideas were brought before members of Congress more than once, but after careful consideration his funding was denied.   Other inventors also sought government funding, for the idea of using an airship for military purposes had been around for decades, and every developed nation hoped to be the first to achieve “air superiority”.  

      One unnamed New York inventor, realizing the potential monetary rewards involved, tried to hedge his bets against any competition by petitioning Congress for a new law.  The following brief appeared in The Columbia Democrat, (Bloomsburg, Pa.), on March 6, 1841.

     “The Science of BallooningA scientific gentleman of New York insists upon it that he has discovered a means of propelling balloons through the air at almost any required speed and in any direction.  He wants Congress to pass a law guaranteeing all the advantages of such an invention for 50 years to any person who will propel and steer a balloon in the air at the rate of not less than ten miles per hour.  He says that in 1841 if such an act be passed a revolution will be commenced in modes of traveling such as the world has never yet beheld.  No doubt; we fear the revolution will cost some lives.” 

Rufus Porter's Dirigible Airship of 1850 Note the word "Aeroport" on the side of the ship. Illustration from The New York Sun November 23, 1913

Rufus Porter’s Aeroport

     Another early inventor of note was Rufus Porter, a New Englander  who built a twenty-two foot long working model of an airship he named “The Aeroport” that actually flew.  Porter’s model was demonstrated on several occasions inside large buildings.  Porter began his experiments in the 1830s, and envisioned a steam powered airship capable of high-speed transcontinental flight.  Unfortunately, he was never able to raise sufficient funds to bring his concept(s) to reality.      

      Yet not all flying machine ideas involved using gas bags and steam.  Some inventors opted to experiment with kites. One early description of a kite -flying machine can be found in the November 5, 1842 issue of the New York Daily Tribune.  The aircraft was the concept of a Mr. McDermott of Louisiana, who stated as follows;  “I have a Kite one hundred and ten feet in length, twenty feet broad, and tapering to each end like the wings of the fish-hawk.  Under the center of the kite I have a frame eighteen feet high in which I stand.  Under the kite are four wings which operate horizontally, like the oars of a boat.  the blades of the oars are each twenty square feet in surface.  They are moved by the muscles of the legs.  The blades of the oars are made of a series of valves resembling Venetian blinds, so that they open when they move forward, and close when the stroke is made.  The wood part is of canes, the braces wire – the kite of cotton cloth, the tail of the same material.  The kite has an angle of ten degrees to the horizon.” 

     There was no mention as to the total weight of the kite-machine, and it would seem that a man would need to be physically fit to fly it.

     There were others who experimented with man-carrying kites, and although some referred to their inventions as “flying machines”, they were still just kites, (without mechanical motors), and incapable of navigating the air at will.     

William Hanson’s Aerial Carriage
Despite the illustration, it never flew.

     On September 29, 1842, William S. Henson of England patented his design for the Henson Aerial Steam Carriage.  The steam powered aircraft was to weigh 3,000 pounds, and would reportedly be able to travel from London to India in only four days – at a rate of 75 to 100 mph.  Unfortunately it was never constructed.  

      Here in America, a Boston inventor claimed in 1890 that his airship, when completed, would be able to travel 500 miles per hour, and cross from New York to San Francisco in only six hours.        

     Airship and flying machine designs ranged from the “possible”, to the utterly ridiculous, with most falling somewhere in between.  Some envisioned airships that were akin to a flying hotel, with all the amenities of an ocean liner.  Others saw the potential use of airships in wartime, and designed military machines capable of aerial combat or for dropping bombs, as well as naval airships that could land and operate in water as a sort of flying battleship.  And still others envisioned the day when the horse and buggy would be replaced by one’s own personal flying machine.  By the early 20th century some foresaw gigantic blimps with airplane runways on top that would serve as aerial aircraft carriers.       

  

Airship Nearing Completion – 1892

     Inventing an airship or flying machine was the easy part. However actually building one required money, and lots of it.  One not only needed the right materials, which in some cases had to be custom manufactured, but they also needed a secure location to  construct their invention away from prying eyes of competitors and potential saboteurs.  Capitol was generally raised through private investors, or in some cases, for those with the right political connections, through the government.  

      Meanwhile skeptics maintained that air travel was impossible, or at the very least, unsafe, and pointed to previous failed attempts.  Part of this doubt may have been brought on by certain inventors who’d made astounding claims about the capabilities of their yet-to-be-built airships in terms of speed, altitude, and payload capabilities.     

     One could also surmise that there were those who didn’t want airship inventors to succeed, for if an airship capable of speeds of 100 miles-per-hour or more were to be successfully built, it could then compete in the travel and freight market against other established modes of transportation such as steamships, trains, and stagecoaches.             

     Some inventors who failed in their attempts to fly were sometimes publicly ridiculed in the press as with the case of a Mr. Davidson in the following news snippet that appeared in the Sunbury American And Shamokin Journal, a now defunct Pennsylvania newspaper, on March 23, 1844, under the heading,  “Miscellany”.   

     “The song of “O’ Fly Not Yet” has been arranged as a “bird waltz”, and dedicated to Mr. Davidson, the Flying Machine Man.”    

    Another case involved a New York man named Cook, who in 1897 invented a new type of parachute to be worn when he would take his nearly completed flying machine on a test flight in the near future.  Alas, poor Mr. Cook was found by a policeman entangled in his own invention dangling from a bridge eighty feet over the water – much embarrassed, but none the worse for wear.           

    And then there were the hoaxters and practical jokers who made claims of airships that didn’t exist – and never would.  A case in point was the 1844 story of “Monk Mason’s Flying Machine” which according to a New York newspaper reportedly crossed the Atlantic Ocean from England to the United States in only seventy-five hours.  This was a remarkable claim for the day, but unfortunately, pure fiction. 

     Another early example involved a Pittsburgh man who in September of 1846 advertised that on the 14th he would ascend with his “flying machine” from the top of the Hand Street Bridge.  Thousands turned out to see the event, but at the appointed hour all that flew from the bridge was a white goose the man had released from a sack.     

     The city took the joke in stride, with the Pittsburgh Gazette reporting, “Such a sloping off with mortified looks, it was laughable to see, and the hoax afforded matter for many a good joke during the evening.”      

      Airship hoaxes continued into the 20th century.  Perhaps the most infamous airship hoax occurred in the late autumn of 1909 when a Worcester, Massachusetts, businessman named  Wallace Tillinghast claimed to have invented an airship that could fly over 100 miles per hour at an altitude of 3,000 feet, and travel hundreds of miles without stopping.  Even for 1909 his claims were amazing, for the Wright brothers had flown only seven years earlier and aviation technology was still in its infancy.  What gave this hoax a life of its own was that over the next three months reputable people from all across southern New England reported “seeing” Tillinghast and his invention soar through the air while conducting his nightly flights.   However, in the end, it was revealed that Tillinghast never had an airship of any sort.     

     While the previously mentioned hoaxes were perpetrated for the fun of it, there were other cases where investors were defrauded of their money due to nonexistent airships which the “inventors” never had any intention of building. 

     Incidents involving scientific skepticism, hoaxes, public failures, and fraud, no doubt made it harder for legitimate inventors to gain credibility.

This illustration of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s flying machine appeared in The National Tribune, (Washington, D.C.), on March 1, 1906.  (His name is misspelled as “Dupont”)

    While most inventors worked on ideas involving gas bags to supply the lifting power for their aircraft, there were a few who concentrated on using rotating propellers to gain the necessary lift to overcome gravity.  The idea of helicopters dates to ancient times, and science fiction writers and illustrators of the 19th century envisioned ships equipped with numerous rotating propeller blades instead of sails.       

         By the 1890’s more and more people began to accept the idea that mechanical flight would one day be possible.  Futurists and authors of science fiction predicted a time when trans-Atlantic flights would become routine, and that the personal airship would replace the family horse and buggy, and later, the automobile. 

     One prediction of what the future would hold appeared in The Londonderry Sifter, (A South Londonderry, Vermont, newspaper. ), on August 30, 1888, which stated in part: “A recent writer suggests the we shall, in the next century, have very little use for horses.  He supposes airships to be not only an achievement, but to be as common as wagons are now.  The farmer has then only to hitch a load to his airboat, and lift it clear of trees, and move straight to market.  The effect of navigating the air will, however, be most marked on urban life.  Cities will no longer be needed to any such extent as now.  The airship, avoiding streets, can make a location in the country as desirable for a great store as one in a city.  Will not also a vast amount of land now needed for highways be given over to tillage?  Go ahead, and give us the airship – Globe-Democrat”    

     Predictions aside, aviation technology still hadn’t reached the point where practical aerial navigation could become a reality.   

     In the June, 1893 issue of McClure’s Magazine, famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell had this to say about how man would one day master air travel.  “Of course the airship of the future will be constructed without any balloon attachment.  The discovery of the balloon undoubtedly retarded the solution of the flying problem for over a hundred years.  Even since the Montgolfers taught the world how to rise in the air by means of inflated gasbags, the inventors working at the problem of aerial navigation have been thrown on the wrong track.  Scientific men have been wasting their time trying to steer balloons, a thing which in the nature of the case is impossible to any extent , inasmuch as balloons, being lighter than the resisting air, can never make any headway against it.  the fundamental principle of aerial navigation is that the ship must be heavier that the air.  It is only in recent years that men capable of studying the problem seriously have accepted this as an axiom”     

airship

Arthur De Baussett’s Proposed Airship
The Herald-Advance
Milbank, South Dakota
August 4, 1899

     One of the more ambitious airship projects of the 19th century was the one proposed by Arthur De Bausset in 1899.  His idea was to construct an airship 774 feet long and 144 feet wide that could travel from New York to London in 30 hours.  His airship, when completed, would be the world’s largest, and bigger than any ocean liner of the day. 

     The lift power would come from pumping all of the air out of the huge metal envelope thus creating a vacuum.  Propulsion was to come from 32 propellers powered by turbine engines.

     It was reported that many of New York’s well known businessmen were interested in the project, however, the ship was never built.

     In 1908 inventor J. A. Morrell constructed an airship that was 450 feet long, and at the time, was said to be the world’s largest.  Unfortunately it crashed on May 23, 1908 during its maiden voyage, injuring sixteen people.  

    The flight of the Wright Brothers airplane n 1903 opened the door to manned mechanical flight.   Meanwhile, others continued their work on perfecting the airship.  Technology in both areas grew rapidly leading many to believe that high-speed air travel over great distances was just around the corner.    

     Today we take air travel for granted, but none of it would have been possible had it not been for the hundreds, or perhaps thousands of would-be airship and flying machine inventors who struggled through trial and error to see what worked and what didn’t.  They did so at their own expense, often ridiculed, and at risk of being injured or killed.  In most cases their names have been lost to history. 

     Other sources:

     Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser, (Alexandria, VA.), “Camden, N.J., August 17”, August 25, 1819

     The Native American, (Washington, D.C.), Notice, March 3, 1838.

     The Native American, (Washington, D.C.), “A Step Further In The Sciences”, March 3, 1838

     Iowa Territorial Gazette & Advertiser, “Traveling In The Air”, January 7, 1843

     The New York Herald, “Henson’s New Aerial Steam Carriage”, April 21, 1843

     The Cecil Whig, (Elkton, Md.) “The Steam Mechanic”, April 29, 1843

     The Post Gibson Herald, (no headline), May 22, 1845 

     Yorkville Enquirer, (Yorkville, S.C.), “The Flying Machine Mania”, July 31, 1884

     Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “Flying Through The Air – A problem Which Has Puzzled The Inventors Of All Times”, September 26, 1885 

     The Morning Call, (San Francisco, CA.), “With An Eagle’s Swiftness”, October 19, 1890

     The Waco Evening News, (Waco, Texas), “A New Gas”, February 24, 1892.

     The Charlotte Democrat, (Charlotte, N.C.), “Hung By His Heels”, July 1, 1897

 

 

 

 

 

 

Framingham, MA. – December 25, 1936

Framingham, Massachusetts – December 25, 1936

     On December 25, 1936, a 21-year-old pilot was killed while taking off from the Framingham Airport.   According to a witness, the aircraft’s motor began to sputter as it left the ground, and at an altitude of less than 100 feet the plane turned and fell.  There was no fire, and it was later determined that the gas tank was empty. The youth was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Begin Probe On Airplane Crash”, December 26, 1936.  

Northeast Flying Service – 1930

Northeast Flying Service – 1930

 

Nashua Telegraph
July 25, 1930

      The Northeast Flying Service established its headquarters at Ferryall Field in Hudson, New Hampshire, on July 24, 1930.  The service offered pilot training and sightseeing airplane rides.  The company owned a dual control Waco airplane for teaching student pilots, and a Stinson cabin plane for rides.   The company also maintained an office at Manchester Airport. 

     In February of 1931 the company announced plans to open another office in Nashua.   

 

Nashua Telegraph
August 27, 1930

     Other Sources:

     Nashua Telegraph, “Open Flying School At Hudson Field”, July 24, 1930, page 16

    Nashua Telegraph, “Plan Aviation School In City”, February 26, 1931

Wethersfield, CT. – March 28, 1948

Wethersfield, Connecticut – March 28, 1948

 

P-51 Mustang
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On March 27, 1948, Army Lieutenant Joseph F. McMillan, (28), of Derry, New Hampshire, took off in a P-51 Mustang aircraft from Grenier Field in Manchester, New Hampshire, bound for Mitchell Field, on Long Island, N. Y.   He arrived safely at Mitchell Field, and later took off for a return trip to Manchester.  At 1:05 a.m. on March 8, while in route back to Manchester, he was killed when his plane crashed in a swampy wooded area near the sixth hole at the Wethersfield Country Club Golf Course. 

     The cause of the accident is unknown. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Derry Flier Dies In Conn. Plane Crash”, March 29, 1948, page 1.

 

American Airlines Advertisement – 1943

Click on image to enlarge.

March, 1943

Northeast Airlines Advertisements

Click on images to enlarge.

November, 1956

March, 1957

June, 1957

September, 1957

October, 1957

October, 1957

March, 1958

May, 1958

February, 1959

The Connecticut Aircraft Company

The Connecticut Aircraft Company – Established 1914 

Click on images to enlarge. 

The Sun, (N.Y.) March 28, 1914, page 18

The Sun, March 28, 1914, page 18

The Sun, March 28, 1914, page 18

The Sun, May 2, 1914

The Sun, May 2, 1914

     Click her to see article about the first U. S. Navy Airship built by the Connecticut Aircraft Company

The Daily Star-Mirror, December 12, 1916

     Click here for article about 1916 Navy Dirigible

Bridgeport Times, September 1, 1921, page 1

 

Charlie & Charlie Aviation Company

Charlie & Charlie Aviation Company

   

Curtiss Jenny Airplane

 The Charlie & Charlie Aviation Company was established sometime around 1920 by Lieutenant Paul Robinson of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, formerly of Brookline, Mass.  His airplane was a Curtis Jenny which had a logo painted on the sides. 

     In the autumn of 1920, Lt. Robinson donated his services to the Caledonian – Record newspaper of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to assist with announcing the results of the 1920 Presidential election.  It was reported that on November 3rd he would fly his airplane at a low altitude over the towns located in the counties of Essex, Caledonia, and Orleans, with a colored circle painted on the bottom wings.  Citizens would know by the color which candidate had been elected President.   A black circle would mean that Democratic candidate Governor James M. Cox, won, and a red circle would mean that Republican Senator Warren G. Harding won.  The St. Johnsbury Caledonian reported in part, “The color scheme is best suited to the eye and carries no political significance”.  

     This was a time before the instant-up-to-the-minute media coverage that we’re used to today, and a time before people had radios in their homes.    

———

     On Saturday, October 30, 1920, Lt. Robinson gave a stunt flying exhibition over St. Johnsbury in celebration of “Merchant’s Day” in view of 10,000 spectators.   A friend identified as “Al” Martin accompanied him on the flight.

     In reference to the performance, the Caledonian – Record reported in part, “Pilot Robinson came up over the valley shortly after three o’clock and circled over the town for a few moments before he commenced his exhibition.  The first thing on the program was a spiral dive, followed by three loops in succession.  His catalogue of stunts is a large one and he executed them all much to the enjoyment of the huge throng below.  At times he flew so low that both men could be seen plainly with the naked eye while at other times he soared so high that his plane was almost lost from view.”   

     Sources:

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, “Airplane To Give Winner Of Election”, October 27, 1920. 

     Caledonian – Record, “Aviator Thrills 10,000 People With Stunts”, November 1, 1920 

 

 

 

Mystery Balloon – 1928

Article from the New Britain Herald, July 30, 1928.

Click on image to enlarge. 

Two Connecticut Men Invent A Glider – 1909

Two Connecticut Men Invent A Glider – 1909

By Jim Ignasher

     “Darius was clearly of the opinion, that the sky was also man’s dominion.”  A line from the poem, Darius Green and His flying Machine, by John Trobridge, 1869.

     Darius Green was a mythical boy who built his own flying machine, yet he may have been the inspiration for two young inventors from Hartford, Connecticut, to do the same.  Ruben Bassett, and Arvid Carlson, both 18, had been friends since childhood, and as Ruben told a reporter of the Hartford Courant, “We have always been making something or other, but we never finished anything.  We started to make an automobile once, and we built some boats, trying to see how small we could make a boat and still have it carry anyone.”  It therefore seemed logical that after trying their hand at auto and boat building, that an aircraft of some sort would come next.

     They began building their aircraft in early April of 1909 in the basement of Ruben’s home at 1273 Main Street.  The design consisted of two wings, each twenty feet long and four feet wide, framed with ribs of spruce wood and covered with white cambric cloth.  The wings were set about four feet apart, one atop the other, with wires and struts to support them.  A spruce and cambric-cloth rudder was attached to the rear of the craft.  Despite its size, the entire machine reportedly weighed only 40 pounds.   

     The aircraft didn’t have a motor, and was actually what one might refer to as a “hang-glider” today.  There was no place for a pilot to sit.  The aviator would simply hold on from underneath for the duration of the flight.

     The glider had been built in sections which were then brought to the Hartford Electric Light Company where both men were employed.  The management had agreed to allow them use of a work area where the glider could be fully assembled.  By mid-May it was ready for its inaugural flight.  

     In the early morning hours of May 16, the men maneuvered their glider through the sleeping streets of Hartford and up to Prospect Hill.  On their way they encountered a policeman who inquired as to what they were up to, but not being one to stand in the way of aeronautical progress, the officer allowed them to continue on their way.  Once atop the hill they waited for a good breeze, but only the faintest movement of air could be detected.  Undaunted, Ruben decided to test their invention anyway, and after a running start he leaped into the air.  A gentle wind caught the wings, and lifted him to about fifteen feet as he sailed for a distance of approximately seventy feet before landing back on terra firma. Unfortunately one of the wings struck the ground and the glider flipped over thereby breaking one of the spruce ribs and putting a halt to any further experiments.  

     This was reported to be the first glider flight to ever take place in Hartford, but unfortunately the entire event was only witnessed by a handful of people, two of which included milkmen who’s stopped their horse-drawn wagons and delayed their deliveries to watch.   

     On May 23, after making repairs to their glider, the men once again brought it to Prospect Hill for another test-flight.  This time members of the press were present.  Unfortunately that flight ended like the first.  Despite the setback, the inventors vowed to continue their experiments after repairs were made.

     Meanwhile, both Bassett and Carlson were granted a few days off by their employer, the Hartford Electric Light Company, to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Wright brothers. 

     What ultimately became of the glider is unknown, but two years later Ruben Bassett made the news with another invention that he called the “water cycle”, which was in effect a human powered craft designed to be ridden upon the water.  On May 23, 1911, he demonstrated his invention on the Connecticut River  about 150 feet upriver from the dock of the Hartford & New York Transportation Company.  At first the “water-cycle” appeared to be a success, until it suddenly flipped over.  After being towed to shore Bassett made a second attempt with the same results.  It was reported that the cause of the mishaps was due to the center of gravity being offset by the operator’s positioning on the craft.        

Sources:

     Hartford Courant, “An Aeroplane In Hartford”, May 17, 1909, page 6.

     Hartford Courant, “Young Aeronauts Try A Glider”, May 24, 1909, page 7.      

     Hartford Courant, “Water Cycle Has Lots To Learn”, May 22, 1911, page 10.          

Massachusetts Civil Air Patrol Sign

Massachusetts Civil Air Patrol Sign 

Photographed May 10, 2018, at the Brimfield Flea Market, Brimfield, Massachusetts.  Sign is approximately 2.5 to 3 ft. wide.  

Westport, MA. – August 10, 1927

Westport, Massachusetts – August 10, 1927

     On the morning of August 10, 1927, two army reserve officers, Lieutenant Paul Green of South Bedford, Mass., and Lieutenant Raymond Taplin of Quincy, Mass., left East Boston Airport in an army biplane for a training flight.  They flew south towards New Bedford, where they circled the new landing field on the estate of Colonel Edward Greene.  After doing so, they turned back for Boston, and shortly afterwards their fuel supply ran out.  The pilot attempted to switch to the reserve tanks but they were empty.  The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in the northern portion of the town of Westport.  In doing so, the plane struck a stone wall and burst into flames.  Both men escaped with minor injuries, but the airplane was destroyed.    

     Source: New Britain Herald, (Connecticut), “Reserve Fliers In Escape From Death”, August 10, 1927 

Rock Dam Aerodrome, Greenfield, Mass.

  Rock Dam Aerodrome – Greenfield, Mass. 

Click on images to enlarge.

Brattleboro Reformer
(Brattleboro, VT.)
August 26, 1910

Vermont Phoenix
August 26, 1910
Page 5

Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Click on images to enlarge.

   

Vintage Postcard View of Old Orchard Beach, Me.

Old Orchard Beach

Harry M. Jones’ Airplane

 

Earle Ovington Fair Advertisement – 1911

Earle Ovington Fair Advertisement – 1911

     Earle Ovington, (1879 – 1936), was a pioneer aviator from new England.  The advertisement below is for an event that took place in Bridgeport, Connecticut, May 5, 6, 7, 1911.    

Click on image to enlarge.

Advertisement from the
Bridgeport Evening Farmer
May 4, 1911

Harry N. Atwood Cross Country Flight Records – 1911

Harry N. Atwood Cross Country Flight Record – 1911

     Harry N. Atwood, (1883 – 1967)

     The following article appeared in The Washington Times, June 30, 1911, page 10.  

ATWOOD FLIES 107 MILES WITH PASSENGER TO SEE REGATTA    

Aviator Harry Atwood

     NEW LONDON, June 30. – Harry N. Atwood, the boy aviator, with a passenger, made a flight of 107 miles in order to witness the Harvard-Yale rowing regatta today.

     Leaving the Harvard aviation field at Squantum Mass., at 7:05, he crossed the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut and arrived at his destination at 9:10 o’clock.

     With weather conditions ideal all the way, he covered the 107 miles in 125 minutes, an average of a fraction over 51:56 miles an hour.

     Atwood broke the American record for a single flight across country, and established a world’s mark for passenger carrying flight across country.     

     One hundred thousand visitors who jammed into New London and were ready to leave for the race course, forgot all about college rooting and cheered themselves hoarse when Atwood circled twice around the Groton monument, directly across the Thames River from the New Haven Railroad station,  passed over the big drawbridge, and flew over the two-mile course at a speed which the waiting oarsmen at Red Top and Gales ferry envied.

     The Yale and Harvard crews for the moment turned loose all their enthusiasm and cheered the daring aviator.

     Secretary of the Navy Meyer and party aboard the Untied States dispatch boat Dolphin applauded Atwood wildly and the great fleet of yachts on both sides of the race course tied down their whistles and fired salute after salute from their cannon.

     After passing the Dolphin, Atwood picked out the west bank of the river for a landing place.  He volplaned from a height of 1,000 feet in two magnificent sweeps and landed lightly on the ground in Riverside park to the south of the drawbridge.

———-   

     Atwood would break his own record thirty days later when he flew from Boston to New York, a distance of 139 miles.  This trip received much more attention by the press than the one to New London.   

Click on image to enlarge.

A vintage postcard view of Harry N. Atwood and his airplane.

  

Lincoln Beachey – Pioneer Aviator

Lincoln Beachey – Pioneer Aviator

     Much has already been written about Lincoln Beachey, (1887 – 1915), one of America’s best known pilots of his time, and this information can be found in books and other websites.   Information presented here pertains to Beachey’s activities in New England. 

     Its been noted that Beachey’s last name was sometimes misspelled in the press and appeared as “Beachy”. 

     The following article appeared in the Waterbury Evening Democrat (Waterbury, Connecticut), on June 7, 1907.

SAILS OVER BOSTON   

Lincoln Beachey’s Airship Almost Death Of Him

On Return Journey to Revere Beach Motor Became Disabled and the Balloon Was Carried Out Over the Atlantic. 

     Boston, June 7.- The breaking down of his motor, which allowed the airship he was navigating to be blown seaward, almost resulted in the death of Lincoln Beachey off Revere Beach. 

     Boston Got the surprise of its life when it looked up and saw sailing over the buildings in the center of the city its first visiting airship.

     Beachey passed over the capitol building and dropped a message for Governor Guild.

     The governor and most of the legislators crowded the balconies and sidewalks about the statehouse as the airship sailed over them and when the message came down waved their hands and cheered the aeronaut.

     Beachey had made a seven mile journey from Revere Beach to Boston, sailing high over the city’s tallest structures, and passing over the steeple of the Park Street Church and the statehouse dome, and finally landed on Boston Common, where thousands of persons were attracted by the airship. 

     On the return journey to Revere Beach the motor became disabled when the aeronaut was a mile off shore over Boston Harbor, and the airship was carried some distance seaward.  Beachey managed to partially repair his engine so as to get back to the vicinity of Revere Beach. 

     When several hundred feet off shore the airship settled rapidly, and it looked as if Beachey would be thrown into the water and entangled beneath his airship.  Men in rowboats and launches, who hastened to Beachey’s assistance, seized the drag rope and were able to tow him and his apparatus ashore before he struck the water.  The airship was not damaged.         

——–

     The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer (Connecticut.), May 15, 1911, page 8.  

BEACHEY TAKES AERIAL TRIP TO NEW HAVEN

Starts at Aerodrome and drops in at Yale Commons to Have Supper

 

Early postcard image of Lincoln Beachey.

     Having heard that Yale Commons affords good eating, Lincoln Beachey stepped into his Curtis aeroplane at the Bridgeport Aerodrome yesterday afternoon, and sauntered over to New Haven .  Most of the saunter was made at a height of about 2,000 feet.  It took him just 14 minutes and 57 seconds from the time the propeller first turned over at the aerodrome to the time it stopped turning in the center of Yale Field.

     In about fifteen minutes more Mr. Beachey was seated at the table in Yale dining hall.  He tried to ignore the enthusiastic crowd of Yale students and declared that he had done nothing out of the ordinary, but his hosts refused to be left out of the program, and gave him a Yale yell.

     Beachey slipped away from the enthusiastic crowd in New Haven as soon as he could, and took a train for Bridgeport.  At the Stratfield here he was disgusted to find another big crowd awaiting him.  he couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. 

     Beachey’s flight to New Haven, the first cross-country flight made in Connecticut, and about the smoothest ever made in this country, was a fitting ending to an aviation exhibition of four days, which experienced aviators declared to be one of the finest ever given.

     Yesterday was ideal for flying.  The wind was light nd steady and blew from the southeast, so that the bird men in starting could life over the lowest portion of the aerodrome fence. It was this shift in the wind which enabled Beachey to make two passenger flights yesterday.

     Miss Margaret Shea and frank Arnold were Beachey’s guests.  Mr. Arnold was the first to be taken up.  He was seated on the lower plane in back and to the left of Beachey’s chair.   The aeroplane rose nicely and soared into the air without apparent effort, despite the double burden it was carrying.  Beachey made a nice trip, circling around the field at a height of about 350 feet and came down easily.

     Miss Margaret Shea was the next to go up, and for her entertainment Mr. Beachey gave an even longer trip, circling around in the air several times at a height of about 500 feet, and making a steep swoop in landing.

     Another “stunt” which was a record breaker took place at the Bridgeport Aerodrome when McCurdy from his machine got into touch with New York by wireless.  This is believed to be the longest distance that a message was ever sent by wireless from an aeroplane.     

     McCurdy sent the initials “M. D. T.”  These were caught by the wireless operator in the tower of the Pulitzer Building.  They were also caught at a private station in New Haven and were taken as a signal that Beachey had started on his flight to that city.

     Before shaking the air of Bridgeport off his wings, Beachey went through a number of the thrilling aerial evolution for which he is noted.  Bo less that seven times he made deep swoops over the field, coming within a few feet of the ground and then shooting up into the air again.  Several times he just grazed the fence.  Once or twice he swooped down among the crowd outside the aerodrome and gave them a bad scare. On the return he passed over a barn so close that he shook the shingles on the roof.  he dived and dipped around the field  looking like an immense bird playing a game of tag with itself.

     The nice smooth wind yesterday made these stunts possible.  Beachey was tickled with the day and declared it ideal.  The wind blowing just opposite to the prevailing direction of the other three days of the meet.  Otherwise, passengers could not have been carried.

     On Saturday the wind was blowing from the west so that the aviators had to start toward the west and head directly for the trees.

     McCurdy, in making his first trip with the wireless apparatus on Saturday, came near getting into serious trouble.  Either his engne wasn’t working, or the wireless was unexpectedly heavy; at any rate it looked as though he would smash into the trees.

     Beachey, who was watching him, was dropping cold sweat.  Hamilton was another onlooker.  Both heaved a sigh of relief when the machine sagged through the trees without mishap.

     “If you’d been in that tree and yelled, ‘will you make it?’, he’d have yelled back ‘ I don’t know!,” said Hamilton.

———-

Click on image to enlarge.

Orleans County Monitor
(Barton, Vermont)
June 26, 1912

Click on images to enlarge.

Advertisement for the 23rd Annual Orleans County Fair held in Barton Vermont, August 20, 21, & 22, 1912.

Lincoln Beachey advertising Red Crown Gasoline.
Daily Capitol Journal, Salem, Ore.
May 14, 1914

     For more information about Lincoln Beachey in New England click on the following links elsewhere on this website.

     Bridgeport’s Aerodrome

     Lincoln Beachey’s Airship

     Manchester Ct. – June 14, 1914 – Lincoln Beachey survives plane crash.

     First Woman To Fly An Airplane In R. I.

 

 

Airport Dedication Requests – 1928

Airport Dedication Requests – 1928

Click on image to enlarge.

New Britain Herald

November 30, 1928

Wallingford Airport Dedication – 1927

Wallingford Airport Dedication Article – 1927

Click on image to enlarge.

New Britain Herald
November 11, 1927

 

Pequabuck Balloon Ascension- 1886

Pequabuck Agricultural Fair Balloon Ascension Advertisement – 1886 

click on image to enlarge.

Morning Journal and Courier

New Haven, Ct.

September 29, 1886

Early Burlington Vermont Airport Articles

Early Burlington Vermont Airport Articles 

     The Burlington (Vermont) International Airport had is beginnings in 1919 with the U. S. Government seeking a suitable place for an airfield.   The airport was officially dedicated on September 22, 1921.

     Click on images to enlarge.

The Bare (Vermont) Daily Times
April 28, 1919

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Bare (Vermont) Daily Times on May 18, 1920.

Airplanes Went From Boston To Burlington In One Hour, 49 Minutes

     Burlington, May 18. – Two airplanes arrived at Fort Ethan Allen yesterday afternoon in record breaking time from Boston.  One plane was piloted by Col. Grennan, chief of the air service of the New England division, and the other by Colonel G. C. Brant of new York City.  Both planes left Boston at 3:30 yesterday afternoon.  Colonel Grennan, who arrived five minutes ahead of Colonel Brant, made the trip in one hour and 49 minutes, which is believed to be a record for this flight.  His average speed was 110 miles per hour.

      Colonel Brant made a detour on the way to fly over the town of Groton, where he is acquainted.  The machines used were Dehaviland planes equipped with Liberty motors.  The trip is one of several which the officers are making in New England for the purpose of promoting airplane landing fields for the coming season.  Burlington has been considered as a very important location for a landing field and various locations here will be inspected during the officer’s visit.

———-

 

Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia)
August 11, 1920

The Bare Daily Times
(Bare, Vermont)
August 12, 1920

The Caledonian Record
(St. Johnsbury, Vt.)
September 20, 1921

     Also see Early Postcard Views of Burlington Airport

Charles Durant’s Boston Balloon Ascensions – 1834

Charles Durant’s Boston Balloon Ascensions – 1834

     Charles Ferson Durant, (Born Sept. 19, 1805 – died, Mar. 2, 1873) has been referred to by the press as “America’s First Aeronaut”.  During the course of his career he made three balloon ascensions from Boston.  

     Mr. Durant’s first balloon ascension from Boston took place on or about August 1, 1834.

     According to a newspaper article that appeared in the Alexandria Gazette on August 5, 1834, Durant took off from an Amphitheater near Charles Street that was erected for the occasion.   Thousands had gathered to watch, being an exceptionally unusual event for the era.  The ascension was successful, and the balloon was carried off by prevailing breezes which pushed it out over the open water.  There it was observed by the Captain of the steamboat Hancock to drop low several times and touch the water.  The Hancock turned to pursue the wayward balloon, but had trouble in doing so.

     The balloon finally landed in the ocean about five miles off the coast  of Marblehead, Massachusetts, but fortunately Mr. Durant had equipped himself with a life vest which kept him afloat until he was recued.

     The following article appeared in the Alexandria Gazette on August 30, 1834.   

_______

BALLOON ASCENSION

     Boston, Tuesday, Aug. 26. – Mr. Durant’s Eleventh Ascension –  Yesterday afternoon, agreeably to previous notice, Mr. Durant made his eleventh grand ascension (it being his second from Boston,) from his amphitheater on the city land west of Charles Street.  The day was pleasant, and the wind was blowing with a pretty strong breeze from the north east. 

     At 4 o’clock, 30 minutes, Mr. Durant took his place in his wicker-basket car, the cords which detained him were severed, and he rose majestically from the amphitheater amid the firing of cannon and the benedictions of the multitude.  He moved toward the north-west.  Before leaving the ground, he had thrust out several bags of sand, and on rising 700 or 800 feet from the ground, he arrived at an elevation where there was no wind at all, and he remained apparently stationary for some minutes.  He was then observed to let out the sand from one of the bags, which was seen to descend like rain, and the rays of sun upon it gave it the appearance of vapor descending in a vertical direction, and affording a beautiful appearance.  he then cast out what appeared to be the empty bag, which descended slowly, and was mistaken by many of the spectators for the rabbit falling with the parachute.  he now discharged the sand from several bags, which was seen to rain down in like manner, and the balloon was observed to rise.  In the meantime the gas was distinctly seen escaping from the top of the balloon like vapor.  After being up about 15 minutes the balloon descended to a lower stratum of atmosphere, which set towards the north-west, and it then moved pretty fast towards Cambridgeport.  At this time the rabbit was discharged with the parachute , which was observed to fall gradually in, or near, Cambridgeport.  The balloon then rose again , and appeared nearly stationary for several minutes, when it again moved towards the west.  Every few minutes the sand was distinctly seen showering down, and finally the balloon was observed to descend apparently beyond Mount Auburn.

     Six o’clock.   We have this moment the satisfaction of hearing of Mr. Durant’s safe arrival with the balloon at the Tremont House, where he was welcomed by the shouts and congratulations of a large collection of people.  We learn that at 5 h. 6 m. he landed safely in a field west of Mount Auburn, and about six miles from the Amphitheater.  He was, therefore, 36 minutes in the air, and one hour and a half from his starting to his arrival at the Tremont House.  He brought the rabbit with him, and it was exhibited in front of the Tremont.  the parachute is in the shape of a large umbrella.

     It happened that everything was in readiness for the ascension at an earlier hour than was anticipated and consequently the balloon started at half past 4 instead of 5 o’clock, as had been announced.  In consequence to this, we regret to say that many people were too late to see the balloon at starting.  To enable such people to witness the operation, and to afford everybody another opportunity to see the magnificent spectacle, it is hoped that Mr. Durant will undertake a third ascension from Boston.  As the balloon is uninjured, an early day would probably be convenient for the intrepid aeronaut as it would be desirable to our citizens generally.      

———-

     Mr. Durant’s third balloon ascension from Boston occurred on September 13, 1834.  The ascension had been scheduled for two days earlier but had to be postponed due to high winds.

     After taking off just before 5 p.m.,  the balloon drifted westward towards Brighton until reaching an air current that was blowing to the east.  It then passed over the Boston Common and the State House, and eventually settled safely in Watertown.

     Source: Alexandria Gazette, “Balloon Ascension” September 18, 1834.

——-

Litchfield Enquirer (Ct.)
August 7, 1834

Barnes Airport – Westfield, MA.

Barnes Airport – Westfield, Massachusetts

Click on image to enlarge.

Vintage postcard view of Barnes Airport, Westfield, Massachusetts

Vintage Postcard View of Barnes Airport.

Some Perilous Early Balloon Ascensions

Some Perilous Early Balloon Ascensions

          The following newspaper article appeared in the New York Tribune on February 23, 1908.

COLD TRIP IN BALLOON

Stevens and Forbes in Peril – Food and Sand Freeze.

     Springfield, Mass., Feb. 22 – Benumbed with cold, which was so severe as to freeze their food, their bags of wet sand, and render their registering instruments useless, A. Holland Forbes and Leo Stevens, of New York, who ascended in a balloon at North Adams early this afternoon, came to earth at Wales, a village three miles from the Connecticut line, southeast of this city, after a trip of about ninety miles.  When the aeronauts left North Adams that hoped that they might reach Boston, but although they found air currents which swept them in a general easterly direction the extreme cold forced them to descend.  Soon after passing Springfield it was found that the cold had so contracted the gas in the bag that the balloon was descending rapidly.  The aeronauts decided to break an unwritten law of balloonists and to throw over some hard substances  in order to lighten the balloon.  At this time they were rapidly approaching Wilbraham Mountain, and it was evident that they could not clear the top of that eminence unless the balloon were lightened.

     One of the anchors attached to the car was drawn up, and, used like a pick, served to break the frozen sandbags so that lumps of the sand could be thrown over.  Considering it inadvisable in their half frozen condition to attempt to make a longer trip, the balloonists decided to descend.  They made a landing in a road in the woods near the village of Wales two and a half hours from the starting time.

———-

     On the afternoon of June 19, 1908, well known aeronauts Charles J. Glidden and Leo Stevens were passing over West Brattleboro, Vermont, in a balloon when they heard two gunshots, the bullets from which struck the balloon. Both men were positive the shots had come from a large white barn on a farm below.  

     Investigation by authorities led to the arrest of two men.  One claimed the other had fired the shots from a rifle thinking the balloon was a toy, after which he took the gun away from his companion.  Both men were held for trial, and one was ultimately convicted.

     Sources:

     The Brattleboro Reformer, “For Shooting At Glidden’s Balloon”, June 26, 1908

     The Brattleboro Reformer, “Aerial Assault Case Up For Today”, July 3, 1908     

———-    

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner, (Bennington, VT.), September 13, 1911. 

SHEARMAN’S LONG FLIGHT

Williams College Aeronaut Suffers Severely From Exposure.

     H. P. Shearman, president of the Williams College Aeronautical Society who made a balloon ascension from Aero Park, Pittsfield, yesterday morning at 2 o’clock, landed in Auburn, Maine, 200 miles distant by air line, yesterday morning about 6 o’clock.  He was in an exhausted condition as the result of exposure, and was taken to a hospital in Auburn for treatment.  He was in an unconscious condition when found on the farm of H. B. Estes, but no bones were broken, nor was there any indication that he was otherwise injured.  The flight is the longest ever made from Pittsfield.  The nearest to this record was made by William Van Sleet and Oscar Hutchinson when they landed in Biddeford, Maine, 165 miles air line from Pittsfield.

————

     The following newspaper article also relates to H. P. Shearman’s balloon flight.  It appeared in the Arizona Republican, September 13, 1911.

AERONAUT ALMOST FROZEN TO DEATH 

College Professor Has trying Experience in Long Flight Across the Old Bay State.

     Auburn, Maine, Sept. 12. – Half benumbed from his flight through the rain and cold, and unable to make the outlet valve or rip cord of his balloon work, President H. P. Shearman of the Williams College Aeronautical Society, climbed through the ropes and with a knife slashed the silken bag, then fell back into the basket unconscious.  The balloon dropped swiftly to the earth and tonight Shearman, resting comfortably in a local hospital, is able to tell of his experience.  He ascended at Pittsfield, Mass., early this morning, and flew to this city (Auburn, ME.), 200 miles, the longest flight ever made by a single aeronaut.  Soon after ascending he ran into heavy rain, which, turning to hail, caused bitter cold.  Feeling the effects of the weather, Shearman several times tried to land, but was unable to deflate the huge bag.  His strength was nearly gone when he resorted to his knife. 

———-       

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner on November 14, 1911. 

WILLIAMS  STUDENTS’  TRIP

Balloon Landed Near Clairmont, N. H. – Rescued By Farmers

     The balloon containing three Williams College students which ascended from Pittsfield Saturday made a landing near Clairmont, N. H., ;ate Saturday afternoon.  The balloon bumped the tops of forest trees where the anchor had caught for some time before the three students were discovered by some farmers of Unity, a small town near Claremont, and rescued from a perilous position.  After some of the smaller trees had been cut away the aeronauts were able to slide down their anchor rope.  The sky voyagers were H. Percy Shearman, president of the Williams College Aeronautical Society and pilot of the balloon, the Stevens 21, H. R. Corner of Cleveland, O., and J. A. Jones of New York City.  Unity is 77 miles from Pittsfield.

———-    

 

 

N. Y. To Boston Balloon Airline – 1908

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Sun, (New York, N.Y.), on July 21, 1908.

     N. Y. – BOSTON BALLOON LINE

Company Forming To Carry Freight and Passengers by Dirigibles.

     Boston, July 20. – Whipple, Sears & Ogden, at the request of Charles J. Glidden, are preparing organization papers to incorporate the American Aerial Navigation Company, to be created for the purpose of manufacturing and operating aerial devices and the establishing of aerial routes for the transportation of freight and passengers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

     Mr. Glidden anticipates that within the next eighteen months the new company will be carrying passengers and merchandise by the “air line” between New York and Boston, either by use of the dirigible, balloon, or aeroplane.  He believes that with relay stations near Springfield and New Haven the trip can be made 300 days in the year, the one from Boston to New York during daylight, and from New York to Boston in seven or eight hours.

     The first experiments will be made with small dirigibles with a capacity of one or two passengers in addition to the operator.  Stations will be established close to the street car lines on the outskirts of cities with suitable facilities to house the dirigibles and supply any loss of gas en-route.

     An inexpensive plant to manufacture hydrogen gas will be in operation at each station.  As the dirigibles will travel at an average height of 500 to 800 feet very little loss of gas should take place.

     Pending the establishment of the air lines and to familiarize people with aerial voyages, ascensions will be made from Pittsfield and North Adams in the spherical balloons.

    The people interested I the new company hold options on a large manufacturing plant for aerial apparatus and are in negotiation for the manufacture of dirigibles.  The form of dirigibles to be adopted will depend upon the success of the experiments now being carried on by the Governments of the United States and France.  “Aerial travel,” says Mr. Glidden, “will be, when thoroughly established, the cheapest and safest form of transportation.”

 

The First Intercollegiate Balloon Race – 1911

The First Intercollegiate Balloon Race – 1911 

     On Saturday, June 3, 1911, a unique balloon race between college aeronautical clubs was held at North Adams, Massachusetts.  Four institutions were represented; Harvard University, Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, and Williams College.  The race was organized by the Williams College Aeronautical Society and was billed as the “first event of its kind”. 

     Two prizes were to be awarded: one for longest duration in the air, and the other for the longest distance traveled.  

     The University of Pennsylvania team won both prizes with their balloon, Philadelphia II, piloted by A. F. Atherholt, and captained by George A. Richardson.   After a little more than seven hours in the air they landed safely in West Peabody, Massachusetts, a distance of 115 miles from North Adams.   The other teams landed earlier after having travelled lesser distances.  

     According to a small article which appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner, (Bennington, Vermont), on March 15, 1911, (“Students Balloon Race”), the Williams Aeronautical Society challenged the Amherst College Aero Club to a distance contest which was scheduled to take place on May 20, 1911, slightly more than two weeks before the race set for June 3.  It’s unknown of this contest between the two learning institutions took place however, the article ended that Williams College was also planning an intercollegiate race, and that Yale, Harvard, Cornell, Tufts, M.I.T., and Amherst would all be invited to participate, and that the race would “probably” be from North Adams.            

     The following three newspaper accounts contain further information of the intercollegiate race of June 3, 1911.

     ———-

     The following article appeared in The Topeka State Journal, (Topeka, Kansas), May 20, 1911.

COLLEGES WILL RACE BALLOONS

Silver Cups Offered For Distance And Time In Air.

     North Adams, Mass., May 20. – The first intercollegiate balloon race ever held will start from the town on June 3 under the auspices of the Williams Aeronautical Society.  Every eastern college which boasts an aeronautical society has been invited to participate.  Silver cups will be awarded to the balloons covering the longest distance and remaining the longest time in the air.

————

     The following article appeared in The Calumet News, (Calumet, Michigan), June 2, 1911.

COLLEGE BALLOON RACE

First Event Of Its kind Ever Attempted Starts Tomorrow.

     North Adams, Mass., June 2. – Everything is in readiness for the start from North Adams tomorrow of the first Intercollegiate balloon race in the history of aeronautics.  The race will be under the auspices of the Williams College Aeronautical Society, and every college and university in the east boasting an aeronautical society has been invited to compete.

     Williams, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania have balloons already on the field and it is possible that Harvard may make arrangements to start the race.  All of the balloons are of 35,000 cubic feet capacity.  The balloons will be cut loose within five minutes of each other.  Leo Stevens, the noted New York aeronaut, has accepted an invitation to act as referee and starter.  A silver loving cup will be awarded to the balloon covering the greatest distance, and another cup to the on longest in the air.

———–   

     The following National News Association article appeared in The Richmond Palladium And Sun Telegram, (Richmond, VA.), on June 2, 1911.    

COLLEGE BALLOON RACE TO BE HELD

Four Institutions Represented In The Event Which Starts Saturday.

     North Adams, Mass., June 2. – Eight intrepid young men, all working with a vim on the aviation field of Williams College were the talk and attraction of North Adams today.  The youths, busy laying out gas-bags and nets of four great aerostats, will start tomorrow in the first intercollegiate balloon race ever held.  Harvard, Dartmouth, University of Pennsylvania, and Williams are the contestants.

     After being dined and made much of by the local college element yesterday and last night, the embryo aeronauts arose at an early hour today and straightaway made their course to the aero field, where they became busy-ness personified.  Although all the young men have made several voyages in the upper regions, they have experienced considerable difficulty in the work laying out the big balloons preparatory to their inflation.  The Williams College Cadets were on guard around the aviation field and assisted the balloonists in their work.      

     Each one of the balloons entered in the race is 35,000 cubic feet capacity.  Dartmouth’s entry, the “Boston” will be piloted by Jay B. Benton.  H. Percy Shearman will guide the destinies of the Williams balloon.  The leader in college aeronautics, George Atwood Richardson, who organized the Intercollegiate Aeronautical Association, will carry the hopes of the University of Pennsylvania.

     None of the balloon crews figure on being aloft more than thirty-six hours, but each balloon has been stocked up with provisions for a three days’ voyage to provide against contingency.

     A massive silver cup has been presented by Clifford Black and Howard Scholle, New York Williams Alumni, for the balloon covering the longest distance.  A second cup will be presented for duration of sustained flight, and another one for the balloon making the next longest distance.

     The college aeronauts are also eligible to the trophies of the New England Aero Club in event that they break any of the New England records of the year.  

     A. Leo Stevens, prominent in aero-planing and ballooning circles will act as referee and as starter of the race.  He will send the balloons off at five minute intervals.

     The president of the Intercollegiate Aeronautical Association, which is giving the race under the auspices of Williams College, is George Atwood Richardson, who will pilot the Pennsylvania balloon.  The association has recently filed papers of incorporation as a membership corporation under the laws of the state of New York.  It represents all the colleges – aero clubs of North America and is officially recognized as the college branch of the national Council of the Aero Club of America. 

————   

     The following year, the Intercollegiate Balloon Race was held in Kansas City, Missouri.  Williams and Dartmouth colleges participated.  

Antonov An-2 at Richmond, R. I. Airport

Antonov An-2 at Richmond, R. I. Airport

Aircraft is awaiting restoration in Rhode Island.

Photos taken on April 18, 2019.

Click on images to enlarge.

Fall River, MA.- September 9, 1943

Fall River, Massachusetts – September 9, 1943

     On the morning of September 9, 1943, a U. S. Navy SNJ-4C Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27022), was on a training flight over the Fall River area with a pilot and instructor aboard.  Shortly before 10:00 a.m. the aircraft went into a practice spin from an altitude of 6,000 feet from which it recovered at 5,000 feet.  However, at that time the pilot discovered that the throttle was jammed in the closed position.  Repeated attempts to rectify the problem were unsuccessful, and the pilot selected an open field in which to make an emergency landing.  As the plane descended, the pilot continued to work on the throttle, which suddenly opened, but the engine didn’t respond with increased power.   As the aircraft lowered to 2,000 feet the cockpit suddenly began filling with smoke, and flames appeared from the engine cowling.   The decision was made to bail out, and the pilot rolled the aircraft onto its back.  After the instructor had successfully left the aircraft the plane rolled into a vertical position and the pilot was unsure of he could successfully jump clear of the plane so he remained at the controls and aimed for a small cove at the Fall River shoreline.  There he made a successful emergency landing in shallow water about 30 feet from shore.  The pilot and the instructor were not injured, but the aircraft was a total loss.   

     Source:  U. S. Navy accident report #41-8538, dated September 9, 1943.

New Hampshire State Police Aviation

New Hampshire State Police Aviation Patch

 

Quonset Point, R. I. – July 12, 1942

Quonset Point, Rhode Island – July 12, 1942

 

Vought SB2U Vindicator
U.S. Navy Photo

     On July 12, 1942, a Vought SB2U Vindicator, (Bu. No. 0739), was returning to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station after a practice bombing training flight when it crash-landed due to heavy crosswinds.  The aircraft suffered heavy damage, but the two-man crew was not injured.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-4422, dated July 12,1942. 

U.S.S. Shenandoah in Rhode Island – 1924

U.S.S. Shenandoah In Rhode Island – 1924

 

USS Shenandoah moored to the USS Patoka, Narragansett Bay, R.I. – Aug. 8, 1924

     The U.S.S. Shenandoah, (ZR-1), was the first of four giant rigid airships built for the United States Navy to be used for fleet reconnaissance.  The other three airships included the U.S.S. Los Angeles, U.S.S. Akron, and the U.S.S. Macon. 

     When completed in August of 1923, The Shenandoah was 680 feet long, and 78 feet 9 inches wide, and capable of carrying seaplanes.   

     In July of 1924, the U.S.S. Patoka was modified from a fleet oiler to an airship tender with the addition of a 125 foot tall airship-mooring-mast attached to the aft section of the ship.

     On August 8, 1924, the Shenandoah and the Patoka came to Rhode Island to conduct airship-docking-tests in Narragansett Bay.  The Patoka anchored in the bay just off Prudence Island in an area where the effects of the changing tides were the lowest.  The Shenandoah, dubbed the “Queen Of The Air Fleet” by the press, cruised in the vicinity for several hours as thousands lined the shoreline or set out in pleasure boats to watch.

     Finally the Shenandoah glided to the Patoka and three lines were tossed from the nose of the airship to sailors waiting atop the mast.  After the lines were secured, the Shenandoah was slowly drawn nose-first to the mast by a series of winches.   

     The following is an excerpt from the Woonsocket Call (R.I.), newspaper dated August 9, 1924 which describes the docking procedure: “The Shenandoah’s crew, cooperating with the sailors below, nursed the big airship toward its resting place by using the engines in the two forward gondolas intermittently.  At times the Shenandoah’s nose would dip rather sharply.  An even keel would be resumed in a short time as the stern settled.  Water Ballast was discharged on two occasions.

     The giant ship’s nose gradually drew near the morning mast.  A locking devise made it fast.  The Shenandoah, if the protracted calculations of the designers of the rigging do not fail, and the airship withstands the strain, should, when in position at the mast, swing with the ship below.  After the mooring the Patoka steamed with the Shenandoah to a point about midway between the Naval Training Station and the Melville Coaling Station.”       

     The entire operation took about an hour.   

     Once secured to the Patoka, 37 crewmen of the Shenandoah climbed down through the mast to the deck of the Patoka.

     The whole purpose of the test was to see if anchoring an airship at sea was feasible.  The test, the first of its kind ever attempted by the navy, was a success. 

     It was also reported in the Woonsocket Call that the Shenandoah had flown over Rhode Island the previous autumn.   

     The Shenandoah was lost on September 3, 1925 when the ship encountered severe weather while passing over Ohio.  14 of the 43 crewmen aboard were killed.

     Source:

     Woonsocket Call, “Shenandoah Test At Newport Proves Favorable So Far”, August 9, 1924, page 2

 

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol – Danielson Airport – April 8, 2015

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Vehicle – Danielson Airport – 2015

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Insignia

Danielson Squadron Insignia – Connecticut Civil Air Patrol – Danielson, CT.

Rhode Island Division Of Aeronautics

Vintage Rhode Island Division of Airports Insignia 

1960-1970s

Rocker Patch

Old Rhode Island Div. of Aeronautics metal insignia with leather backing.

Cloth Patch

Rhode Island Airport Police Insignia

Rhode Island Airport Police Insignia

Click on images to enlarge.

 

Old R.I. Airport Police Badge – 1970s early 1980s

R.I. Airport Police Patch

Worn by R.I. Airport Police officers 1970s early 1980s

R.I. Airport Police 1980s to early 1990s

Worn by the Rhode Island Airport Police in the 1990s. Note "Div. Of Airports". This patch is no longer worn.

Uniform patch worn 1990s

R.I. Airport Corporation Police
First worn early 2000s

The Mystery Surrounding Charles Lindbergh’s Letter To Woonsocket, R.I.

The Mystery Surrounding Charles Lindbergh’s

Letter To Woonsocket, Rhode Island

 

Charles Lindbergh flying over Woonsocket, R.I. – June 1927.
Photo courtesy of The Woonsocket Historical Society.

     The following is a little known story about Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, famous for being the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in May of 1927.  

     On July 22, 1927, shortly after his historic trans-Atlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh landed in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, in his Spirit of St. Louis, as part of a nation-wide good-will tour.  From there he traveled to Providence via motorcade escorted by the Rhode Island State Police along a route lined with thousands of adoring fans. 

     In Providence, Lindbergh gave a speech on the steps of City Hall, and was presented with a medal by Mayor Joseph H. Gainer.    

     After Providence, Lindberg’s next stop was Boston, and upon leaving the state, he’d arranged to circle the City of Woonsocket, and drop a personal note of goodwill from his airplane. The specific wording of the message is unknown, but the note was retrieved, placed in a frame, and put on display at Woonsocket’s Harris Institute Library then located in Woonsocket City Hall on Main Street.  There it remained until the night of November 16, 1927, when it was stolen from its frame during a break-in at the library. 

     It was believed that the crime was committed by the same person or persons responsible for other recent burglaries throughout the city.  Chief Inspector Joseph H. Jalbert, Captain John F. Crowley, and Sergeants John T. Whalen and Omer Daigle worked on the case, and in a few days arrested a 17-year-old youth who confessed to the crimes.  The youth led them to the basement of a friends home on Front Street, and showed them a concealed hiding place under the floor of the washroom where he’d hidden the letter and other items from other burglaries that he’d taken. 

     Although the Lindbergh letter was dampened from being in its hiding place, it was in otherwise good condition, and was returned to the Harris Institute Library.  However, in 1974, the library re-located from City Hall to its present location on Clinton Street.  It was during this move, according to one library employee, that the note disappeared, and its present whereabouts is unknown.    

     A possible reason as to why a special message was dropped over Woonsocket, and not any other Rhode Island municipality, might be due to the fact that Governor, Aram J. Pothier, then governor of the state, resided in Woonsocket.

     Sources:

     Woonsocket Call, “Col. Lindbergh Will Fly Over This City”, July 21, 1927, page 1

     Woonsocket Call, “Lindbergh Thanked For Favoring City With Aerial Visit”, July 23, 1927, page 2.  

     Woonsocket Call, “Lindbergh Message Stolen From Frame At Harris Library”, November 17, 1927, page 1.  

     Woonsocket Call, “Youth Is Bound Over To Grand Jury For Series Of Breaks”, November 25, 1927, page 1.

 

 

 

Harvard Boston Aero Meet – 1910

Harvard Boston Aero Meet – 1910

Click on image to enlarge.

 

Missing Aircraft – July 19, 1984

Missing Aircraft – July 19, 1984

     On July 19, 1984, a single-engine Cessna 172N, (#N4950G), with two men aboard, left Martha’s Vineyard bound for New Jersey and disappeared in-route.  Part of the search and rescue response included six airplanes from the Massachusetts Civil Air Patrol, and three from the Connecticut CAP.   The search was hindered by thunderstorms and low cloud ceilings.  The search was called off after five days, with no trace of the missing aircraft being found.   

     Sources:

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Search To Resume For Missing Plane”, July 21, 1984, page A-8

     Providence Sunday Journal, “Thunderstorms Halt Search For Missing Plane”, July 22, 1984, page C-6 

     Providence Journal, “CAP Calls OFF Search For N.J. – Bound Plane”, July 26, 1984, page C-3

     Aviation Safety Network, Wikibase #41951

Missing Aircraft – July 12, 1982

Missing Aircraft – July 12, 1982 

     At about 12:30 p.m. on July 12, 1982, a single-engine Grumman American, (N5637L), left Suffolk County Airport on Long Island, New York, bound for Fall River, Massachusetts.  There were two men aboard: the pilot, Stephen A. Weiss, (31), of East Providence, R.I., and a passenger, Raymond Mooney, (30), of Lindenhurst, N.Y.       

     The weather was poor, with low clouds and 400 foot ceilings.  Shortly after take off the pilot made a routine radio call to air traffic controllers, and this was the last transmission received by the aircraft. 

     The aircraft never arrived at Fall River, however, it wasn’t reported as missing until July 14th.  The following day an intensive air-sea search mission was implemented.   At times, foul weather hampered search efforts. 

     The aircraft had enough fuel for four hours of flight.

     An oil slick was spotted off Montauk, Long Island, but there are no reports that it was connected to the missing aircraft.

     One Long Island woman reported hearing a low flying plane on the 12th. 

     The search involved the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, local and state authorities, as well as hundreds of civilian volunteers, but no trace of the missing plane or its occupants was found. 

     The search was called off on July 21st.

     Sources:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Air, Sea Search Fails To Find trace Of Missing R.I. Pilot And Friend”, July 16, 1982, page C-3    

     The Sun, (Westerly, RI), “Light Plane Missing Off Coast, July 16, 1982, page 1

     Providence Journal, “Searchers Scour Sea, Coast For Plane Flown By R.I. Man”, July 17, 1982, page A-5

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “100 Searchers Fail To Find Missing Plane”, July 19, 1982, page A-2

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “FAA Hit For delay In reporting Plane Missing”, July 20, 1982, page A-8

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search For Missing Plane May End Today”, July 21, 1982, page A-8

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search For Missing Plane Ends”, July 22, 1982

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “FAA Workers Face Sanctions For Missing Plane”, August 7, 1982, page A-5

 

 

Bridgeport’s Aerodrome – 1911

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, AERODROME – 1911   

    Bridgeport’s Aerodrome, as it was called, began as a trotting park for horses in 1887.   The following newspaper article appeared in The Sun, (N.Y.),  on October 21, 1887.

BRIDGEPORT TO HAVE A TROTTING PARK    

     Bridgeport, Oct. 20. – The Bridgeport Driving Club are holding their first annual meeting at the trotting park in this city, and the attendance is sufficient to warrant the successful carrying out of a project which has for some time been in contemplation by the club.  The refusal of the title to 100 acres of ground in West Stratford, close to the tracks of the New York and New Haven Railroad has been secured, and the plan is to establish a first-class park for trotting and for fair purposes.  The Bridgeport Driving Club is composed mostly of members of the Seaside Club, an organization of 500 of the wealthy and representative men of the city, and if negotiations are closed the scheme will be carried out in a way that is creditable to the club and the city.     

_______

 

Vintage postcard view of a
Curtiss Airplane

     According to newspaper sources of the day, the trotting park came to be known as Nutmeg Park.  In early 1911 it was purchased by Christopher J. Lake who wanted to turn it into an air field with the intention of promoting technological advances in aviation.  It was his hope that inventors would use the field to experiment with their newly designed aircraft and thus make Bridgeport an important center for aviation development.      

     On March 4, 1911, the Norwich Bulletin announced that the Bridgeport Aerodrome would open in May of that year.  Under the heading of “Condensed Telegrams” the announcement read: “Announcement was made that the Bridgeport Aerodrome will be formally opened in May with a three days’ aviation meeting under the direction of Glenn H. Curtiss.”  

     Plans for converting and improving the former trotting park advanced rapidly.   Mr. Lake planned for a grand opening celebration in the form of an airshow which was originally scheduled for May 18, 19, and 20.  (The dates were later changed to May 11, 12, and 13.)  Such aerial exhibitions were a rarity for the time.  The Boston-Harvard Aero Meet, the first of its kind in America, had been held only a year earlier, and had proven quite successful, and drew large crowds.

     The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer on March 23, 1911.  

     GLEN CURTIS AND FAMOUS AVIATORS TO COME TO THIS CITY THREE DAYS IN MAY

 

Bridgeport Aerodrome Ad – 1911

     Thomas T. Tuttle, of New York, personal representative of Glenn H. Curtis, the aviator announced this morning that the first aviation meet to be held in Connecticut will be held here on May 18, 19, and 20 under the personal direction of Mr. Curtiss.  Mr. Tuttle was accompanied by Mr. Christopher J. Lake who announced that he had arranged to have the meets held at the Bridgeport Aerodrome, formerly Nutmeg Driving Park.  Mr. Lake, who is perfecting a flying machine of his own, is the owner of the field.

     Mr. Curtiss will be accompanied by James McCurdy and Lincoln Beachey, the celebrated airmen, and the event will be open to all who desire to enter.

     A number of organizations including the Aero Club of Connecticut, the Automobile Club of Bridgeport, the Board of Trade, the Businessmen’s Association, the Manufacturers’ Association, will be asked to co-operate in making the event a success.  The members of the Aero Club will be invited to take charge of the field and the recording of all events.

     Mr. Tuttle said: “The Bridgeport meet will be the first that  Mr. Curtiss will appear at in the east this Spring.  he will bring his new type of machine, recently developed at San Diego, Cal., and we also hope to have the “Hudson Flyer”.  the latter is the machine in which Mr. Curtiss flew from Albany to New York last June.

     “Mr. McCurdy is the man who was the fourth to fly in the United States.  For a long time he was associated with Mr. Curtiss, Lieut. Selfridge, Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, and F. W. Baldwin in aeronautic experiments with stations at Hammonsport, N.Y., and Baddek, N.S.  He has been a flyer since 1898 and is the holder of the endurance and long distance records of Canada as well as being president of the Aero Club of Canada.  McCurdy is the first man who ever sent a wireless telegram from a flying machine.

     “Beachy recently made his debut on the Pacific Coast as a flying machine man.  For years he was interested in aeronautics and was known as a balloonist.  Last week he established a record by remaining in the air for 18 hours, an average of 2 1/2 hours a day.

     “The Bridgeport Aerodrome is a far better field for an aeroplane course than Belmont Park and excels any spot in the North and East for aeroplane purposes.

     “The international course, 31-10 miles to the lap can be had here without going over trees or buildings.  Thi8s cannot be said even of the celebrated course at Rheims, France.    

     “The field is on the road from new York to Boston and there is ample parking space near the field.  There is seating capacity for about 6,000 at the field and this will be increased to take care of the crowds.  There will be special train arrangements made to bring people from other cities in the state and New York.  Wind checks will be issued on all days there are no flights.”

     Mr. C. J. Lake did not care to say whether he will have any surprise for the public when asked if he may enter one of his machines in the flying contests.  

_______

     In May of 1911, The Mr. Thomas T. Tuttle mentioned in the above article, was hired by Mr. Lake to be the first general manager of the new aerodrome.    

     In April of 1911 it was announced that two more aviation celebrities would be attending the air show at the grand opening of the aerodrome.  They were, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson, the navy’s first, and at that time, only, aviator, and U.S. Army Lieutenant James E. Fickel, the first man to fire a rife at targets from a moving airplane.  The dates of the event were also moved forward to May 11, 12, and 13.     

    The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer on May 9, 1911.  

BRIDGEPORT THE CENTER OF AVIATION IN AMERICA

Carnival if Flying by Curtiss Aviators This Week Will Mark Opening of First Permanent Aerodrome in Country

     Today, Bridgeport began to come into its own as the center of aviation in America during the current week.    

Click on image to enlarge.

     Things are humming over at the Bridgeport Aerodrome, (formerly Nutmeg Park), where a big force of workmen are busy putting on the finishing touches preparatory to the great aviation carnival of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, when Glenn Curtiss, James McCurdy and Lincoln Beachy, three of America’s foremost flyers will be the attraction, with Lt. Ellyson, the navy’s aeronautic expert, and Lieut. Fickel, the army’s aviator.

     Oscar Roesen, and electrical engineer and wireless expert, will arrive in Bridgeport tomorrow with the wireless equipment with which he expects to break the world’s record for sending messages from an aeroplane.  It is also likely that the first of the aeroplanes will arrive tomorrow.

     Today an aviator of national repute entered into negotiations with C. J. Lake, owner of the Aerodrome, for a five year lease of a hangar or aeroplane shed upon the field, intending to make the Bridgeport Aerodrome the base of all his experimental work and machine repairing and construction.

     Other aviators are likely to follow suit and Bridgewater bids fair to become the center of experimental aviation in America.

     Two hundred trees have been taken off the field in clearing it for use as an Aerodrome.  Yesterday an immense bonfire that almost approached the magnitude of a conflagration was made of the debris cleared off the field.

     To safeguard the people who come on foot, a special road has been constructed leading to the field , and traveling its entire circumference, for automobiles.  There is another road for pedestrians and thus the danger of accidents in the throngs which are sure to flock to the field has been averted.

     New seats accommodating 1,400 have been added to the already been added to the already capacious grandstand so that its total seating capacity now is several thousand.  In addition there is parking space for thousands of automobiles and standing room for a multitude.   

     Word is being received from a number of cities of the intending automobile runs and excursion crowds on the trains, and it is believed that the multitudes on the field,  the hundreds of automobiles and exciting features attendant upon such big gatherings will be a great attraction of the meet.    

     Experts declare that the Bridgeport Aerodrome, built through the enterprise of Christopher J. Lake, is the finest in the country, surpassing the aviation fields at Belmont Park and Mineola.

     The Belmont park field is handicapped by the fact that the nearest machine shop is two miles distant, a big trundle for a disabled aeroplane.  At the Bridgeport Aerodrome, the machine shop is right on the field; furthermore it is equipped to handle and repair all makes of aeroplanes, a feature true of no other shop of its kind.

     Aviators who have flown abroad declare that the Bridgeport Aerodrome is superior even to the famous field at Rheims, France, the scene of the great international flights.  The Rheims field is heavily encumbered with trees, “the graveyards of aviators.”  The Bridgeport field is notably free from these encumbrances and will be still further cleared, the work going forward steadily.

     By making separate roads for automobiles and pedestrians, Mr. lake has effectively solved the problem of handling immense crowds without the danger of frequent accidents.  Furthermore, ample parking space for automobiles has been provided the entire circumference of the grounds, and the machines will afford ideal vantage points from which to watch the flights.

     Pedestrians will be able to make use of the grand stand to great advantage, or of the standing room, all of which commands views of the start and finish, the most exciting and spectacular periods of the flights.

     As there will be from six to twelve flights daily, inter-spread with wireless telegraph experiments, target shooting with rifles, bomb-throwing from aeroplanes and other feats and spectacles, the crowds will be kept on edge from start to finish.  The aerial show each day will occupy about two hours and a half.

     The principal hangars of aeroplane sheds are located at the eastern end of the field.  As the prevailing winds in fair weather are west, it is most likely that the aeroplanes will start at the eastern end of the field from directly in front of the hangars and will fly directly across, furnishing beautiful views to the side lines on ascent and descent.

     After the exhibitions, the gates to the aeroplane fields will be opened, and the crowds will be allowed to inspect the machines at close range.            

________

 

Bridgeport Airport Dedication – 1929

  On July 5-6, 1929, the Bridgeport Aerodrome was re-dedicated as Bridgeport Airport, even though it is in the neighboring town of Stratford.  By 1934, it was also being referred to as Mollison Field in honor of famous aviator Jim Mollison who made an emergency crash-landing there on July 23, 1933.  On that date, Mr. Mollison and his wife were on their way from Wales to New York when their de Havilland Seafarer ran low on fuel.  After several aborted attempts to land at the airport, the plane was set down in a marshlands area where the Housatonic River empties into Long Island Sound.  Mr. and Mrs. Mollison were not seriously injured.        

     According to a 1934 U.S. Department of Commerce – Bureau of Air Commerce publication, Bridgeport Airport had grown to include two gravel runways, one (N/S) being 2,800 feet long, and the other, (E/W), being 2,600 feet long.  The airport also has 24-hour facilities, and a rotating 24-inch beacon light.   

     In 1972 the Bridgeport Airport was re-dedicated the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport.   

 

 

New Airplanes For The U.S. Navy – 1916

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Evening Capital & Maryland Gazette, (Annapolis, Maryland), on January 11, 1916.

     NAVY TO GET AIRSHIPS 

     Sky Fleet Will Be More Than Doubled In Next Two Months.

     The United States Navy will receive from Massachusetts in the next two months more aeroplanes than it has in service, nine from the Burgess Company in Marblehead, and six from the Sturtevant Company Works in Hyde park. 

     Three will be big Burgess battle aeroplanes, the fastest and largest contracted for by the Unites States.  These three planes will travel eighty miles an hour and carry two men with seven hours’ fuel supply and an offensive equipment of one machine gun and 150 pounds of ammunition.

     The gross weight of each machine is 3,300 pounds, and it will carry a load of 1,200 pounds.  Six others are Burgess tractor planes, with 100 horse-power motors.  These machines are better climbers that the heavier type and are the standard navy type.  The Burgess Company has just sent forty-eight planes to the British Admiralty.  These machines are turned out at the rate of three a week, which has given the company the opportunity to expand its plant for American business.      

Dr. De Bossuet’s Airship – 1889

Dr. Bossuet’s Airship – 1889

     The following article appeared in The Ohio Democrat, (of Logan, Ohio), November 23, 1889.  It relates to a “Dr. De Bossuet” of Boston who planned to build a steel airship, and was trying to raise $250,000 to build it.  This was a remarkable sum of money for 1889.  No further details about this project or Dr. De Bossuet are known.

AERIAL NAVIGATION

A Boston Machine Will Solve The Problem, It Is Claimed

     News comes from Boston that, under the auspices of the Aerial Exhibition Association , a steel air-ship is about to be constructed upon the vacuum principle.  The ship is to be constructed entirely of thin plates of the greatest possible tensile  strength, and thoroughly braced inside by a “new development in science mechanics” to resists the pressure of the atmosphere when a partial vacuum is obtained.  The promoters of the enterprise expect their machine to lift two hundred passengers and fifty tons of mail or other matter, to say nothing of all the machinery and apparatus with electrical power sufficient to give a speed to the ship of at least seventy miles an hour.  During the earlier trips no intermediate or steerage passengers will be taken. The cost is estimated at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and a National subscription is to be opened for the purpose of securing the necessary funds.  Dr. De Bossuet, the inventor, is said to claim that his plans have the approval of “the most eminent scientific and engineering experts in the country.”  There is no doubt that aerial navigation will sooner or later become an accomplished fact, but it is very much open to question whether either the automobile balloon or the vacuum shell will be the successful airship of the future, but rather, so far as we can judge at present, a self-sustaining machine, or a motor driven by electricity, derived from the surface of the earth.  It seems as if inventors never would be convinced of the futility of the dirigible balloon, of which the unfortunate termination of the Campbell venture has just afforded another example.  They are misled by the ease with which the machine can be handled in a dead calm, and will not realize that in a breeze it becomes comparatively powerless – N.Y. Mail and Express   

First Successful Helicopter In America – 1909

First Successful Helicopter In America – 1909    

     The first successful helicopter to be flown in America was invented by New Englander, J. Newton Williams of Derby, Connecticut, and Emile Berliner of Washington, D.C.   The following newspaper article appeared in the Los Angeles Herald on July 1, 1909, page 5.

HELICOPTER  MAY  NAVIGATE  SPACE

Heavier-Than-Air Machine Lifts Itself

     Experiments Made In Suburb Of Washington City Prove Air Craft Able To Ascend With Operator 

     Washington, June 30. –  For the first time in America a helicopter, a heavier than air type of flying machine, which depends on aerial screws for its lifting power , has successfully lifted itself with an operator.  A machine built by J. Newton Williams of Derby, Conn., and Emile Berliner of this city, lifted Mr. Williams from the ground on three occasions.  

     The experiment was made a day or two ago at Mr. Berliner’s laboratory near Brentwood, a suburb of this city.  The only other machine that is known to have made a similar performance is that of M. Cornu, a Frenchman.

     Scientists have always had great respect for the helicopter type of flying machine.  The Williams helicopter, with the operator, weighs about 600 pounds and has a lifting surface of only eighty square feet.

     The surface consists of two pairs of propellers revolving horizontally in opposite directions at the end of a vertical shaft. 

     The propellers are eight feet eight inches in diameter.  In the successful experiments the machine was so confined that it could not rise more than ten inches, but it rose to that height.

     In previous experiments the Williams machine had risen without an operator and it moved rapidly along a track in tests.  The forward motion is obtained by the operator shifting his position forward. 

     The revolving motors of thirty-six horse power each are used, but it is intended to use only one motor.

     It is also expected to reduce weight of the complete machine without the operator to 325 pounds.  It now weighs 450 pounds.

     Mr. Berliner has left for Europe, but the work of preparing the new motor will proceed.

———-   

First U.S. Navy Airship – 1915

     The following newspaper article appeared in the New York Tribune on April 21, 1915, page 5.

FOUR BIDS MADE ON NAVY AIRSHIPS

——-

     Lowest is $29,876 and Highest $200,000 for Construction of Dirigibles.

     Washington, April 20. – Four firms to-day competed in the bidding for the construction of the first dirigible airships for the United States navy.  The bids disclosed a wide divergence.  The lowest was $29,876, or $58,552 for two dirigibles, while the highest was $200,000 for a single aircraft.

     The dirigible will be neither impressive or large.  Their principal function will be to furnish training for pilots and to serve as a basis for investigation of the workability of dirigibles in maneuvers.  The Secretary of the Navy’s memorandum issued today said:

     “The Office of Aeronautics considers that the dirigible is to be the kingfisher of the submarine.  The aeroplane, rapidly scouting the seas off our harbors and around our fleet, discovers the enemy’s submarines lying in wait for innocent merchant ships, or attempting to creep up on our fighting ships.”    

     “The dirigible from the shore station or from the dirigible ships of the fleet, thus warned by the aeroplane scouts, proceed to the attack of the submarines, dropping on them heavy bombs fitted with fuses to explode on hitting or after sinking to a certain depth”

     The general specifications required that the dirigibles should be of the non-rigid type, 175 feet long, 50 feet high, and 36 feet wide, with a useful load of about 2,000 pounds.  It is specified that they have a speed of twenty-five miles an hour, and be capable of rising 3,000 feet without disposing of ballast.

     The following bids were received: Stanley Yale Beach, New York – One machine, $29, 876; two machines, $58,552.  American Dirigible Balloon Syndicate, Inc., New York – One machine, $41,000; one machine (larger), $45,000.  The Connecticut Aircraft Company, New Haven – One machine, $45,636.25; two machines, $82,215.12.  The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, – One machine, $200,000.

     The last bid is subject to a reduction which will make the total cost to the government equal to the cost of the machine to the Goodyear Tore and Rubber Company plus 50 per cent.        

————-

    History has shown that the contact was awarded to the Connecticut Aircraft Company.  The first dirigible ordered was designed to carry eight men, four of whom would serve as crew, and the other four as student observers.  The ship would be 175 feet long, 55 feet high, and would have a gas capacity of 110,00 cubic feet.  It could achieve a speed of 25 mph and operate for two hours in the air – longer if fewer men were aboard. 

     Source: New York Tribune, “Airship For Navy Ordered As Trail- Dirigible to Cost $46,000 And Will Be Used To Train Men”, May 15, 1915

Middleborough, MA. – May 27, 1980

Middleborough, Massachusetts – May 27, 1980

     On May 27, 1980, a crop-dusting helicopter with a lone pilot aboard took off from Norwood, Mass. to spray some cranberry bogs.  While in-route, the aircraft developed engine trouble and the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing, but the helicopter came down in some trees in Middleborough and was extensively damaged.  The pilot was not injured, and was able to walk away from the accident.

     Source:

     Westerly Sun, (RI), “Pilot Walks Away From Copter Crash”, May 28, 1980, page 2 

Atlantic Airport, Charlestown, R.I.

Atlantic Airport, Charlestown, Rhode Island

Click on image to enlarge.

Atlantic Airport, unknown date.
Photo courtesy of Louis McGowan
Johnston, R.I. Historical Society

Stinson Reliant Airplane – 1936

Stinson Reliant Airplane – 1936

Photo taken by Louis C. McGowan at Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick R.I., on February 22, 1936.

Click on image to enlarge.

Stinson Reliant
Hillsgrove Airport
February 22, 1936

 

Stinson Tri-Motor – 1936

Stinson Tri-Motor Airplane – 1936

     Photo taken by Louis C. McGowan at Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick, R.I., on August 3, 1936.

Click on image to enlarge.

Stinson Tri-Motor
Hillsgrove Airport
August 3, 1936

 

Fairchild 22 C7F Aircraft – 1936

Fairchild 22 C7F Aircraft – 1936

With Warner 145 engine.

     Photo taken by Louis C. McGowan, August 16, 1936.

Click on image to enlarge.

 

Fairchild 22 C7F
August 16, 1936

 

Travel Air 2000 Aircraft – 1937

Travel Air 2000 Aircraft – 1937

Taken by Louis C. McGowan at the former Smithfield, R.I., Airport in 1937.

Travel Air 2000
Smithfield, R.I., Airport
1937

 

Kittyhawk Airplane – 1935

 

Kittyhawk Airplane – 1935

Taken by Louis C. McGowan – 1935

Click on Image to enlarge.

Kittyhawk Airplane
Providence Airport
Seekonk, Mass. – 1935
(Providence Airport was in Seekonk.)

 

Taylor Cub Airplane – 1937

Taylor Cub Airplane – 1937 

Photo credit: Louis C. McGowan

Taken in Framingham, Massachusetts in 1937

Click on image to enlarge.

 

 

Fairchild 24C Airplane – 1936

Fairchild 24c Airplane

     Photo taken by Louis C. McGowan, February 22, 1936, at Hillsgrove Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. 

Click on image to enlarge.

Fairchild 24C
Hillsgrove Airport, R.I.
February 22, 1936

 

 

Consolidated PT-3A Aircraft

Consolidated PT-3A Aircraft

Photo taken at Hillsgrove Airport, Warwick, R.I.

Click on image to enlarge.

Consolidated PT-3A, Ser. No. 29-121
Damaged at Hillsgrove, R.I.
November 4, 1935

     Student pilot drifted into a ditch upon landing and damaged left wing and tore off left landing gear. Pilot not injured.  

Vought SU-1 Navy Aircraft

Vought SU-1 Navy Aircraft   

Photo taken by Louis C. McGowan at Newport Airport, (Rhode Island), on September 4, 1936.

     According to the lettering on the side of the aircraft, it was based at the Norfolk, Virginia Naval Air Station

Click on image to enlarge.

Vought SU-1
Bu. No. 8875

Technical Data:

Manufactured by Chance Vought Corporation, East Hartford, Connecticut. 

Pratt & Whitney R-1690-42 engine, 600 hp. 

36 ft long, wingspan, 27 ft 5.5 inches.

Armed with one fixed forward firing 0-30 in machine gun, two 0-30 guns in rear.

 

 

Windham, CT. Airshow Ticket – 1986

Click on image to enlarge.

Quonset Point Crash-Rescue Patch

Quonset Point Crash-Rescue Patch

Mystery Aircraft Pieces Recovered – 1945

Mystery Aircraft Pieces Recovered – 1945

     On July 30, 1945, it was reported in the Cape Cod Standard Times that the fishing boat “Wallace and Roy” had recovered pieces to an unidentified military airplane.  The artifacts included a portion of “what looked like a gun turret”, and an airplane life raft.  The articles were reportedly found about noon the previous day off Martha’s Vineyard, with no specified location given.  

     The raft was in good condition, indicating it hadn’t been in the water for very long, but there was no way to identify the aircraft the items came from.   

     Source: Cape Cod Standard Times, “Boat Brings In Plane Life Raft”, July 30, 1943.

Northampton, Mass. C-54 Crash Memorial

Northampton, Mass. C-54 Crash Memorial

Located at Florence Road and Old Wilson Road, Northampton, Mass.  

To learn more about this accident, click here: Northampton, MA. – 1948

Photos taken May 3, 2018.

Click on images to enlarge.

Memorial at the crash site.
Established 1999.

Tortoise And The Air – Aviation Illustration – 1927

Tortoise And The Air.  Illustration from Sept. 10, 1927, depicting the potential fatalities related to future air travel.

Tortoise And The Air. Illustration from Sept. 10, 1927, depicting the potential fatalities related to future air travel.

Aviation Progress – Grim Milestones – 1927

Grim Milestones.  Illustration from Sept. 20, 1927, depicting headstones for those lost on attempted trans-Atlantic flights.

Grim Milestones. Illustration from Sept. 20, 1927, depicting headstones for those lost on attempted trans-Atlantic flights.

Wolf Hill Plane Crash Memorial

Wolf Hill Memorial – Georgiaville, Rhode Island 

     On August 5, 1943, three servicemen were killed when their Lockheed RB-34 aircraft crashed and burned on Wolf Hill in Gerogiaville, R.I.  For more information about this accident, click here: Georgiaville Plane Crash 1943

     Two memorials were constructed to honor the men who lost their lives.  The first was erected in Deerfield Park, in the Greenville section of Smithfield, Rhode Island.  The second was erected at the crash site on Wolf Hill in the Georgiaville section of Smithfield.   

Memorial in Smithfield, R.I. dedicated to the three men who died in a military plane crash, August 5, 1943

Memorial in Smithfield, R.I. dedicated to the three men who died in a military plane crash, August 5, 1943

Memorial to three servicemen killed in a plane crash Aug. 5, 1943, Deerfield Park, Smithfield, R.I.

Memorial to three servicemen killed in a plane crash Aug. 5, 1943, Deerfield Park, Smithfield, R.I.

Monument honoring three servicemen killed in a military plane crash August 5, 1943 on Wolf Hill in Smithfield R.I.

Monument honoring three servicemen killed in a military plane crash August 5, 1943 on Wolf Hill in Smithfield R.I.

Granite tablet located on Wolf Hill, Smithfield, R.I.

Granite tablet located on Wolf Hill, Smithfield, R.I.

USS Ranger CV-4 Ashtray

WWII Aircraft Carrier, USS Ranger CV-4, ashtray from the Warrant Officers Mess.  The Ranger visited New England during the war.

WWII Aircraft Carrier, USS Ranger CV-4, ashtray from the Warrant Officers Mess. The Ranger visited New England during the war.

Connecticut Airport Postal Covers

Bridgeport Airport Dedication - 1929

Bridgeport Airport Dedication – 1929

1962 Dedication of Danielson Airport

1962 Dedication of Danielson Airport

Danielson Connecticut Airport

Danielson Connecticut Airport

Trumbull Airport New Terminal Dedication - 1963

Trumbull Airport New Terminal Dedication – 1963

Bernard Field, Hartford Ct. - 1929

Bernard Field, Hartford Ct. – 1929

Wallingford, Connecticut Airport - 1929

Wallingford, Connecticut Airport – 1929

New Haven, Connecticut - 1931

New Haven, Connecticut – 1931

Burlington Vermont Municipal Airport

Click on images to enlarge.

Old Postcard View Of Burlington Airport

Old Postcard View Of Burlington Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Burlington, Vermont, Municipal Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Burlington, Vermont, Municipal Airport

Post Card View Of Municipal Airtort, Burlington, Vermont

Post Card View OF Burlington Airport

Post Card View OF Burlington Airport

     Also see Early Burlington Vermont Airport Articles

Professor Hogan And His Lost Airship – 1889

Professor Hogan And His Lost Airship

July 18, 1889      

Updated May 5, 2017

Updated October 21, 2018

Updated January 3, 2022

    Some aeronautical mysteries actually pre-date the airplane.  A case in point involves the disappearance of Professor Edward D. Hogan and the airship, America, in 1889.  

     The America was an 18,000 cubic-foot gas-balloon shaped like a breakfast sausage with a gondola slung underneath.  It was 60 feet long and 42 feet wide, with hinged wings on either side. What made the airship different from traditional balloons of the era was a motor driven eight-foot-long propeller and a read rudder to give the ship steering capabilities.    

     The airship was designed and built by Peter Carmont Campbell, a Jeweler in Brooklyn, New York.  Campbell had contracted with Mr. Hogan to pilot his invention on its inaugural flight, which took place at the Nassau Gas Company yard at Kent Avenue and Clymer Street in Brooklyn.  Hundreds of people had come to witness the event.           

Professor Hogan and his airship – 1889

     On the morning of July 18, 1889, Professor Hogan climbed aboard the airship, and after giving a prearranged signal, the mooring lines were released.  To everyone’s surprise, the balloon shot up one-thousand feet in less than a minute where the wind began to push it in the opposite direction that the professor had intended.  Hogan started the engine hoping to gain control, but as he did, the propeller suddenly broke free and fell to earth, leaving the airship at the mercy of the wind. 

     The America quickly drifted eastward out over Long Island Sound and out of sight.  Being blown out to sea was an aeronaut’s worst nightmare for it almost always meant certain death for airships and balloons didn’t carry lifeboats or provisions.  Why the professor didn’t release some of the gas and make an emergency landing is open to speculation.  Perhaps he was unable to do so. 

    One report which appeared in The Evening Bulletin, (Maysville, Kentucky), on July 19, 1889, indicates a possible explanation.  According to the airship’s inventor, the craft was not built according to his specifications in that the release valve to allow gas to escape from the balloon was placed at the bottom of the passenger car, and not well above the pilot’s head.  The article sated in part, “All experienced aeronauts agree that the neck of the balloon should be at least fifteen feet above the car so that there would be abundant opportunity for the escape of gas without imperiling the life of the man manipulating the air ship.”  Therefore it was theorized that if Hogan had tried to vent gas from the balloon that he may have been overcome and rendered unconscious.  

      At about 5:30 that evening, the America was reportedly sighted by a schooner ten miles off Sandy Hook, New Jersey.  The crew later reported that the balloon was dragging a rope beneath it through the water.  The schooner gave chase, but when it began to get close, the rope suddenly released and the craft abruptly ascended into the air and out distanced the boat.  

     Messages were relayed up and down the northeast coast to be on watch for the disabled airship.  One report sent from Providence, Rhode Island, stated that a balloon believed to the America had passed over the city about 7 p.m., but some in New York discounted this claim. 

     The following day the captain of the pilot boat Caprice reported seeing a balloon dragging its basket along the surface of the ocean at a point about 130 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and gave the coordinates as 39.40 Latitude, 71.40 Longitude.  The captain said his boat gave chase, but lost sight of the craft near sunset when the balloon collapsed.  This report was also viewed with skepticism as the winds had reportedly been blowing in a northeast direction when Hogan was last seen, which should have carried him towards New England.        

     A few months later there was some speculation that Hogan might still be alive and living in seclusion in another country, but neither he nor the America were never seen again.  (See newspaper article below.)

     A footnote to this tragedy involves Professor Hogan’s brother, George, of Ann Arbor, Michigan.  On August 29, 1891, George Hogan was performing on a trapeze suspended beneath a balloon, 1,000 feet in the air over a fairground, when lost his grip and fell to his death.  He was survived by a wife and child.   

Click on newspaper articles to enlarge. 

The Griggs Courier, (N.D.)
July 26, 1889

The Griggs Courier (N.D.)
July 26, 1889

Waterbury Evening Democrat (Ct.)
January 8, 1891

Other Sources:

The Silver State, (UT.), “An Airship Completed, April 19, 1989

The Evening World, (NY), Adrift At Sea, July 18, 1889

New York Times, “Plunged Into The Ocean” July 19, 1889

New York Times, “Aeronaut Hogan’s Fate”, July 20, 1889

(Woonsocket) Evening Reporter, “Aerial Navigation”, July 20, 1889, pg. 4

The Evening Bulletin, (Maysville, KY.) “Hogan’s Lost Airship”, July 19, 1889 

The Evening Bulletin, (Maysville, Kentucky), “George Hogan Loses Hold On A Trapeze Bar And Is dashed To death”, August 31, 1891

 

Arthur Gould’s Vision Of The Future – 1926

ARTHUR GOULD’S VISION OF THE FUTURE

Originally published in Your Smithfield Magazine, February – 2013

By Jim Ignasher 

      Airplane illustrationThere was a time when the sound of an airplane motor buzzing overhead automatically caused one to look skyward, and Arthur Gould did just that whenever one passed over his farm on Ridge Road.  Not only would he study the aircraft for signs of needed repairs, but he would listen for indications the engine might be in need of fixing, or perhaps was low on fuel. His hopes rose one afternoon when a small plane circled several times at low altitude as if it might land, but disappointment set in when it veered away.  

     “Well,’ Gould likely thought, ‘Maybe he didn’t need anything today, but now that he knows I’m here, perhaps he’ll be back.”

      Sometimes it takes awhile for an idea to catch on.  At the dawn of the 20th Century, there were some who felt the automobile was nothing more than a passing fad for rich people, but Henry Ford predicted a time when it would become an indispensable means of travel.  When the Wright brothers flew the first airplane in 1903, few saw its practical applications, but the brothers believed a day would come when airplanes would travel sixty-miles per hour!  Where would we be today if not for forward thinkers?   

      Arthur C. Gould of Smithfield was a forward thinker who possessed an entrepreneurial spirit.  Born in 1865, he was a successful farmer, blacksmith, and wood worker; owned a prosperous ice business, and even dabbled in real estate. However, of all his economic ventures, the most innovative was his idea to open a business called “Flyers Haven” in August of 1926.  

     Flyers Haven was an “aircraft repair and service station”; perhaps the first and only business of its kind in New England; or at least in Rhode Island.  Basically, it was a place for passing airplanes to land for fuel or repairs much like a service station for automobiles.  Gould wasn’t trying to establish an airport, just a place for aircraft to make a quick stop if need be. 

     It was a novel idea for the time for the airplane was still relatively new, but Gould envisioned a day when they would dot the skies, and establishments such as his would be a welcome sight for those low on fuel much like a gas station along a highway is for a motorist.

      The 1920s was an exciting decade for aviation development.  Newspapers constantly ran stories of aircraft altitude, speed, and distance records being set and broken. It was also the era of a new breed of pilots known as “Barnstormers”; mostly ex World War I military pilots who found themselves out of work, and missing the action when war ended.  They would travel the countryside giving daring aerial exhibitions and offer rides to those willing to pay.  It was also a time when the first commercial airlines were being developed, and an international race was on to see who would be the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic.   

      Yet just because they flew, didn’t mean that airplanes were any more mechanically reliable than the automobiles of the day.  Although configured differently, both car and aircraft utilized oil-dripping, temperamental engines that required frequent maintenance and adjustments.  Gould knew first-hand about automobiles, for many years earlier he owned what he claimed to be the first car in Smithfield; a one cylinder Knox, produced by the long defunct Knox Automobile Company of Springfield, Massachusetts.  The Knox engine was dubbed the “porcupine” or “hedgehog” by many mechanics due to the many wires and other projections poking out of it.  While owning the only car in town, Gould discovered that it was difficult for a motorist who found himself stranded to locate things like gasoline and tires.  Recalling his experiences, he considered what it must be like for a modern aviator.   

      Thus an idea was born as Gould realized that airplanes, like cars, needed to re-fuel and be repaired.  An automobile with mechanical trouble could just coast to a stop at the side of the road, but the problem for an aviator in trouble was finding a safe place to land.  In the 1920s, airports, or more accurately, airfields, were few and far between, leaving many pilots to their own devices when it came to emergency landings.  Grassy fields could conceal hidden hazards such as logs, holes, or barbed wire fences, and landing on a tree lined road, or worse, one lined with telephone poles, carried even more risks.  Even if the pilot negotiated a safe landing, there was the formidable task of locating the high octane gas necessary for flight.  What Gould offered the troubled flyer was a full-service safe-haven.   

     Opening such a business required lots of elbow room, and Gould had it on his twenty-seven acre farm located between Douglas Pike and Ridge Road, behind present-day La Perche Elementary School.  The site was relatively flat and open.  It already had had an ice pond that could accommodate seaplane landings, and a barn that contained a blacksmith forge, a machine shop, and a wood-working shop.  All he needed to do was install a tank for aviation fuel.  

     To let passing airplanes know that he was open for business, Gould painted a large sign on the roof of his ice house that read, “Airplanes welcome to my farm, A.C. Gould”.  Although the letters were three feet tall, Gould realized they might be hard to read from high altitudes, so he created even larger signs in his meadow using white lime.  In lettering that was fifteen feet long Gould wrote, “A.C. Gould Farm Landing Field”, and “Aviation Gas”.  He also laid out a four-hundred foot long compass that pointed due north to aid any pilots who were just looking for directions.

    Gould received further advertising when a reporter from the Providence Journal went to his farm to interview him about his new enterprise.  He hadn’t had any customers as of yet, but he remained hopeful as he recalled the small plane which had circled his farm several times at a low altitude before flying off.  It was his hope that the pilot would tell others, who would then mark the location on their Department of Commerce maps.    

     Flyer’s Haven was not an airport, nor was it meant to be.  It was simply a place for a pilot to stop, re-fuel, check the oil, and be on his way.  Gould’s idea was a good one, and unique enough to be written about in the New York Times, but it seems he didn’t make much money from it. Perhaps as a man who looked towards the future, he was just a little too ahead of his time.  He passed away less that three years later on March 12, 1929 at the age of 63.

 

The Enduring Mystery Of The White Bird

THE ENDURING MYSTERY OF THE WHITE BIRD

By Jim Ignasher 

 

A post card image of the White Bird and it's pilots.

A post card image of the White Bird and it’s pilots.

 

    mist It’s perhaps New England’s greatest unsolved aviation mystery that investigators and historians have been trying to unravel since 1927.  There are some who believe they may be close to finding the answer, while others maintain the truth will never be known for certain.  Riding on the outcome are the bragging rights of two nations, the Untied States, and France, both of which hope it was their countrymen who were the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean – non stop – by air.   

     Briefly stated; on May 8, 1927, Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli attempted to be the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean from Paris, France, to New York City.  They left in a plane called the White Bird, and after passing over Ireland they were never heard from again, and the mystery surrounding their disappearance has been a source of debate ever since.  Did they accomplish their mission before Charles Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris on May 20-21?  Some believe they did.  Yet if so, then what happened to the White Bird?     

     The 1920s was a revolutionary decade for aviation, with new speed, altitude, and distance records being set and broken on a regular basis due to ever-developing technology.  Yet despite these milestones, the goal of the most intrepid aviators of the time was to be the first to fly from America to Europe, or vise-versa.  The desire to do so had been in the hearts of many since the first manned balloon flights had taken place in the late 18th century, but it wasn’t until the 1920s that aircraft design had reached a point where such a trip was considered theoretically feasible.   

     Besides the chance to make history, potential candidates were lured by the prospect of a standing $25,000 cash prize offered wealthy businessman Raymond B. Orteig to the first person(s) who could fly non-stop from New York to Paris, a distance of about 3,600 miles.  The prize money was a huge sum in those days, but initially, those who set out to collect it died in the process, until Charles Lindbergh accomplished the feat in1927.  

     Each failed attempt brought hope that the next would succeed, and as more candidates announced their plans to fly the Atlantic the competition to be the first grew.  By early May of 1927, Lindbergh was ready to try form New York, and Nungesser and Coli were set to leave from France. Each knew of the others plans, and the race to be first was on.    

     So it was that Nungesser and Coli took off at 4:30 a.m. from Le Bourget Field in Paris despite reports of unsettled weather over New England and Newfoundland which they would pass over on their intended flight route to New York. 

     “You know what this means”, said Nungesser just before take off, “and we both do.  We are taking a risk, I know, but we are taking it willingly and with all our hearts.” 

    Both Nungesser and Coli were experienced airmen, having flown as combat pilots during World War I, with Nungesser shooting down forty-five enemy aircraft.  The airplane they were using was a Levasseur bi-plane which they had painted white and modified with extra fuel tanks for the anticipated journey.  Along the side was painted L’Oiseau Blanc. (The White Bird)

     Evidently some French newsmen were so sure of their countrymen’s success,   that they prematurely reported details of the White Bird’s successful landing in New York Harbor.  Unfortunately it wasn’t true, and within hours the world came to know that the White Bird was missing.

     Ships at sea were notified to keep a lookout for the airmen as one of the largest air-sea search and rescue operations in history was organized.  Military ships and aircraft on both sides of the Atlantic also joined the search. 

     While concern mounted, some hoped that the men had been rescued by a passing ship that didn’t have wireless communication capabilities.  In that scenario, it might be weeks before word of their safety was heard, but history has shown that was not the case.  

      On the afternoon of May 9th a report was received from Sydney, Nova Scotia, that the White Bird had been observed near Cape Race at 10:00 a.m. however this was never corroborated.  

     A later report on the 11th stated the plane had been found in Truro, Nova Scotia, but this turned out to be false.  

    CORB1318The last confirmed sightings of the White Bird came from Ireland as it passed over on its way west.  The plane was reported seen over Dungarvan, in County Waterford, at 10:10 a.m. on the morning of the 8th; over Cappoqin at 10:16 a.m.; Glin, County Limerick, at 10:45; Kilrush, County Clare, at 10:50, and Carrigaholt, County Clair, at 11:00 o’clock.  Carrigaholt is located 630 miles from Paris. The last known person to see the plane was Father M. Madden of Carrigaholt.  

     On the other side of the ocean, three reputable residents of Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, reported hearing what they thought might be the White Bird as it passed through overhead fog.  These reports coincided with the White Bird’s intended flight path.     

     Other citizens of the region also came forward with what they had heard.  William Parsons, living on Ocean Pond, about 25 miles southwest of Harbor Grace, stated he heard an airplane experiencing what sounded like engine trouble pass overhead which may have crashed.  A Newfoundland Constable reported what Parsons had told him, “that it sounded like an explosion of a boiler at first, but it soon became apparent that it was overhead and the repetition of the sound, although not regular as in the case of a well running motor, indicated that it came from an airplane.” 

     Despite those who heard an airplane pass overhead, none could state they had seen it, or verify that it was the White Bird, due to the fog and cloudy weather that had enveloped the region on May 8th and 9th.       

     The White Bird’s anticipated flight plan would have brought the plane over northern Newfoundland near Belle Isle Straits, however, investigators theorized that if the aircraft had drifted southward due to fog it would have passed over Harbor Grace.  Traveling due west it would then cross Trinity Bay , and if it stayed on the same course it would pass over Arnold’s Cove in Placentia Bay, then on to the interior of Newfoundland, which in 1927 was described as “a desolate and rugged region of forests and rocks.” Police officers and woodsmen familiar with the region began a search that was estimated would take weeks for they were looking for the proverbial “needle in a haystack”.    

     At one point it was proposed to send the U.S. Navy airship Los Angeles to Newfoundland to assist in this search, but the plan was abandoned due to no substantiated reports that the White Bird actually went down in that region.            

     Some theorized that the craft might have made a water landing, and that the crew was safe living off provisions.  On the other hand, Henri Barbadoux, the engineer who designed the White Bird’s engine, offered his opinion that if the plane had made an ocean landing during the first portion of the trip, there would be no way to quickly empty the fuel tanks, and the weight of the gasoline would pull the ship under almost immediately.  If the men managed to escape the sinking plane, they most surely would have succumbed to hypothermia.      

     Hope that the mystery had been solved rose on May 18 when the captain of the steamship Bellepline, en-route from Rotterdam to Boston, reported sighting plane wreckage 100 miles out to sea from Boston.  He said the debris sighted on the 16th consisted of natural colored wood, “20 feet long and five feet wide, with cross and transverse ribs similar to an airplane wing”.  Unfortunately, attempts to bring it aboard were unsuccessful, so the ship moved on.

     The captain of a schooner seemed to support the Bellepline’s claim when he docked at Lynn, Massachusetts, and reported seeing a plane passing overhead in about the same area at an altitude of about 3,000 feet on the Monday the White Bird vanished.            

     Also on May 18th it was reported that a message in a bottle, allegedly written by Captain Nungesser, had been found on the English shore of Port Kerris. The message read in part, “Landed 75 miles lat (sic) off Ireland, engine trouble.  W.H. Nungesser.  Finder please communicate with H. Laurence R.A.F. (Royal Air Force)) secretary, London.”  The note was never authenticated.

     On May 20th another sighting of aircraft wreckage was reported floating in the water of Fort Pond at the end of Montauk Point, Long island, New York.  Coast Guard officials who examined the wing found it to be in very poor condition, and determined it had been in the water for a long time, not just for a week or two.  The canvas covering was shredded, and bore no identifying marks, and it was painted silver, not white.  It was their opinion the wing was not related to the White Bird

     DSC01884On May 26th it was reported that the search was now being conducted “with more vigor” after a report by two men near Placentia Bay, who claimed they had heard the sound of a plane overhead and then a crash on the day the White Bird vanished.  The search continued into June, and the aircraft Jeanne D’Arc, piloted by Major P. Sydney Cotton, was brought to Newfoundland by the Red Cross ship Silvia, to assist.    

     On July 25, 1928, more than a year after the disappearance, a piece of airplane wreckage with silver and bronze colored fabric was found floating in the ocean, with a portion of a wireless receiver attached.  The White Bird didn’t carry a wireless receiver, and the wreckage was determined to be from some other airplane.

     Eventually the world came to accept the fact the White Bird and her crew were gone, but that didn’t deter those intent on solving the mystery.  While some believe the aircraft went down in Newfoundland, others have explored the possibility that it continued as far south as Maine.    

     In 1966, famous New England author and historian Edward Rowe Snow published a book titled “Marine Mysteries and Dramatic Disasters of New England” in which he wrote a chapter about the White Bird.  Snow wrote that in 1947 (exact date unknown) a Maine lobsterman named Robert Mac Vane accidentally snagged a piece of airplane wreckage on one of this trap lines off the southwestern end of Jewel Island.  Snow brought several small pieces of the find to the South Weymouth Naval Air Station for examination where it was determined they were of World War II vintage. 

     Yet the find apparently intrigued Snow, for if it wasn’t the White Bird, then what aircraft was it?   Snow was also a scuba diver, and wrote that he had assisted other divers in recovering additional wreckage off Jewell Island.

     The pieces were put on display somewhere on Cliff Island, Maine, and news of their recovery eventually led a former member of the French resistance forces of WW II to visit the island and offer the opinion that they belonged to the White Bird.  Snow then went to Cliff Island and brought a piece to Quincy, Massachusetts, where it was examined by Major Marc Palabaud of the French air force, and Charles D. Pampelonne, the French consulate of Boston.  Major Palabaud was then allowed to take the piece back to France for further study. 

     Meanwhile, other pieces were sent to the J.H. Taylor Foundry in Quincy for testing.   While the French were extremely optimistic they now had proof that Nungesser and Coli had made it to America, Snow goes into detail relating how the Taylor Foundry spectrographic analysis concluded that the metal was   positively identified as being from an airplane of the World War II period.

     The French government wasn’t convinced, and asked that the area be dragged so that more wreckage could be retrieved, but this was never done.

     Snow’s research uncovered two WW II era aircraft wrecks that might be connected to the recovered wreck pieces. On April 5, 1944, a bi-plane belonging to the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Tuscaloosa, was lost in that area.  The pilot, Ensign K.W. Baker, and his radioman, C.E. Duiguid went to the bottom with their plane.    

Martin B-12A modified for sea duty.  U. S. Air Force Photo

Martin B-12A modified for sea duty. U. S. Air Force Photo

     Snow also heard tales of a plane that went missing from the Brunswick, Maine, Naval Air Station during a snowstorm off Jewell Island.  After diving in the area in water 134 feet deep, he discovered the remains of a B-12 trainer plane from Brunswick, NAS.    

      In 1980, Yankee Magazine published a story by Gunnar Hansen titled, “The Unfinished Flight of the White Bird” in which he described how a man named Anson Berry heard a plane pass overhead and then what he thought was the sound of a crash while fishing on Round Lake, in Maine, (which is not far from the Nova Scotia border) at the time the White Bird disappeared. 

     An interesting piece by Arthur P. Dolan, “Recovery Of White Bird Would Be A Feather In Maine’s Cap”, published in 2008, related how he and a friend discovered aircraft wreckage that might have been the White Bird while on a hunting trip in Maine in 1958.  In it he describes the scene, and the discovery of some bones which at the time they believed to be of an animal.  Years later he tried to locate the spot but was unsuccessful.   

     Others believe the wreck of the White Bird might be farther to the north.  In June of 2013, a New York Times article told of a man named Bernard Decre who had been searching the waters off the island of St. Pierre near Newfoundland for five years utilizing hi-tech sonar equipment to scan the ocean floor.  

     One noteworthy fact mentioned in the article was that Decre had discovered a U.S. Coast Guard telegram at the National Archives in Washington D.C. that is possibly related to the White Bird.  The telegram dated August of 1927, pertained to a bi-plane wing discovered in the water off the coast of Virginia.  A quote from the telegram read: “It is suggested to headquarters that this may be the wreck of the Nungesser Coli airplane.”  Unfortunately, what became of the wing is not known.

     It can be surmised that with the passage of so much time the debate as to whether Nungesser and Coli completed their flight or not will go on and on unless someone comes up with indisputable proof in the form of human remains, or an identifiable part of the White Bird.  Even today there are millions of unexplored square miles of wilderness in Maine and Newfoundland. Perhaps the remains of the White Bird will one day be discovered in one of these remote areas, or perhaps not.  As for now, the search continues, and the mystery endures.  

Sources: 

Woonsocket Call, “No Trace Of Nungesser – Coli Plane Found By Searchers Scouring Ocean And Shore”, May 10, 1927, pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Naval Tugs Leave Boston In Search Of Missing Flyers”, May, 10, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “De Pinedo, Fog – Bound, Blames Air Conditions For Frenchmen’s Plight”, May 10, 1927

Woonsocket Call, “Nungesser Reported Sighted Off Coast of Newfoundland This Morning”, May 9, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Intensive 24-Hour Search Of North Atlantic Ocean Fails To Reveal Trace Of Flyers”, May 11, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Sea And Land Give Back No Answer To Anxious Questions”, May 11, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Nungesser’s Brother Feels Sure He Will Be Found”, May 11, 1927, Pg. 12

Woonsocket Call, “Number Of Persons In Southern Ireland Claim To Have Seen Plane”, May 11, 1927, Pg. 12

Woonsocket Call, “Hope Dwindles In Paris As No Word Of Airmen Comes”, May 12, 1927, Pg. 18

Woonsocket Call, “Ebbing Hope OF Searchers For Missing Flyers Seem To Rest On Newfoundland.” May 12, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Report Of Plane Whirring Through Fog Northwest of St. John’s N.F., Monday Morning Causes Stir.” May 13, 1927

Woonsocket Call, “Intensive Search On Land And Sea Fails To Bring News of Nungesser & Coli”, May 13, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Hope For Safety Of Nungesser-Coli Waning Despite Vague Reports”, May 14, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Member of Newfoundland Constabulary Writes Canadian Authorities That William Parsons Of Ocean Pond Less Than 100 Miles From Bay, Says He Heard Plane.” May 16, 1927

Woonsocket Call, “Continued Search Of Bleak Shores Of Newfoundland Fails To Reveal Any Trace Of Missing Flyers”, May 17, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Report of Plane Wreckage In Sea 100 Miles From Boston Made BY Steamer Captain”, May 18, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Airplane Wing Picked Up In Sea, Off Montauk Point, Long In Water”, May 20, 1927. 

Woonsocket Call, “Search For Missing French Flyers Goes On With More Vigor”, May 26, 1927, Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Nungesser-Coli Search Airplane At St. John’s N.F.” June 9, 1927, Pg. 1

The Evening Independent, “Floating Wreckage Found Off Jutland Coast Sent To Paris For Identification As Part of Nungesser-Coli Machine” July 25, 1928.   

New York Times, “Lindbergh Rival’s Wreck Sought In Maine Woods”, February 22, 1987

New York Times, “A Fragment Of History Is Uncovered In Maine”, October, 15, 1987

New York Times, St. Pierre Journal, “Resuming The Search For A Pioneering Plane Off A Remote Island”, By Scott Sayare, June 24, 2013.

Yankee Magazine, “The Unfinished Flight Of The White Bird”, by Gunnar Hansen, June, 1980. 

“Marine Mysteries And Dramatic Disasters Of New England”, By Edward Rowe Snow, Dodd Media & Co. N.Y., C. 1976. (Chapter 10, Nungesser And Coli) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chance Relics Reveal A Forgotten Tale

Chance Relics Reveal A Forgotten Tale

By Jim Ignasher

First published in Your Smithfield Magazine, November, 2013    

    

Sergeant Robert M. Martin of Spragueville, Rhode Island

Sergeant Robert M. Martin of Spragueville, Rhode Island

     In March of 2013, Peter den Tek was hunting for ancient Roman artifacts in a field near Asperen, Holland, when he unearthed two relatively modern .50 caliber shell casings from World War II.  The casings were American, and den Tek, an avid historian, knew they were out of place, for although German troops had occupied the area during the war, no known land battles had occurred in that vicinity.  He therefore surmised they might be relics of an aerial battle, and subsequent research led him to learn that a desperate duel of life and death had in fact occurred decades ago and thousands of feet above that field.  Further investigation revealed a connection to a place den Tek had never heard of – Smithfield, Rhode Island.   

     “Hi Coach, It’s been a long time since I’ve written you and a lot has happened since then.”  Thus began a letter written by Robert M. Martin of Spragueville to his former high school football coach Tom Eccleston Jr. in December of 1942.  World War II was raging, and Martin was serving in the United States Army Air Corps training to be an aerial gunner. 

     “I’m now in my second week of school.” His letter went on, “I finish on Christmas, or at least I’m supposed to.  I never saw such a place because they try to flunk you out instead of pass you.  The captain wants about twenty percent washouts.”

     In Martin’s case, being “flunked” would have relegated him to a ground assignment; a horrible disappointment for a man who yearned to fly.   Those who served in the Air Corps were volunteers, but applicants were expected to be “perfect” both physically and scholastically with no margin for error.     

     In another letter dated February 3, 1943. Martin wrote that he completed gunnery school and was promoted to Staff Sergeant.  He was assigned to the crew of a B-17, a four-engine “heavy bomber” designed to deliver its payload of explosives to the heart of the Third Reich.  Such a plane was ideally suited to a man of Martin’s training for it bristled with up to twelve machine-guns, earning it the name, “Flying Fortress”.   Martin was designated the ship’s “tail-gunner”.

     Martin wrote he was offered the chance to go to Officer’s Candidate School, but turned it down.  “I just as soon stay in the ranks,” he wrote Eccleston, “I’m making so much money right now if not more taking everything into consideration, than a second lieutenant does.”  In addition to his regular pay, he was receiving “flight-pay”, and would get a twenty percent increase once overseas.    

     In a third letter to Eccleston dated May 20, 1943, Martin wrote, “I’m seeing a little bit of this country.  Just last week we took a trip up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and we flew all around where the faces of presidents Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Roosevelt are carved in the side of a mountain.  We are going to fly over the Grand Canyon if we can, and I guess we will alright.”

     Martin further wrote that he hoped to see Eccleston sometime in June for he expected a brief leave to see friends and family before going overseas.  “It’s been a long time and the old pace sure will look good to me.”  Whether the army granted that promised leave is uncertain, as things can change quickly during wartime.   

     Martin’s crew was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 92nd Bombardment Group, 407th Squadron, and sent to England where they would take part in the allied strategic bombing campaign being waged against Europe.  

     On July 28, 1943, Martin woke before dawn, shaved, ate breakfast, and made his way to briefing for what would be his crew’s first combat mission. It’s possible the men joked back and forth to hide their apprehension of what the day would hold.

     The target that day was a ball-bearing plant in Kassell, Germany.  After dropping their bombs the formation turned for home, but along the way encountered heavy flack and enemy fighter planes.  Martin’s plane suffered damage causing it to fall behind from the protection of the formation.  Then they were on their own; a “straggler”.  Sensing blood, a squadron of five German fighters moved in for the kill. 

      Staff Sergeant Sebastian Stavella of New Jersey, was the ball-turret-gunner, and wrote of his WW II experiences in April of 2005.  He recalled that the fighter planes, “were hitting us from all sides.”

     As bullets tore through the aluminum fuselage, the pilot, 2nd Lt. Harold Porter, gave the order to bail out.  ”I quickly got into position to get out of the ball turret” Stavella wrote, “and as I did, an FW 190 attacked the side of the ship and hit it with a 20 millimeter, (exploding shell.) ripping off the side of the ship and hitting one of our waist gunners, (S/Sgt. Jerre M. Algeo.) killing him.”            

The tail section of Sergeant Martin's downed B-17.            Photograph  provided through Peter den Tek.

The tail section of Sergeant Martin’s downed B-17. Photograph provided through Peter den Tek.

     Another account of the battle was remembered by Kees Vermeer, who was 13 years-old at the time, and saw what happened next from his front yard.  Martin’s B-17 was shot down by enemy fighters, but from Kees perspective it appeared to have been downed by flack. “When the flack hit the bomber, there was no fire; the plane engine just whinned one last time, then the plane spiraled out of control, somersaulted a few times, and broke up into large pieces.  About five parachutes unfolded after the bomber split up, one of which disappeared quickly.”  

      The parachute that “disappeared quickly” was evidently Sgt. Martin’s, whose body was later identified by his crewmate, Tec. Sgt. Stephen Maksin, who noted that Martin’s chute was badly torn.  Martin’s remains were brought to a nearby village and buried, but after the war they were re-interred in Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium. The rest of Martin’s crew survived, and spent the remainder of the war as POWs.

    Of the five German fighters that attacked Martin’s aircraft, two were shot down.  Although it can never be proven, perhaps S/Sgt. Martin was responsible for downing one of them.  It’s also possible the shell casings found by Peter den Tek might have come from Martin’s gun – at least it’s an intriguing thought to consider.

     After learning the details of that long forgotten air battle, den Tek began planning the creation of a memorial to honor Martin and his crew.  His idea has generated tremendous local interest and he is currently negotiating with Dutch officials over a suitable location for the project. 

     Through old photographs and eye witness accounts, den Tek has located the B-17’s crash site and has recovered pieces of the aircraft.  He believes at least one engine still lies buried in a field, and if it can be recovered, he wants to incorporate it into the memorial.  If soil conditions are right, it could still be in relatively good condition.  He has also learned that one of the plane’s machine guns is on display in a museum, and hopes the serial number will give him a clue as to its position on the B-17.      

Spragueville Honor Roll  Sgt. Martin's name appears at the top.

Spragueville Honor Roll
Sgt. Martin’s name appears at the top.

S/Sgt. Martin has been remembered here in Rhode Island.  His name appears on the Spragueville War Memorial located at the corner of Pleasant View Avenue and Swan Road.  Martin was also remembered in 2007 when three Burrillville High School students, Brian Baily-Gates, Douglas Clark, and Adam Goudreau, researched the circumstances surrounding his death for a history project.  They chose Martin as a subject because he had graduated Burrillville High School in 1940, and had played for the school’s champion football team.  (Smithfield didn’t have a high school then, so residents attended school elsewhere.) 

     The research that Peter den Tek has conducted since his initial discovery has been, to use a metaphor, like peeling an onion, for the air battle that brought down Martin’s B-17 is only a fragment of the overall story.  There is so much more to tell.   For example, there were nine other crewmen on S/Sgt Martin’s aircraft, and his was but one of many lost that day.  Furthermore, Dutch civilians, some from the Asperen area, were used as forced labor by the Nazi’s in the very industrial complex the allies bombed!         

     There is other information that Peter has shared, but for now it will have to wait, for this story is still unfolding. (A follow-up article is anticipated.)  In the meantime, he and I correspond through frequent e-mails as he literally digs deeper to preserve the memory of a crew of World War II airmen.       

     Special thanks to Bill Eccleston of North Providence, and Peter den Tek of Holland, for their help with this article.  (JI)

Massachusetts Airport Postal Covers

Beverly, Mass. Airport - May 31, 1930

Beverly, Mass. Airport – May 31, 1930

Great Barrington, Mass. Airport Dedication - September 5, 1931

Great Barrington, Mass. Airport Dedication – September 5, 1931

Bowels Airport, Agawam, Mass. - June 6, 1930

Bowels Airport, Agawam, Mass. – June 6, 1930

Pittsfield Airport - June 6, 1931

Pittsfield Airport – June 6, 1931

Fort Deven's, Mass. - 1941

Fort Deven’s, Mass. – 1941

New Bedford - Fairhaven Airport - 1930

New Bedford – Fairhaven Airport – 1930

Otis Air Field – March 27, 1944

   Otis Air Field – March 27, 1944

Falmouth, Massachusetts    

U.S. Army - Douglas RA-24B, U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Army – Douglas RA-24B, U.S. Air Force Photo

     On March 27, 1944, Women’s Air Service Pilot, (WASP), Frances F. Grimes, was killed shortly after take-off from Otis Field.  The aircraft was an RA-24B, (42-54552), the army’s version of the U.S. Navy’s SBD Dauntless dive bomber.   Shortly after taking off, the plane developed engine trouble and dove into the ground. 

     Frances Fortune Grimes was born in Deer Park, Maryland and was a graduate of West Virginia University, and the University of Pittsburg.  She entered the service in January 1943 at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, and began her flight training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, on January 15, 1943.   She completed her training as part of the class 43-W-3 on July, 3, 1943, and was designated a ferry pilot, assigned to Love Field in Dallas.  From there she served at Camp Davis, North Carolina, before arriving at Otis Field on December 15, 1943.   She was 32-years-old at the time of her death.   

     Three other WASP pilots were also serving at Otis Field at the time: Shirley Ingalls, Mildred A. Toner, and Mary L. Leatherbee, all of whom acted as pallbearers at Miss Grimes funeral held at Camp Edwards. 

     This was the second fatal accident involving the same type of aircraft from Otis Field within three weeks.  On March 3, 1944, another RA-24B (42-54555) crashed near the entrance of Woods Hole Harbor killing the pilot, 2nd Lt. Joseph H. Gardner, 29.  (See posting on this website for more info.)  

     For a photo of Miss Grimes, and other information about WASP pilots, go Wings Across America/ Wasp On The Web/ Above and Beyond.

Sources:

Falmouth Enterprise, “Woman Pilot Dies In Otis Field Crash” March 31, 1944   

Lawrence Webster, Aviation Archeologist & Historian

Wings Across America/Wasp On The Web/Above & Beyond – www.wingsacrossamerica.org.

 

    

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Vehicle

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Vehicle - Danielson Airport - 2015

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Vehicle – Danielson Airport – 2015

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Danielson Airport

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol - Danielson Airport - April 8, 2015

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol – Danielson Airport – April 8, 2015

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Insignia

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Insignia

Connecticut Civil Air Patrol Insignia

Danielson Squadron Insignia – Civil Air Patrol

Danielson Squadron Insignia - Connecticut Civil Air Patrol - Danielson, CT.

Danielson Squadron Insignia – Connecticut Civil Air Patrol – Danielson, CT.

Navy Jets Break Record – 1951

Two R.I. Navy Jets Set New Record – 1951    

 

U.S. Navy
Grumman F9F Panther
U.S. Navy Photo – National Archives

     On January 8, 1951, two U.S. Navy Grumman F9F Panther jets left Jacksonville, Florida, for Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island, making the 989 mile trip in one hour and fifty minutes, a new speed record for that trip with that type of aircraft. The previous record had stood at two hours and twenty minutes.

     The pilots, Lieutenant Dixie Mays, 29, of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and Lieutenant Percy L. Liles, 30, of Goldsboro, North Carolina, maintained an average speed of 536 mph. 

     The airmen said they had no intention of trying to set a record, but were pushed along by a strong tail wind.  

Source: New York Times, “Navy Jets Break Record”, January 9, 1951

 

 

Squantum Naval Air Station Seaplanes – 1949

Squantum NAS Seaplanes - 1949

Squantum NAS Seaplanes – 1949

Leslie Haddock – Aeronaut And Showman

LESLIE HADDOCK – AERONAUT AND SHOWMAN 

Bellingham, Massachusetts -August 20, 1901

 balloon

     It was August and it was hot, yet modesty standards of 1901 dictated that men wear jackets and women don ankle length skirts with layers of petticoats underneath.  However, the heat wasn’t enough to deter the large crowds who had come to witness a balloon exhibition given by famous aeronaut, Leslie Haddock, but as the balloon rose into the evening sky, it quickly became apparent that something had gone terribly wrong.     

     Silver Lake is a body of water that lies in the approximate geographical center of the town of Bellingham, Massachusetts.  At the dawn of the 20th century it was known as Hoag Lake, and was a popular tourist destination due to an amusement park located along its shores. The park was owned and operated by the Milford, Attleboro, & Woonsocket Street Railway Company, and it cost a nickel to ride the street car to get there.   Besides a large carousel and other rides, the park boasted a restaurant, a dance hall, a theatre, a beach, outdoor concerts, boat rentals, live animal acts, and the occasional balloon exhibition.    

Early postcard view of Hoag Lake, Bellingham, Massachusetts

Early postcard view of Hoag Lake, Bellingham, Massachusetts

One such exhibition was scheduled for the third week of August of 1901, to be performed by a man named Leslie Haddock, a well known aeronaut in his day and no stranger to hair raising experiences.  He arrived on Monday, August 19th, and began his exhibition by making two ascensions that day, much to the delight of the cheering crowds. 

     The following evening, as crowds of people emptied out of the theatre after a lively performance, they gravitated to an open area where Mr. Haddock was in the process of inflating his balloon.  As the numbers of spectators grew so did their anticipation.  Finally, about 10 o’clock, it was time for lift-off.  Haddock gave a signal, and workmen released the rope that held the balloon earthbound.  The craft soared several hundred feet into the air and drifted towards the lake.  A flare tied to a rope at the bottom of the balloon allowed everyone on the ground to track the its progress. Suddenly the craft began falling at a rapid rate and the crowed let out a collective gasp.  Some pointed skyward, as if by doing so others would see better, while still others stated what seemed obvious.  “He’s in trouble!”, and “Something’s wrong!”

     The balloon continued dropping near the boat house and the crowd began running towards the shore to get a better look. When the craft was twenty feet from the water Haddock leaped over the side and dropped into the lake making a dramatic splash. The balloon, now relieved of its weight of human cargo, suddenly rose upward and drifted away; the glowing flare still indicating its position in the dark sky.   

     Looking out over the lake there was no sign of Haddock.  Had he drowned?  Should someone jump in and try to save him?  A murmur swept through the crowd as this was debated, followed by a sigh of relief when Haddock’s head suddenly bobbed to the surface.  He waded ashore to the thunderous applause of the happy spectators who now had an exciting story to tell when they got home.

     Haddock later explained that the accident was due to a sudden tear in the upper portion of the balloon which had allowed the gas to escape, and supposed the fabric had failed due to age.  He went on to say that he had been worried about the craft’s air-worthiness, and had taken a parachute along as a precaution, but never had the chance to use it.

     Hoag Park remained in operation until 1922, when the property was sold to new owners.  The decline in trolley car use seems to have been a factor.   Unfortunately, the new owners were unable to bring the place back to its former glory, and over time the park simply faded into history.  

     This wouldn’t be the last adventure Mr. Haddock would have in a balloon.  Several years later in July of 1908, he took part in a balloon race in Chicago where his entry, the 87,000 cubic foot Cincinnati, became entangled in electrical wires upon take-off. 

 Sources: 

(Woonsocket) Evening Call, “Dropped Into The Lake”, August 24, 1901, Pg. 4

New York Times, “Nine Balloons Off In Race To Coast”, July 5, 1908

 

U.S. Navy Helldiver – 21702

U.S. Navy Helldiver - Squantum Naval Air Station - BU# 21702

U.S. Navy Helldiver – Squantum Naval Air Station – BU# 21702

Narragansett Beer – Airship – 1910

Narragansett Beer ad - Airship - 1910

Narragansett Beer ad – Airship – 1910

Click on image to enlarge.

Bohemian Beer- Airship -1910

Bohemian Beer Ad - Airship - October, 1910

Bohemian Beer Ad – Airship – October, 1910

Kaman Seasprite Helicopter

Kaman Seasprite helicopter - built by Kaman Aircraft Corp, Bloomfield, Connecticut.

Kaman Seasprite helicopter – built by Kaman Aircraft Corp, Bloomfield, Connecticut.

Forgotten Tales of North Central Airport

FORGOTTEN TALES OF NORTH CENTRAL AIRPORT

By Jim Ignasher

               Originally published in Your Smithfield Magazine – March, 2012                 

Chester M. Spooner Memorial Building, North Central State Airport, Smithfield, R.I. (Photo taken 2007)

Chester M. Spooner Memorial Building, North Central State Airport, Smithfield, R.I. (Photo taken 2007)

     North Central Airport opened in 1951, but how many know it was actually re-named Peters-Fournier Airport in 1953?  And who, by the way, were Peters and Fournier?  Theirs is but one of the forgotten tales connected to Smithfield’s state-owned airport which lies tucked away in the northeast corner of town.   

    Just as the invention of the automobile led to the necessity of the parking lot, the airplane created the need for airports.  The earliest “airports” were nothing more than grass fields, but the first airplanes didn’t require much space for take-offs and landings. 

     The advent of World War II led to the rapid advancement of aviation technology, for in just five short years the United States went from propeller driven planes to high-powered jets.  By wars end it was clear that small grassy airfields would no longer be adequate to handle modern post-war aircraft.   This led to the genesis of what later became Smithfield’s North Central Airport.

     Even before the end of the war, there were those in northern Rhode Island who were preparing for peacetime commerce, and those plans included the construction of a modern state-owned airport that could service the Blackstone Valley region.  In March of 1945, members of the Woonsocket and Pawtucket Chambers of Commerce met to discuss the feasibility of such an undertaking.  At that time, northern Rhode Island already had four airports. There was Smithfield Airport, located where Bryant University stands today; Montgomery Field in North Smithfield; What Cheer Airport in Pawtucket; and Woonsocket Airport.  All were considered for possible expansion, and each was rejected for different reasons.

     The proposed airport had to be located within easy access to Providence, Woonsocket, and Pawtucket, with room for future expansion.  A large area of mostly undeveloped land on the Smithfield-Lincoln town line seemed to fit the requirements, and by the summer of 1945 it was officially announced that the site for the present-day airport had been selected.  Understandably, not everyone supported the decision; especially those who stood to have their land taken under eminent domain by the state.  Despite any protests, within a year, 862 acres had been condemned, and the project was set to move forward.  However, due to political infighting, rising cost estimates, and problems with funding, actual clearing of the land didn’t begin until February of 1950.  Construction took another twenty-two months as costs ran higher than original estimates.  An interesting bit of trivia relates to the fact that twelve miles of electrical wire was installed during construction.     

     Dedication ceremonies took place on December 15, 1951.  Part of the celebration included a helicopter owned by New England Helicopter Service that carried 1,700 pieces of mail out of the airport to the Saylesville post office in Lincoln.  The mail contained souvenir cachets that received a special cancellation stamp before being mailed out.  Today, due to their rarity, these cachets are sought after by collectors.

North Central Airport (R.I.) Dedication  postal cover - December 15, 1951

North Central Airport (R.I.) Dedication postal cover – December 15, 1951

    North Central Airport gets its name for being in the northern-central portion of the state.  It couldn’t be called Smithfield Airport because that name was already in use.  Many are probably unaware that the airport actually has another name, although it is seldom if ever used.  In 1953, the airport was re-dedicated as the Peters-Fournier Airport in honor of Cranston native Private First Class George J. Peters, U.S. Army, and Connecticut native, Sergeant William G. Fournier, United States Marine Corps, both World War II Medal of Honor recipients.  (Sergeant Fournier was born in Connecticut, but lived a good portion of his life in Rhode Island.)

     Pfc. Peters was part of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment that landed in an open field near Fluren, Germany, on March 25, 1945.  Almost immediately an enemy machine gun opened fire on them killing several men.  The rest found themselves pinned down in the open with no place to hide as the gunner methodically swept the field with bullets.  With disregard for his own safety, Peters single-handedly attacked and silenced the machine gun, but was mortally wounded in the process.  His actions undoubtedly saved the lives of others in his unit.  Besides the airport, a school in Cranston is also named for him.  

     On June 28, 1943, during heavy fighting on Guadalcanal, Sergeant Fournier’s unit was attacked by overwhelming enemy forces and ordered to withdraw.  Fournier and another Marine, Lewis Hall, sacrificed their lives when they ignored the orders and stuck to their machine gun position to cover the retreat of their comrades.  Their gallantry saved the lives of many Marines who later re-grouped and counter attacked, eventually winning the battle. 

     On October 19, 1963, an air show sponsored by the Pawtucket Rotary Club was held at North Central which began with a skywriting greeting to the crowd of approximately 15,000 attendees.  Among the attractions were aerial stuntmen who performed wing-walks, precision flying, and daring transfers from moving vehicles to low flying airplanes.  One daredevil jumped from an altitude of two miles wearing a special suit that allowed him to perform a series of loops and whirls while trailing smoke before opening his parachute at a mere 1,500 feet.       

A view of North Central Airport in Smithfield, R.I. - 2007

A view of North Central Airport in Smithfield, R.I. – 2007

The airport has an administration building that hasn’t changed much since it was built.  In 1977 it was dedicated as the Chester M. Spooner Memorial Building, the name of which can be seen over the main entrance from the parking lot.  Mr. Spooner was a native of Pawtucket, and former publisher of the (Pawtucket) Evening Times who was very influential in helping to make North Central Airport a reality. 

     As with any airport, North Central has seen its share of accidents; the total number of which may never be known for accurate record keeping did not exist before the 1960s.

     The first known accident occurred several months after the airport opened, on July 19, 1952, when a 29-year-old man was fatally injured when his plane crashed just after take-off in a cow pasture one-hundred feet beyond the runway.      

     Some accidents were the result of pilot error, such as the one which occurred in November of 1966, when the pilot forgot to lower his aircraft’s wheels before landing; or the piggy-back landing – midair collision that occurred in September of 1968 when two planes tried to land on the same runway at the same time.

     Other less notable accidents involved collapsed landing gear, aircraft overshooting the runway and crashing into trees, ground collisions, and the occasional “nose-over”.      

     On September 8, 1997, North Central Airport was the scene of one of Rhode Island’s most horrific civil aviation accidents in terms of loss of life, and the worst to ever occur at the airport, or in the town of Smithfield.   On that day, a Cessna 182E carrying a group of skydivers crashed on take-off killing five of the six people aboard.  One of those aboard was a twenty-one year-old Massachusetts woman who was making her first parachute jump.  Her parents and boyfriend had come to support her, one of whom carried a video camera that captured the crash on film.    

      For some unknown reason there seems to be a bit of confusion, at least for some, as to the exact location of the airport.   It’s hard to believe, but some sources have it listed as being in Pawtucket, while others think it’s in Lincoln, probably due to the Lincoln mailing address of 380 Jenckes Hill Road.  Posters advertising events at the airport in recent years have cited both locations.  To be fair, some of the undeveloped acreage is located in Lincoln, but just to set the record straight, the airport proper is definitely in Smithfield.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-6 Texan Military Trainer

A-6 Texan Military Trainer

A-6 Texan Military Trainer

Chester M. Spooner Building – North Central Airport

     Chester M. Spooner Memorial Building – North Central Airport

Smithfield, Rhode Island

    

Chester M. Spooner Memorial Building, North Central State Airport, Smithfield, R.I. (Photo taken 2007)

Chester M. Spooner Memorial Building, North Central State Airport, Smithfield, R.I. (Photo taken 2007)

     Chester M. Spooner was a native of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and former publisher of the (Pawtucket) Evening Times, who was very influential in helping to make North Central Airport a reality.

     For more information about North Central Airport, see “Forgotten Tales Of North Central Airport” under Articles on this website.

Forgotten Tales of North Central Airport

“Spirit Of Woonsocket” WWII Bomber Ad

Click on image to enlarge.

Spirit Of Woonsocket WWII Bomber Ad - Woonsocket, Rhode Island

Spirit Of Woonsocket WWII Bomber Ad – Woonsocket, Rhode Island

World War I Era Army Pilot

Unidentified World War I era military pilot.

Unidentified World War I era military pilot.

Uxbridge Bomber Crash Memorial Site

     On May 18, 1944, a B-24 Liberator crashed in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, killing all crewmen aboard.  A memorial now exists on a two-acre parcel of land in the middle of a housing development where the bomber crashed.    For more information click here: Uxbridge Bomber Crash – 1944

 

Uxbridge Bomber Memorial Site - August, 2012

Uxbridge Bomber Memorial Site – August, 2012

Memorial to those who lost their lives in the Uxbridge Bomber Crash - May 18, 1944.

Memorial to those who lost their lives in the Uxbridge Bomber Crash – May 18, 1944.

North Central Airport (R.I.) postal cover – 1951

North Central Airport (R.I.) Dedication  postal cover - December 15, 1951

North Central Airport (R.I.) Dedication postal cover – December 15, 1951

Number of New England Aircraft And Pilots – 1930

     Number of New England Aircraft and Pilots – 1930

     On October 19, 1930, The New York Times announced that there were 8,893 licensed airplanes in the United States, and gave a breakdown if the number of aircraft, pilots, and gliders in each state.  For the purposes of this website, only the New England states will be mentioned.  

Connecticut: 126 aircraft, 162 pilots, 6 gliders.

Maine: 30 aircraft, 64 pilots, 1 glider.

Massachusetts: 206 aircraft, 436 pilots, 18 gliders.

New Hampshire: 26 aircraft, 44 pilots, 3 gliders.

Rhode Island: 36 aircraft, 41 pilots, no gliders.

Vermont: 17 aircraft, 26 pilots, no gliders.

Source: New York Times, “8,893 Airplanes Licensed By Nation”, October 19, 1930.

Alexander V. Wilson’s New Aeroplane – 1908

   Alexander V. Wilson’s New Aeroplane- 1908

    On October 17, 1908, it was reported in the The Evening Times that a man named Alexander V. Wilson of Bangor, Maine, had built an “aeroplane” that didn’t need a motor which he had brought to New York City for a demonstration.  He was issued a patent for his invention on Sept. 1, 1908.

     The article stated in part, “So confident is he (Wilson) of success that he is prepared to put in a bid to the government for a naval aeroplane as soon as the official specifications are issued.”   

     It went on to state Wilson had built, “several machines within the last dozen years. He has also flown with them.”  Wilson reportedly conducted his flying experiments on frozen Eagle Lake near Bar Harbor in the winter, and along Maine’s coastline in the summer.

     “Of course,” said Mr. Wilson, “I can only rise in the air and remain there without a motor provided there is sufficient wind.  Therefore it is best to have a small motor to rise when the atmosphere is still, but with any kind of wind the motor may be shut off  and I can fly as easily without it against the wind as with it, and control my machine perfectly”  This would seem to indicate that Wilson’s aircraft did have a motor, but that it could be shut off during flight and the plane could remain airborne.   

     Wilson’s invention was 36 feet long, (Wingspan not stated.) with four flexible wings, two in front, and two aft.   The pilot would bend the wings as need for steering and landing, and controlled their movement with a moving fulcrum.   

Wilson was scheduled to demonstrate his invention at Morris Park race track on November 4th.

 Source: The (Pawtucket, R.I.) Evening Times, “This Airship Does Not Need A Motor”, October 17, 1908, Pg. 11.

 

Touchette Memorial, Marlborough, Mass.

Click on image to enlarge.

 

Marlborough, Mass. - Dedicated to the memory of USAF Captain Robert W. Touchette.

Marlborough, Mass. – Dedicated to the memory of USAF Captain Robert W. Touchette.

F.A.A. Airport Police

F.A.A. Airport Police patch/insignia circa 1970s.

F.A.A. Airport Police patch/insignia circa 1970s.

Federal Aviation Administration Police Patch

Federal Aviation Administration Police Patch

First Hydro-Airplane Manufactured In Rhode Island – 1915

     First Hydro Plane Manufactured In Rhode Island

January – 1915

     On January 25, 1915, it was announced in the Providence Journal newspaper that the Providence firm of B. Stephens & Sons at Fields Point had constructed a new type of “hydro-aeroplane” which they would begin initial trials with the following week.   

     A lot rested with the success of this project as representatives of three foreign governments were interested in purchasing these planes. 

     “For the past six months,” the Journal article stated, “the firm has been quietly at work in carrying out the ideas of construction evolved by its senior member, who has long been identified with the boat-building business, and who has recently become interested in science of aviation.” 

     The motor utilized for the project was the “Ashmusen type” produced by the Taft-Pierce Company of Woonsocket, R.I., capable of delivering 105 horsepower.   It was said to be “of the horizontal opposed type”, with an eight-and-a-half foot diameter propeller, that would spin at 900 to 1,000 revolutions per minute. 

     The new hydroplane had a 33-foot wingspan, with the lower wing being shorter than the upper.  The exterior of the boat was finished in African mahogany, and the inside with cedar covered with marine glue and canvas.  Four watertight bulkheads lined the interior, making the boat, “practically unsinkable”.  The hull was “double concaved” to give it less resistance as it moved across the water.  Shelby seamless tubing was used throughout, with cold-rolled steel fittings.  The fuel tanks could hold 80 gallons, giving the craft a flight time of over nine hours. 

   Control of the aircraft was done with a steering wheel likened to that of an automobile.  Foot pedals worked the elevators.    

Source: Providence Journal, “Local Firm Makes Hydro-Aeroplane”, January 25, 1915, Pg. 12

 

Navigational Beacon and Tower

Aircraft Navigational Beacon and Tower on display at the New England Air Museum

Aircraft Navigational Beacon and Tower on display at the New England Air Museum

South County (R.I.) Balloon Festival – 2014

Balloon At Sunset -  South County Balloon Festival - 2014

Balloon At Sunset – South County Balloon Festival – 2014

Joe Seymour – First Aeroplane Flight In New England?

Joe Seymour – First Aeroplane Flight In New England?

By Jim Ignasher

 

     On June 24, 1910, The Providence Journal reported, “Joe Seymour, in a private test at Narragansett Park last evening, accomplished the first successful aeroplane flight ever made in New England.” Narragansett Park, a.k.a. Narragansett Trotting Park, was a race track that once existed between present-day Park Avenue, that Gansett Avenue, and Spectacle Pond, in Cranston, Rhode Island. Seymour accomplished his feat in a Curtis bi-plane.

     There is some debate as to this actually being the first airplane flight in New England.  There seems to be mounting evidence that Gustave Whitehead flew an airplane in Connecticut in 1901, two years before the Wright Brothers.  And a recently discovered (Woonsocket) Evening Call article dated April 23, 1910, described the flight, and subsequent crash, of Greely S. Curtis at Plum Island in Newburyport, Massachusetts.  While Seymour’s flight may not have been the first in New England, it might have been the first for Rhode Island. 

     Mr. Seymour had arrived at the park earlier in the day in preparation for an exhibition he was to give. However, mechanical difficulties prevented him from flying until it was nearly dark.  Not wanting to disappoint the two-hundred or so spectators who had gathered, he decided to make a test flight once around the park, but never climbing above an altitude of 200 feet. 

     According to the Providence Journal, “He maintained this altitude for about 200 feet and then descended easily, bringing the craft to a stop at almost the exact spot from which it had been started.”

     Seymour may also have been the first to wreck an airplane in Rhode Island. The following morning it was reported, “Joseph Seymour, the aviator, was severely hurt, and his Curtis aeroplane badly wrecked at Narragansett Park late yesterday afternoon, when the machine going 30 miles an hour, crashed into a post hidden in the grass, while Seymour was attempting to alight.”    

     After wrecking, Seymour contacted the Herring Aeroplane Factory in Massachusetts, and ordered two replacement propellers.  Oddly enough, they just happened to have two in stock that would fit his aircraft.  This was good news, for otherwise they would have had to be custom made – out of wood – which would take considerable time. 

     Such early flights were still considered newsworthy for 1910.  On the day Seymour crashed his plane, it was reported that a man named William Hilliard had flown a Burgess bi-plane for a distance of three miles while maintaining an altitude of just seventy-five feet in Newburyport, Massachusetts. 

    From Rhode Island, Mr. Seymour went to Garden City, Long Island, where he took part in another air exhibition in July.  Unfortunately, bad luck followed him there and he crashed again while making an in-flight turn.  The following September, Seymour’s plane was nearly hit in mid-air by another aircraft while flying at yet another exhibition.

Update February 14, 2017

     An article that appeared in the New York Tribune on March 2, 1910 stated that A. M. Herring and W. Starling Burgess, of the Herring-Burgess company, made a successful flight at Marblehead, Massachusetts, the day before.    

Sources:

Providence Journal, “Aviator Soars In Air In Night Flight Here”, June 24, 1910, Pg. 1

Providence Journal, “Seymour, In Biplane Crashes Into Post.”, June 25, 1910, Pg. 1

Providence Journal, “Rushes Aeroplane Repairs”, June 26, 1910, Pg. 2

New York Times, “Aeroplane Hits Post”, June 25, 1910

New York Times, “Three-Mile Flight In Five Minutes”, June 25, 1910

New York Times, “Seymour Machine Wrecked”, July 28, 1910

(Woonsocket) Evening Call, “Airship Damaged”, April 23, 1910, Pg.1

New York Tribune, “New Style Flier – Herring And Burgess Have A Successful Trial At Marblehead”, March 2, 1910

B-24, Dragon And His Tail

B-24 Liberator - Dragon And His Tail -Taken at North Central Airport, Smithfield , R.I.

B-24 Liberator – Dragon And His Tail -Taken at North Central Airport, Smithfield , R.I.

“Jack’s Hack” – New England Air Museum

"Jack's Hack" - B-29 -  New England Air Museum - June, 2005

“Jack’s Hack” – B-29 – New England Air Museum – June, 2005

Smithfield, R.I. Airport – 1932

Click on images to enlarge.

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932. Bryant University now occupies this land.

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932. Bryant University now occupies this land.

Smithfield Airport Hangar – Unknown Date
Courtesy Louis McGowan
Johnston, R.I. Historical Society

A WWII Footnote to History

 A WWII FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY

How a chance meeting affected the outcome of World War II

By Jim Ignasher

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932.  Bryant University now occupies this land.

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932. Bryant University now occupies this land.

Photo courtesy of John Emin Jr.

      Like the ripples caused by a pebble tossed into a still pond, sometimes a minor event can have far reaching effects.  Take for example a boy in Pennsylvania who yearned to be a pilot; or the young man in Rhode Island with a passion for flying who decided to build an airport.  The decision made by each would touch the life of the other, and ultimately play a role in the outcome of the Second World War.

    This story is true, but it’s virtually unknown beyond the borders of Smithfield, Rhode Island, and therefore won’t be found in any history books about the war.  It might never have come to light had it not been for cards and letters saved by John and Marjorie Emin; owners of a farm once located where Bryant University stands today.  

    John was a pilot, and like most pilots, he wanted to own an airplane.  In July of 1931 he purchased a two-seater Curtis Pusher aircraft which he kept at What Cheer Airport in Pawtucket about twelve miles from his farm.  Twelve miles may not seem like much of a distance today, but automobiles and roads in those days made getting from Smithfield to Pawtucket a bit of an effort.  Therefore, John fancied the idea of an airport closer to home.

     The following year while on a visit to Massachusetts, Emin happened upon an airplane hangar for sale and bought it.  It was dismantled and brought to his farm where he reassembled it himself.  When he was finished he painted “Smithfield Airport” across the front in large letters.  After clearing a nearby cornfield for use as a runway, Smithfield had its first airport.  (The Bryant University football stadium now occupies the area were airplanes once landed, and a maintenance building has replaced the original hangar.) 

      In December of 1932, William G. Benn of Coudersport, Pennsylvania, was a 2nd Lieutenant with the103rd Observation Squadron of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Three days before Christmas that year he and his observer, Private John G. Mallon, left Boston for Philadelphia in a Douglas O-38, bi-plane. 

     The weather of course was cold, as is typical for New England in December. Snow flurries were already falling as the plane lifted into an overcast sky, and within an hour the flurries turned to snow.  As winter winds buffeted the plane, ice began forming on the wings causing a loss in airspeed and altitude.  Before long, Benn was struggling to keep his ship in the air.

     The men knew they were in trouble, but finding a place to set down presented a problem, for the plane lacked a radio and they were over unfamiliar countryside.   Checking a Department of Commerce map, Mallon discovered that the nearest airport was already several miles behind them in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.  (The Woonsocket Airport no longer exists.) By this time the plane was barely one-hundred feet in the air and in danger of stalling for lack of airspeed.  With no other choice, Benn took a heading for Woonsocket, when suddenly below them appeared a small airport that wasn’t on their map for it had only opened a few weeks earlier.  Thanking God for their deliverance, Benn set the plane down on the snowy field and coasted to a stop. The name on the hangar told him they had landed at the “Smithfield Airport”, but neither of the airmen had any idea where Smithfield was.  

     As Benn and Mallon climbed from their airplane they were met by John Emin who had seen their emergency landing from his farmhouse.  (The farmhouse stood where the dome of Bryant’s “Unistructure” is located today.)  After brief introductions, Benn asked to use a telephone to notify his superiors that he had landed safely and hadn’t crashed in the storm, but John explained that he didn’t have one.  The nearest phone was at a general store about a mile down the road in the village of Stillwater, and John graciously allowed the airmen the use of his car to get to it.         

     In March of 1935, Benn published his recollections of this day in an article he wrote for the Pennsylvania Guardsman, in which he described the store in Stillwater as “the original country store”, with a pot-bellied stove in the center and shelves lined with tobacco, groceries, shoes, clothing, toys, and “notions”.  Benn described how he and Mallon ate bananas while waiting for their call to be put through, and noted the attention they were getting from several card-playing locals who stopped their game long enough to give them a thorough once-over while a dog stood at their feet begging for a handout. 

     When their business was complete, they returned to the airport where John and Marjorie invited them to stay until the weather cleared.  The flyers graciously accepted, but having lived in a large city like Philadelphia, they were surprised to learn that country living meant doing without certain “luxuries” such as indoor plumbing and electric lights.  In his article Benn recalled how they spent an enjoyable evening with their hosts and slept soundly in an antique featherbed.  The following day the weather in Rhode Island had cleared enough where they decided to try for home.

     The young men didn’t forget the kindness shown to them and wrote thank you notes.  These letters and other correspondence have survived, and are still in the possession of the Emin family.    

     In his letter Lieutenant Benn wrote:

    Dear John and Margy: 

     May this note of appreciation find you snugly returned from a very Merry Christmas in New Bedford.

     The trip down to Philadelphia was none too pleasant.  The snow lasted down to New Haven with haze and mist from there into this city.  Landed here at 2 in the afternoon so it did not take very long.  Found that all of this area was closed in with clouds and rain Saturday so am all the more glad that we were honored by your hospitality.

     Would like to have put on a little more show for you but trust that you will believe me when I say that it takes but a small amount of ice formation on a wingfoil to change the flying characteristics of the airplane.  She flew right wing heavy all the way down to Trenton where the warm air into which we were flying, melted most of the ice away.

     Might call to your attention the fact that upon landing, we asked if they had any trouble in finding Smithfield.  The answer was no because they had a late edition of the Department of Commerce map of that area and that it was well marked.  I trust that you will not be swamped with transient pilots who, after hearing of our wonderful experience with you, would like to duplicate.  We both wish to assure you that we had a most enjoyable time and were truthfully reluctant to depart.

     We thank you sincerely and hope that we may have the good fortune to call upon you again.

     With every best wish for the New Year, truly,

                                                             W.G. Benn

                                                            2nd Lt. A.C. (P.N.G.)

      Private Mallon related in part, “I have related the experience to many other people over the holiday and all agree what a delightful couple we must have visited.”

     What followed was a pen-pal relationship between the Emin’s and William Benn that lasted into World War II.

     Benn sent the Emin’s a copy of the Pennsylvania Guardsman magazine containing the story of his unexpected visit, along with a letter describing how his mother liked the informal account he had sent to her, rather than the formal version that appeared in print.  To this Benn wrote: “But after all, I do not pretend to be any sort of writer – to the contrary, just a good pilot, and to that end, my story is going to remain. However, I did so hope that some others would have the pleasure of enjoying our trip with us.  I believe that many of the boys have and therein, the purpose fulfilled.

     Benn had taken courses in archeology hoping for a career in that field of science, but by the late 1930s it seemed apparent that the United States would be drawn into war so he elected to stay in the military.  All the while he kept up his correspondence with the Emin’s through cards and letters.  In March of 1941 Benn wrote that he and his wife Dorothy were the proud parents of a daughter, Bonnie. The following Christmas the United States was at war.  

     The Emin’s mailed Benn a Christmas card that season of 1941, but he waited nearly four months to respond. It’s understandable due to what was going on at the time for all military personnel. 

     In his letter dated April 26, 1942, he wrote in part:

     “Christmas & New Years wasn’t much – constant alert, and probably will not be much for several years to come.  In the meantime, many are the times that I reflect back to Pennsylvania & New England – to places & people like you – to things done and odd experiences, people met and liked.  It is true enjoyment in a busy life.”

   At the time Benn wrote that letter he was assigned to the U.S. 4th Air Force, commanded by General George Kenney, based in San Francisco, California.  Kenney had been in the army since World War I, and was held in high regard for his innovative ideas in the use of aircraft serving in combat roles. In the spring of 1942 he took command of the 5th Air Force which was ordered to Australia to fight the Japanese.  He brought with him fifty hand-picked pilots who had served under him in the 4th Air Force, one of them being William Benn, who was assigned as the General’s aide. 

     Part of the mission of the 5th Air Force was to support allied ground troops and attack Japanese supply ships re-enforcing enemy positions. The initial strategy had been to use high altitude bombers to bomb enemy ships, but bombing from high altitudes allowed targets ample time to scatter and avoid being hit. The obvious answer was to conduct the bombing at lower altitudes, but this carried higher risks for the aircrews, and early in the war the United States didn’t have the airplanes to spare.  

     William Benn, who by this time had been promoted to Major, pondered the problem and came up with the idea to attack the enemy ships from the side rather than from above. In August of 1942, he went to General Kenney with an idea he called “skip bombing”.  Benn proposed using conventional bombs which could be “skipped” across the water like a stone across a pond into the side of a ship. The bombs would be equipped with delayed fuses to give them a few seconds to sink below the hull waterline before exploding, thereby producing maximum damage.   

     The plan of attack was to send in two groups of high-level bombers as a diversion to attract enemy anti-aircraft fire, while a third group would come in low, about 300 feet above the water’s surface, and release their bombs.

     The idea was simple enough in theory, and Kenney was intrigued with its possibilities.  Benn was given command of the 43rd Bombing Group with authorization to develop and perfect the technique. Testing began at Port Moresby, Australia, in September of 1942, where B-25 Mitchell bombers made trial runs at the hulk of an old barge.  (The B-25 was a twin-engine light bomber used by the allies throughout the war.)

B-25 Mitchel bomber USAF Museum photo

B-25 Mitchel bomber
USAF Museum photo

      One obstacle to overcome was the fact that conventional bombsights were designed for dropping bombs from high altitudes, not low-level attack runs.  Benn solved this problem by making cross hairs out of electrical tape on the Plexiglass nose of the aircraft where the bombardier sat, thus using the plane itself to aim the bomb. 

     By the autumn of 1942, Benn’s squadron was ready to try his skip bombing technique in actual combat.  On October 22nd, Benn led a night mission against Japanese ships at Rabual with limited success.  Although some vessels were hit, none were actually sunk.  A second raid was conducted on October 30th with similar results.  

     Even though initial success was limited, Major Benn had proven the idea had merit and set the course for others to follow.  Major Paul Gunn later expanded on Benn’s idea by using modified B-25s equipped with forward firing guns with good results.

     Prior to the implementation of skip bombing, the allied success rate for bombing enemy shipping in the Pacific was less than five percent, but with skip bombing the success rate rose to over seventy percent.  This no doubt changed the course of battles, saved American lives, and helped shorten the war. For his efforts Major Benn was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, an award second only to the Medal of Honor.   

     Benn’s success attracted the attention of Time Magazine, which featured him in an article about skip bombing that appeared in the January 18, 1943 issue.  The article mentioned that Benn’s skip bombing technique was now the standard mode of attack used by General Kenney’s 5th Air Force.  Unfortunately, Benn never saw the article, for on the day the magazine hit the newsstands, he took off from Jackson’s Drome airstrip on what was to be a routine reconnaissance mission and disappeared.

     The aircraft he was piloting was a B-25 Mitchell bomber with tail number 41-12485.  There were six others aboard the lone aircraft when it vanished; Major Donn Young, Lt. Col. Dan Searcy, Sgt. Wilfred Coyer, Sgt. Herman Elsner, Cpl. LaVerne Van Dyke, and S/Sgt. Michael Ewas.               

     No distress calls were ever received, and it was surmised that whatever happened had been sudden and quick.  Search planes flew along the missing B-25’s estimated route, but found nothing.  Speculation as to what happened was brief.  There was a war on, and planes and men were lost everyday.     

     Back in Smithfield, John and Marjorie Emin wondered why their friend Bill had stopped writing, and hoped it was because he was too busy. Then the day came when a newspaper clipping arrived in the mail stating that Benn was missing. Naturally they prayed for the best, but they never learned anything more.

     On March 2, 1943, what became known as the Battle of the Bismarck Sea began in the Pacific.  The Japanese had sent sixteen warships to reinforce their troops in New Guinea, and the 5th Air Force was charged with stopping them. The battle raged for two days, during which the Allies used Benn’s skip bombing technique against enemy ships.   When it was over the Japanese were the clear losers, and as a result, this was the last time they attempted to use large vessels to reinforce their positions.  Even though he wasn’t there to see it, Major Benn’s skip bombing technique was credited for the American victory.   

     World War II ended in August of 1945, and the troops went home to resume their lives.  Those who had been lost faded into the recesses of history, remembered primarily by those they left behind.  John and Marjorie Emin passed away without ever learning the fate of William Benn. 

     Benn’s aircraft was just one of thousands declared “missing” during the war, however the mystery of what happened to him was solved in 1957 when an Australian survey team happened upon the wreckage of a World War II aircraft in a wooded valley in New Guinea.  The tail numbers matched those of Major Benn’s long lost B-25.  U.S. authorities were notified, and the remains of the servicemen were recovered. 

     Investigators determined that the aircraft had not gone down due to hostile action, but had most likely entered fog when it flew into the valley, and the crew never saw the mountain looming ahead.  Death had been instantaneous. 

     One has to wonder if history would be different if John Emin hadn’t built his airport.  Would Bill Benn have made it to Woonsocket?  If he hadn’t survived, would someone else have developed the skip bombing technique?  The world will never know, but it can be argued that because Bill Benn found safe haven that long ago Christmas many allied troops survived the war and were able to go home to live out the rest of their lives in peace.

 

 

 

 

RICON Airport Original Building

RICON Airport original Hangar, Coventry, Rhode Island

RICON Airport original Hangar, Coventry, Rhode Island

Click on image to enlarge.

Vintage Piper Cub Airplane

Vintage Piper cub Airplane, RICON Airport, Coventry, R.I.

Vintage Piper Cub Airplane, RICON Airport, Coventry, R.I.

RICON Airport Planes – 2008

Planes at RICON Airport - 2008

Planes at RICON Airport – 2008

RICON Airport – Coventry, R.I.

View of the first hangar at RICON Airport (2008) located in Coventry, R.I.

View of the first hangar at RICON Airport (2008) located in Coventry, R.I.

Rhode Island Airport Corp. Police – early 2000s

R.I. Airport Corp. Police

R.I. Airport Corp. Police

R.I. Airport Police – 1990s

Worn by the Rhode Island Airport Police in the 1990s.  Note "Div. Of Airports". This patch is no longer worn.

Rhode Island Air National Guard Police Insignia

Worn by ANG officers in the 1970s

Old R.I. Air National Guard Police patch from the 1960s -1970s

Rhode Island Air National Guard Police Insignia

Rhode Island Air National Guard Police Insignia

T.F. Green Airport Map – 1970s

T.F. Greene Airport map from the 1970s showing old runways and terminal building.

T.F. Greene Airport map from the 1970s showing old runways and terminal building.

New England Fair Ad. – 1915

New England Fair Ad from Sept. 3, 1915

New England Fair Ad from Sept. 3, 1915

Click on image to enlarge.

Blind Men Are WWII Plane Spotters

Blind Men Are WWII Plane Spotters

Worcester, Mass. – January 22, 1941

     Civilian “plane spotters” were used throughout World War II as part of our nation’s civil defense, and as evidenced by an AP news article, one didn’t need eyes to “see” potential enemy airplane.

     In Worcester, Mass., a small group of blind men volunteered for duty and proved that they could distinguish different types of  aircraft by the sound of their engine(s).    One of the group,  Eino H. Friberg, was quoted as saying, “The individual with eyes sees in one direction only. We blind have to ‘see’ sounds coming from all directions.  We learn to sort out those sounds, to attach meanings to them, to identify them, much as your eyes are trained to sort out red flowers from green leaves.” 

     In the early days of the civilian plane spotter system, the military ran several nationwide tests to see how well the volunteer spotters would do.  It was found that blind “spotters” could hear approaching aircraft and identify them at least a minute before those with sight and normal hearing.  It was also discovered that blind spotters were not encumbered by dark nights, fog, or cloud cover. 

     Friberg explained that when he first hears the sound of a motor, he has to determine if its one motor or two.  He then determines its location, how fast its moving, and in what direction.

     Friberg attempted to teach other spotters with sight to close their eyes and try to hear what they couldn’t yet see.  

     Two other blind men in Friberg’s group were John Cooney, and Raymond Lessard. 

 

Source: Woonsocket Call, “Blind Men In Plane-Spotting Posts Beat Sharp-Eyed Comrades In Tests”, January 21, 1941, Pg.1 

First “Air Wedding” In Vermont – 1927

First “Air Wedding” In Vermont – 1927

     What was reported to be the “first marriage in an airplane on record in the State of Vermont” occurred on August 25, 1927.  On that day, Miss Violet Sadie Branch of South Royalton, and Mr. Kenneth Dickerman of Randolph took off in an airplane piloted by Paul Schill from the Milton Airdrome.  Also aboard was the Rev. S. Rowe from the Congregational Church in Milton, who began the ceremony once the plane had reached 2,800 feet.  At that time the motor was shut off and the plane allowed to glide as the happy couple exchanged their vows.  The entire event took just eight minutes.

Source: Woonsocket Call, “Couple Married In Plane Flying Over Town Of Milton, Vt.”, August 26, 1927, Pg. 2 

Airplane Used To Feed Birds – 1931

Aircraft Used To Feed Birds – Woonsocket, R.I. – 1931

     In February of 1931 it was reported that members of the Woonsocket Sportsman’s Club of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, had employed an airplane pilot to fly over nearby woodlands and drop feed for game birds due to food shortages created by extreme winter weather over the previous six weeks.  Although such things had been tried in other states, it was believed this was a first for Rhode Island, and possibly New England.  

     The aircraft flown belonged to Woonsocket Airways Inc., piloted by Lieutenant Paul L. Smith, based at the now defunct Woonsocket Airport.  The plane made two trips during which 400 pounds of feed were dropped. 

Source: Woonsocket Call, “Plane Used To Feed Wild Birds In This Section”, February 14, 1931, Pg. 1

R. I. Air National Guard 143d Tactical Airlift Insignia

Rhode Island Air National Guard 143d Tactical Airlift patch

Rhode Island Air National Guard 143d Tactical Airlift patch

Protest of Air Show – 1911

   Click on image to enlarge.

    On December 23, 1911, it was reported in the (Woonsocket) Evening Call newspaper that the Providence (RI) Council of the Knights of Columbus had registered a formal complaint against an aerial exhibition involving a “hydro-aeroplane”, scheduled for Christmas morning at Narragansett Park.  A letter was sent to Mayor Edward M. Sullivan asking that the air show be postponed until later in the day after church masses had been held.  Mayor Sullivan told the press that the flight would likely take place as scheduled. 

 

Sky Cap Insignia 1970s

Worn by curbside luggage handlers at airports.

Worn by curbside luggage handlers at airports.

Sky Cap Uniform Patch 1970s

Sky Cap patch, worn by curbside airport baggage handlers. For a small fee they would bring your luggage to be checked in.

Sky Cap patch, worn by curbside airport baggage handlers. For a small fee they would bring your luggage to be checked in.

Rhode Island Pilots Association Patch

Rhode Island Pilots Association patch

Rhode Island Pilots Association patch

Connecticut Airport Police Patch

Connecticut Airport Police Patch

Connecticut Airport Police Patch

Northeast Airlines First Flight postal cover – 1946

Northeast Airlines first flight postal cover 1946

Northeast Airlines first flight postal cover 1946

R.I. Div. of Aeronautics metal insignia

old Rhode Island Div. of Aeronautics metal insignia

Old Rhode Island Div. of Aeronautics metal insignia

Old R.I. Air National Guard Police Patch

Worn by ANG officers in the 1970s

Old R.I. Air National Guard Police patch from the 1970s

Quonset Point Naval Air Station Insignia

Quonset Point Naval Air Station insignia patch

Quonset Point Naval Air Station insignia patch

R.I. Civil Air Patrol patch

R.I. Civil Air Patrol Patch

R.I. Civil Air Patrol Patch

R.I. Division of Airports Patch

R.I.  Airport Police Patch

Worn by R.I. Airport Police officers 1970s – early 1980s

R.I. Airport Police 1980s

R.I. Airport Police 1980s

R.I. Airport Police 1980s

Old Style R.I. Airport Police Badge

Old R.I. Airport Police Badge

Old R.I. Airport Police Badge

T. F. Green Airport Crash Rescue Patch

T.F. Greene Airport Crash Rescue

T.F. Greene Airport Crash Rescue

Rhode Island Division of Aeronautics Rocker Patch

Rhode Island Division of Aeronautics rocker patch

Rhode Island Division of Aeronautics Patch

Rhode Island Division of Aeronautics Patch

Early Balloon Ascensions At Savin Rock, Connecticut

Early Balloon Ascensions At Savin Rock, Connecticut

     By Jim Ignasher

 

Savin Rock Advertisement
August , 1895

     September 15, 1893, was a perfect late summer afternoon at Savin Rock, where crowds had gathered to see “Prince Leo – The Boy Aeronaut”, perform a balloon ascension and parachute drop. Leo was sixteen, and had been giving such exhibitions for the past three years. At the appointed time, the balloon was released and quickly rose to three-hundred feet where a fabric panel suddenly failed and allowed the buoyant gas to escape. The craft plummeted, and crashed into the top of a tree located next to live electrical wires. The impact threw Leo onto the wires where he was severely jolted before falling to the ground. He was badly cut and in shock, but he would survive, and would later go on to become one of the world’s best known aeronauts while performing under his real name; Albert Leo Stevens.      

     Much has been written about the former amusement park at Savin Rock, but it seems that little attention has been given to the aeronautical exhibitions designed to draw visitors to the well known resort.  

     There was a time when balloon ascensions drew large crowds, and in the mid 1800s, due to their novelty, simply watching one ascend was enough to satisfy. However, as time when on, “aeronauts” were obligated to perform greater feats of daring such as leaping from balloons using parachutes. Some performers took it a step further by jumping with two or more parachutes, cutting away from one, free-falling, then deploying another. And still others would be shot from a tube or “cannon” suspended beneath the balloon.    

     Balloon ascensions at Savin Rock began in the late1880s, with the vast majority taking place without incident. Those that failed made headlines, which at times drew larger crowds to the next scheduled event.    

Savin Rock Advertisement
August, 1897

     A case in point was one of the earliest recorded ascensions to be made from Savin Rock. On the afternoon of August 7, 1889, a man identified as Professor Northup took off from the railroad grove and achieved an altitude of nearly 6,000 feet at which time he dropped using his parachute. The chute opened quickly, but Northup came down in the water of Long Island Sound about 1,200 feet from shore. He wasn’t wearing any type of floatation device, and might have drowned had it not been for a passing boat that came to his rescue.

     Another aeronaut to perform at Savin Rock was Miss Louise Bates, one of the few female aeronauts of the day. On July 25, 1894, she was to perform a high-altitude parachute drop, but a mooring pole cut the fabric of her balloon as it was released allowing gas to escape. The leak wasn’t realized until the balloon had risen to 150 feet. When it began to fall she leapt clear, but her parachute failed to open. Her fall was broken by the upper branches of a tree where she was rescued miraculously unhurt.         

     The following summer a man calling himself “Daring Donald” had a remarkably similar experience. Fortunately when his chute failed he landed in an area of soft ground. He survived his injuries, and went on to give future performances.

     Many aeronauts went by the title of “professor”. On July 25, 1903, Professor Dennis Tatneaud’s parachute opened perfectly, but prevailing currents brought him over the water where he splashed-down near the West Haven Jetty. He managed to cling to two oyster stakes until he was rescued one hour later, thoroughly exhausted from his ordeal.  

     However, it wasn’t just mishaps that made the news. August 27, 1903 was the opening of a three-day balloon festival at Savin Rock. One performer was Professor Robert Mack, who soared to the height of a mile before being fired from a “cannon” amidst a blaze of fireworks. He landed safely at the ball fields in what was described as “remarkable ballooning”. The balloon used by Mack was reportedly one of the largest in use at the time.

     Unfortunately some accidents ended tragically, such as the ascension made by Theodore French on August 17, 1907. When his parachute failed to open he landed atop a piano factory and was killed.

Savin Rock Advertisement
June, 1908

     By 1908, airships were beginning to replace balloons as a way to draw crowds for they could do things balloons couldn’t.

     In June of 1908, famous aeronaut Charles Hamilton arrived with his airship and drew quite a bit of attention. On June 13, Hamilton took off from Savin Rock bound for New Haven, and after circling a stadium in that city, had to make an emergency landing on some railroad tracks. After making some repairs, he took off again, but encountered strong winds which blew him out over Long Island Sound. There he was forced to land in the water where he was rescued by a passing boat.    

 Balloon ascensions continued at Savin Rock at least until 1915. By this time World War I was raging in Europe, and after the war former military pilots took to the “barn storming” circuit which quickly eclipsed balloon ascensions as a way to draw crowds.    

Sources:

Morning Journal And Courier, (New Haven, CT.), “Drops In The Sound”, August 8, 1889 

Waterbury Evening Democrat, (Waterbury, CT.), “Accident and Incident – Daring Donald Falls from Balloon At Savin Rock”, July 24, 1891.  

Hartford Courant, “An Aeronaut’s Fall – Prince Leo Nearly Loses His Life At Savin Rock”, September 16, 1893

The Daily Morning Journal And Courier, “Parachute Did Not Work”, July 26, 1894 

The Daily Morning Journal And Courier, “Balloonist Recovers”, July 27, 1903

The Washington Times, “Balloonist Pattneau Drops Into The Sea”, July 27, 1903.  (The name of the balloonist should be “Tatneaud”, not “Pattneau”.)

The Daily Morning Journal And Courier, “Remarkable Ballooning – Boy Shot From cannon A Mile In Midair At Rock”, August 28, 1903 

The Topeka State Journal, (Topeka, KS.), “He Drops To Death”, August 19, 1907

Evening Post, “Dashed To Pieces – Fate Of Aeronaut”, August 20, 1907

Wood County Reporter, (Grand Rapids, WS.), Aeronaut Is Dashed To Death”, August 29, 1907

New York Times, “Airship Falls Into Sound”, June 14, 1908

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel A King’s Balloon “Colossus” – 1872

Samuel A. King’s Balloon “Colossus” – 1872

Updated November 27, 2002

Advertisement from August, 1878      In January of 1872, famous aeronaut and balloonist Samuel A. King, (1828 – 1914), of Boston, began constructing what would be, when completed, “the largest balloon ever made in America”.  The name of the balloon was to be “Colossus”.

     The balloon, it was reported, would have a circumference of 191 feet, with a capacity to hold 100,000 cubic feet of hydrogen gas.  It would require 1,200 yards of Lyman cloth to make, which would be custom manufactured for this specific purpose.  To give the balloon added strength, twenty-four bands of four-thickness cloth would encircle the sphere.  The entire balloon would be coated with an oil based varnish to make it air tight in order to prevent the massive amount of gas from wicking out through the fabric.

     The pilot and passengers would be carried in two custom made cars suspended beneath the balloon, with one car situated above the other.  The upper car would be smaller than the lower one.  The top car would carry scientific instruments and passengers, while the lower one more passengers and ballast.  The entire balloon, empty, would reportedly weigh between 1,400 and 1,500 pounds, and when fully inflated would have a lifting capacity of 7,000 pounds, which could equate to fifteen or twenty passengers. 

     It was expected that the Colossus would be completed in time for its scheduled inaugural launch from the Boston Common as part of the city’s 1872 Fourth of July celebration.   Construction would take place at Mr. King’s residence and workshop located at 179 Chelsea Street in Chelsea, Massachusetts.  

     On June 6, 1872, as the balloon was nearing completion, it was seriously damaged by fire.  Portions of the balloon fabric had been spread out on a vacant lot between Chelsea and Watts Streets where it had received the first of four coats of the oil-varnish.  As the fabric was left to dry, a storm approached, so workmen carefully rolled it up to prevent moisture damage.  At some point after the storm had passed, the fabric was unrolled, at which time sections were found to be on fire due to spontaneous combustion caused by solvents in the oil-varnish. 

     Professor King was away in Philadelphia at the time making arrangements for the completion of one of the passenger carrying baskets, and was notified of the setback by telegraph.  

     Fortunately the balloon was salvaged, and repairs completed in time for it’s anticipated ascension from the Boston Common on July 4th.   On that day thousands came to watch the event.  This was to be Professor King’s 164th balloon ascension, and he was going to take twelve passengers with him on this historic flight.  “In my judgement,” King told a reporter, “although you can’t depend much on the weather, we will find ourselves about ten o’clock to-night somewhere up in the mountains of New Hampshire.”  His comment about the unpredictability of the weather would prove to be prophetic.  

     Most of the twelve passengers were newspaper men, but at least one was a scientist from Washington, D.C., who planned to record atmospheric conditions with scientific equipment.   While the balloon was being inflated on the Common, at least four citizens approached King with cash offers if he’d take them along on the flight, but all were refused.    

     The scheduled time for lift-off was 4 p.m.  Shortly after 2 p.m., as the balloon was about 80% inflated with Hydrogen gas, a violent storm suddenly appeared, and when the sky opened up spectators were sent running for cover in all directions.  The strong winds whipped at the balloon which swayed back and forth tugging at its moorings.  Whether it was struck by lightning or not is uncertain, but suddenly there was a loud boom as the Colossus abruptly exploded.  The fabric was in shreds and the massive giant immediately fell flat on the ground.  One newspaper described the scene afterwards as such: (The balloon) “…lay inanimate on the earth a dirty mass of cotton shreds, dragged and slimy in the rain and mud.”

      Fortunately there were no reported injuries due to the explosion.

     Fore more information about Prof. Samuel King click here. 

      Sources:

     The Daily Dispatch, (Richmond, VA.) “A Colossal Balloon”, (Copied from the Boston Advertiser, May 23, 1872.     

     The Tiffin Tribune, (Tiffin, Ohio), “The Largest Balloon In The World Ruined By Spontaneous Combustion”, (Copied from the Boston Advertiser), June 20, 1872.

     The New York Herald, “Boston’s Big Gas Bags – Serious Catastrophes To Science In Boston”, July 5, 1872

 

 

The Kopacka – Warzycki Airship – 1910

The Kopacka – Warzycki Airship – 1910

Hartford, Connecticut

 

     In November of 1910, Joseph J. Kopacka, and August Warzycki , both of Hartford, Connecticut, announced that they’d secured two government patents for an airship of their own invention.  Their airship would include a triple compartment, triangular shaped air bag, with the center compartment being filled with buoyant gas, and the other two with hot air.  The airbag would include two horizontal wings running the length of the bag, one on either side. The wings would be operated by a series of wires and levers connected to a passenger car suspended beneath the balloon.  The airship would be powered by a high-powered engine of French design that would spin two large propellers.

     The men also announced that they would form the Aerial Construction Company, which would be incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts, with a capital investment of $50,000.  The company would be located on Asylum Street in Hartford.  At this time no airship had been built, but the inventors were working with John Twardoz, a former professor at the Vienna Technical School, who was calculating how large the balloon would have to be to achieve the required lifting power.  Construction and testing of the airship would take place in the Poquonock section of the town of Windsor, Connecticut. 

     As a point of fact, the Aerial Construction Company was established in September, 1911, at 212 Asylum Street in Hartford.  (For more information see “Aerial Construction Company of Hartford” under “Airships & Flying Machines” on this website.)

     Source: The Hartford Courant, “Hartford Men Have Invented Airship”, November 19, 1910.    

 

First Airplane Built In Norwich, CT. – 1910

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Norwich Bulletin on July 19, 1910.

     FIRST AEROPLANE BUILT IN NORWICH

*********

Triplanes Constructed by Messrs Stebbins and Gaynet Will Be Tried Out In October – Practically Completed Now – Will Lift, It Is Estimated, 1,200 Pounds having 25-30 Horse Power Motor – Built at Sachem Park In The Past Three Months.  

*********

     The people of this city and the public in general who go to Sachem Park today will have an opportunity to see an aeroplane, the first practical flying machine to be brought to completion in Norwich. 

     In a little shed just north of St. Mary’s Cemetery this bird of the air stands with its snow wings poised ready for flight at the word of its creators.

     Back in 1908, William H. Stebbins and Louis Geynet began to have visions of flying through the air.  They began to study the science of aeronautics, they worked out theories , and finally they evolved a tiny model aeroplane, the forerunner of the full-grown machine they have today at their workshop at the park.

     Built In Three Months

     These young men, who are well known in Norwich and are both of a mechanical bent and inventive turn of mind, attended the big airship shows in Boston and New York, inspected to the minutest details their workings, watched the aviators at their flights, and finally in February of this year, they set up a workshop where they might build a machine of their own.  In spite of the difficulty and expense of procuring the materials, and other obstacles that came up  in their way in April, Messrs Geynet and Stebbins were ready to start.  Working themselves at every opportunity and employing several assistants during the large part of the succeeding three months , the men who are to essay that most difficult art, aviation, now have every rib in place, every cable taut, and as far as the machine itself is concerned are ready for flight today. 

To Have Tent Made

     It is a rough country, however, about Sachem Park, for airship flights, and the chances of mishap in case of an enforced descent are too numerous to be risked.  So Messrs Stebbins and Geynet are to have a special aeroplane tent made, and with this portable house they will be able to move to any suitable aviation grounds they may decide upon.  The tent will not be received before a month and as some preliminary ground trials are necessary to enable the aviators to learn how to control and manage their craft, Messrs Stebbins and Geynet state they do not expect to attempt a flight before October 1.

Triplane Type

Click on image to enlarge.

 

     In building their aeroplane, the Norwich men made a departure from the usual design, making their machine a triplane, instead of the biplane or monoplane type, that is to say it has three planes, one above the other, for the supporting surface in the air instead of the customary two or one.  The aeroplane’s spread, or its total width, is 24 feet.  The planes lap over each other , the topmost being 24 feet long by 7 feet wide, the middle 20 feet by 6 feet, and the undermost 16 by 5.  The planes are ribbed, with two-piece, laminated ribs of Oregon spruce, covered with special aeroplane fine-woven varnished linen fabric, air and moisture proof.  The planes are somwwhat curved upward to better catch the air.  Aluminum joints are used wherever possible to secure additional lightness and the machine is strongly braced and trussed with special galvanized twisted aeroplane cable, which has a breaking strength of 500 pounds to the inch.

25-30 Horsepower Motor

     The motive power will be furnished by a 25-30 horsepower Cameron aviation motor, weighing 200 pounds, seated upon a maple frame.  The seat for the operator is located just in front of the engine.  The steering apparatus is known as the auto-control, and is not far different from the steering gear of the automobile.  The balancing and elevating device in the front is worked by a steering wheel, while the tail ruder is controlled by a foot, the steering planes being so adjusted as to keep the craft stable and on an even keel.

     Three sizes of propellers will be owned by Messrs Geynet and Stebbins: six, seven, and 7 1/2 feet.  The motor turns up about 200 pounds thrust and 1,200 revolutions per minute, which will send the craft along at the speed of an express train.

Lifting Power 1,200 Pounds

     The three planes provide a lifting area of 400 square feet, which should lift about 1,200 pounds, the designers figure from what other planes have done.  The whole machine, without the operator, weighs 650 pounds.  The balance of lifting power, 550 pounds, therefore should provide for the operator, a passenger, gasoline, and other supplies, and still the craft should be within carrying capacity.

     The aeroplane is of a height that will permit it to be rolled out of the one-story workshop, built expressly for the machine with swinging doors, and fully equipped with electric motor, machinery and tools.  Three pneumatic tired wheels support the machine.  There is also a skid with springs on the underside which will break the force of the landing in a descent, and in case of a wheel being broken, protect the plane.

Hartford Aviator Commends Their Work        

     There have been many visitors at the aviation workshop of Messrs Stebbins and Geynet, and all who have seen the product of their time, brains and money, praise it highly, especially cheering to the designers being the encouragement given them by a Hartford aviator who recently saw their machine.  He commended their energy and enterprise and saw no reason why they should not be successful in the air.  Their plans have been long considered and carefully laid, and Stebbins and Geynet, aviators, are deserving of success.

***************         

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Norwich Bulletin on August 30, 1910.

NORWICH FLYING MACHINE PROPELLERS

     Builders of Triplane Will Make Another Try With Present Engine After New Tires Are Received.

     Four big aeroplane propellers designed by Stebbins and Geynet of this city, and built under their supervision at their  shop at Sachem Park, are displayed in Preston Bros. window.  The heavy wooden blades that will drive through the air the first aeroplane built in Norwich and the first triplane in America, attract much attention from passersby.  All of the propellers are laminated, the first being walnut and mahogany of the Wright type, with a 52 inch pitch.  The second is of mahogany and ash, of the Curtis type, with a 6 foot pitch.  The other two are mahogany and walnut of the Chauviere (Paris) type, and of 4 feet pitch.  They are true screw propellers. 

     Stebbins and Geynet have not yet used their latest and largest propeller and they plan to give it a trail shortly with their present engine.  If the new propeller gives them sufficient thrust, they believe that the purchase of a new motor may not be necessary.

     At the present time they are waiting for pneumatic tired wheels, these parts of the machine having been damaged in their recent ground trial at Sachem Park.  The wheels are expected here from Hartford at any time.  The big aeroplane tent has been completed for some time so that Stebbins and Geynet will be all ready for their exhibition next week.

*********   

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Norwich Bulletin on September 9, 1910.

WILL SECURE LARGER MOTOR

Stebbins and Geynet Have Sold Power Plant Of Their Aeroplane

And Will Order A New One 

     Stebbins and Geynet have sold this week the 30 horsepower Cameron engine which they had on exhibition with their aeroplane at the fair grounds.  They shipped it to the purchaser in Pennsylvania on Thursday evening.  This morning about 12:30 o’clock they passed through Franklin Square with their aeroplane on the way from the fair grounds to Sachem Park, where they built and keep the machine.  This morning they expect to leave to attend the aviation meeting at Boston, where they will decide on a new motor, to be of 50 horsepower.  They do not expect to have the aeroplane ready for flight until late in the fall or early spring largely due to the time, thirty to sixty days, required for the shipment of first class motors.

     There was a gratifying interest shown in their machine at the fair and their exhibition was a success.

********* 

    

 

              

 

New England Air Fields As Of 1934

New England Air Fields As Of 1934

     The following information was gathered from a publication distributed by the Unites States Department of Commerce – Bureau of Air Commerce, titled, “Descriptions of Airports and Landing Fields in the Unites States”, Airway Bulletin #2, dated September 1, 1934.   Some of the air fields listed here are still in operation, others are not.  It’s possible that this list is not complete. 

CONNECTICUT

Linen Post Card Brainard Field, Connecticut

Bridgeport – Mollison Airport, commercial.  Located 3 mi. SE of Bridgeport, and 1.5 miles S of Stratford.  Altitude 10 ft. Two gravel runways, 2,800 ft. N/S, and 2,600 ft. E/W.  Remainder of field not developed.  Hangars and buildings to the north. “Bridgeport Airport” on hangar roof.  24 inch rotating beacon.  24-hour facilities for servicing aircraft.  Seaplane anchorage and service facilities on Housatonic River adjacent to airport.   Airport was dedicated July 5-6, 1929 

Bristol – Stephenson Field, commercial.  Located 1.5 miles SE of city.  Altitude 240 ft.  30 acres.  Two runways measuring 1,475, and 1,380 feet.  Hangar, minor repairs, aviation fuel, day only.

Canaan – Canaan Airport, municipal.  Located 1.25 miles north of Canaan on Federal Route No. 7.  Altitude 690-699 feet.  Three runways, each measuring 1,700, 2,400, and 2,000 feet.  Hangar and office building.  Aviation fuel, days only. 

Danbury – Danbury Airport, municipal. 2 miles SW of Danbury center.  Altitude 440 feet.  Two runways, measuring 1,950 and 1,600 feet.  Hangar building, repairs, fuel, days only.  

Essex – Doane Airport, commercial.  Located 1.4 miles west of Essex.  Altitude, 15, feet.  “Essex” embedded on field.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.  

Groton – Trumbull Field, state owned.   Located three miles south-east of New London. Three runways, measuring 1,500, 1,400, and 1,000 feet.  24-inch rotating beacon, clear, with clear auxiliary code flashing “G”, (- – .)  24-hour aircraft service facilities.  Seaplane base with natural hard sand beach and ramp to the south-east.

Hamden – Hamden Airport, commercial.  Located within city limits, one block east of Dixwell Avenue.  Altitude, 50 feet.  “Hamden Airport” on hangar.  Hangar and repair shop on south side of field,  Aircraft service facilities – day only. 

Hartford – Brainard Field, municipal.   Located within city limits, borders west bank of Connecticut River.  Altitude, 26 feet.   Three runways, two measuring 3,600, feet, and the third measuring 2,800 feet.  “Hartford” on hangar roof and embedded in field.  24-hours aircraft service facilities.   This airport is used as the operational base for the Connecticut National Guard.  Low powered radio station, WWIC, for point to point and communication with aircraft, operating frequency, 278 kc.   24-inch green rotating beacon that flashes “H”, (. . . . ).     

Madison – Griswold Airport, commercial.  Located one mile NE of city.  Altitude, 20 ft.  Sod field.  Two runways, measuring 1,800, and 1,400 feet.  Hangar and aviation fuel, days only.

Meriden – Meriden Airport, municipal.  Located 2.5 miles SW of city, just south of a large pond; .5 mile east of large reservoir.  Altitude 74 feet.  One landing strip, 3,500 feet long.  Buildings in NE corner of field.  “Meriden” on hangar roof.  Lighted beacon, green, flashing characteristic “U” (..-).  24 hr. facilities for service.

New Canaan – Moller Airport, auxiliary.  Located 1.5 miles south of New Canaan, monastery 1 mile south, Altitude, 200 ft.  Two runways, 1,800 feet long.  No service facilities.

Early Post Card View Of New Haven Airport

New Haven – New Haven Airport, municipal.  Located 3.5 miles south-east of city.  Altitude, 4 feet.  “New Haven” embedded in field.  Buildings and beacon tower, and landing area flood lights.  Beacon showing green, flashing code (-., …) on Administration building.  Beacons  operated from sunset to sunrise.  Boundary and obstruction lights kept burning every night from sunset to 9:30 p.m., but could be turned on by watchman at any time upon advance notice or circling the field.  24-hour facilities for serving aircraft.  Airport equipped with teletypewriter.   Airport was dedicated August 29, 1931.   

New Haven – New Haven Seaplane Base, commercial.  Located in New Haven Harbor, north of Sandy Point.  Landing area 2,640 feet except at low tide.  “West Haven” on hangar.  Ramp facilities.  Aviation fuel and repairs, days only.  

Niantic – State Camp Field, owned by the sate.  Located immediately north of Niantic on west bank of the Niantic River, 6 miles south-west of New London.  Altitude, 6 feet. Beacon, clear flashing, operating during the summer months only.  No servicing facilities.

Norwalk – Norwalk Airport, auxiliary.  Located 1 mile north of center of city of West Rocks Road.  Altitude, 400 feet.  One runway, 1,400 feet. “Norwalk Airport” on hangar.  Facilities for servicing aircraft – day only.

Putnam – Dept. of Commerce intermediate field, site 14B New York-Boston Airways.  Located 1.5 miles south-west of Putnam.  Altitude, 455 feet.  Two runways, 2,200 and 1,950 feet.  Power shed marked “14 NY-B”.  Two acetylene blinkers flashing green at ends of runway.  No servicing facilities.  Marker beacon, nondirective indentifying signal “S” (…) operating frequency 266 kcs.  Airport had a Teletypewriter.

Torrington – Cary Field, municipal.  Located 3 miles north-east of city, .4 mile south of steepled church; .5 mile north of four-strip concrete highway.  Altitude 1,040 feet.  Three landing strips measuring  1,000, 1,500, and 1,600 feet.  “Torrington” on hangar roof.  Service facilities – days only.

Wallingford – Wallingford Airport – municipal.   Located one mile south-west, altitude, 50 feet.  Two runways measuring 2,500 and 1,00 feet.  Service facilities – days only.   (Dedicated November 11, 1927.)    

MAINE

Old postcard view of Bangor Airport, Bangor, Maine.

Andover – Andover Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2 miles south on main highway.  Ellis River to the east, Lone Mountain to the west.  Altitude, 641 feet.  “Andover” embedded in field.  No service facilities.  

Auburn – Greenlaw Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2 miles west of Auburn, .5 mile south of Taylor Pond.  Altitude, 238 feet.  One runway, 1,200 feet long.  Small hangar.  No servicing facilities.  

Augusta – Agusta Airport, State-Municipal.  Adjoins city on west, one mile from center.  Altitude, 350 feet.  Three hard surfaced runways measuring 2,800, 2,000, and 1,700 feet.  “Augusta Airport” on one building.  Flag pole 800 feet from SE corner, obstruction lighted.  Beacon, 24-inch rotating, clear.  24-hour aviation fuel.

Bangor – Godfrey Field, commercial.  Located 2.5 miles west of city on Hammond Street.  Altitude 150 feet.  Three gravel runways, measuring 1,600, 1,400, and 1,000 feet.  Aviation fuel and hangar, day only.

Bar Harbor – Bar Harbor Airport, municipal.  Located in the town of Trenton, 12 miles north of Bar harbor, 8 miles south of Elsworth.  Altitude, 67 feet.  One gravel runway, 1,200 feet long.  Buildings to the west, Jordon River to the east.  No servicing facilities.  Field still under construction.    

Bethel – Bennett’s Flying Field, auxiliary.  Located 3.5 miles west of Bethel, on State Highway, directly south of West Bethel.  Altitude, 750 feet.  Two runways measuring 1,500 feet and 1,200 feet.  “W. B.” embedded in center of field.  Hangar on north side of field.  Aircraft service facilities during the day only.

Brownville – Prairie Airport, commercial.  Located 5 miles north of Brownville Junction, directly north of highway.  Altitude, 400 feet.  Two runways, 5,280, and 2,300 feet.  “Brownville” on pavilion roof.  Mountains to the north, lake on the east.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Calais – St. Croix Airport, auxiliary.  Altitude, sea level.  Sod field.  No service facilities.

Vintage Post Card View Of The Municipal Airport.
Caribou, Maine

Caribou – Caribou Airport, municipal.  (Temporary Airport Of Entry.)  Located 1/3 mile north on U. S. Highway No. 1.  Altitude, 650 feet.   Three runways, 3,300, 2,000, and 800 feet.  “Caribou” on hangar.  Service facilities – day only.

East Millinocket – East Millinocket Airport, municipal.  Located half-mile north-east of town, two mill smokestacks in town.  Altitude, 800 feet.  Two runways, 1,200 and 700 feet long.  Water tower at north-west end of field.  Two hangars.  Service facilities – day only.

Jackman – Newton Field, auxiliary.  Located .25 mile east of Jackman.  Altitude, 1,175 feet.  Aviation fuel and minor repairs may be obtained in town.

Millinocket – Millinocket Airport, municipal.  Located one mile south-east of town on east side of State Highway 157.   Altitude, 405 feet.  One runway, 1,850 feet long.  No service facilities.

Old Town – Jordan Field, auxiliary.  Located east of city, bounded by river on west.  Altitude, 94 feet.  Two barns and a house.  No service facilities.

Portland – Portland Yacht Service Seaplane Base, auxiliary.  Located half-mile south-east of Portland on south shore of Portland Harbor.  Sea level. Good shelter and storage facilities in Portland Yacht Service basin, 600 by 250 feet.  “Sea Planes” on shed roof at end of dock.  Service facilities – day only.      

Post Card View Of Portland, Maine,
Municipal Airport

Portland – (Scarboro) – Portland Airport, commercial. Located seven miles south-west of the city, just off main highway.  Altitude, 22 feet.  Three runways measuring 3,200 feet and one 1,500 feet.  “Portland Airport” on hangar.  Beacon, 24-inch, rotating, clear.  24-hour service facilities. 

Portland – Stroudwater Field, commercial.  Located one mile west of Union Station; two miles west of center of city.  Altitude, 22 feet.  Two runways, 2,000, and 1,200 feet long.  Airport presently under construction and not usable. 

Presque Isle – Presque Isle Airport, commercial.  located one mile west from center of town; half-mile west of fairgrounds.  Altitude, 450 feet.  Two runways, 2,000 feet and 1,700 feet long.  

Rockland – Rockland Airport, commercial.  Located half-mile south-west of center of city.  Altitude, 14 feet.  One gravel runway, 2,300 feet long with taxi strip to hangar.  “Curtis-Wright, Rockland, Maine” on hangar.  Low buildings to the north-east.   Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Sanford – Sanford Airport, commercial.  Located four miles south-east of city, south of the Mousan River, on highway leading to Wells, Me.  Altitude, 200 feet.  Three runways, 3,000, 2,100, and 1,600 feet long.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.  

Skowhegan – Whittemore Field, auxiliary.  Located one and 4/10 miles north-east from town, Kennebec River to the south-west.  Sawmill to the west.  Aviation fuel, day only.  

Waterville – Waterville Airport, municipal.  Located 1.5 miles south-west, on west side of Kennebec River.  Altitude, 300 feet.  Two gravel runways, 2,000 long.  “Waterville” on Hangar roof.   Aircraft servicing facilities – day only.

Wells – Libby’s Field, auxiliary.  Located 2.5 miles north-east of Wells on east side of State Highway No. 1, south-west of Branch River.  Altitude, 30 feet.  Entire field available for take off and landings, but terrain is rough.  Building to north-west side of field.  No service facilities.   

West Baldwin – Mayne Field, auxiliary.  Located 32 miles north-west from Portland, Maine, 1/4 mile from Cornish Village.  Altitude, 290 feet. 

York – Ernst Field, auxiliary.  located 12 miles form Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 35 miles from Portland Airport at Scarboro; 1 mile from York Harbor, NW; 3 miles from York Beach.  Altitude, 13 feet.  Two runways, 1,000 and 500 feet long.  Stone walls surround field, orchard on South-east.  No aircraft service facilities.          

MASSACHUSETTS

Aircraft Navigational Beacon and Tower on display at the New England Air Museum

Agawam – see Springfield – Bowels-Agawam Airport.

Athol – Orange and Athol Airport, commercial.  Located two miles south-east of Orange, 2.5 miles south-west of Athol.  Altitude, 550 feet.  Four runways, two of them measuring 3,000 feet, and the other two, 2,500 and 2,000 feet respectively.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Beverly, Beverly Airport, municipal.  Located two miles north-west of center of town.  Two runways, measuring 1,850 and 1,450 feet.  “Beverly” on hangar roof.  Hangar and field buildings to the south-east.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Boston – Boston Airport, municipal.  Located 1.5 miles east of the Customhouse tower in center of business district; adjacent to harbor and docks.  Altitude, 12 feet.  Four runways, one 3,700 feet, the other three, 2,500 feet.   24-inch rotating beacon rotating clear with green auxiliary code beacon, operates all night.  24-hour aircraft service facilities.  Seaplane ramp on south-west end of field.   Airport is used as the operating base by the Massachusetts National Guard Air Corps Reserves.   

Boston – (North Quincy) – Dennison Airport, commercial.  Located at the north-east edge of North Quincy, 4 miles airline south of Customhouse Tower in Boston.  Altitude, 14 feet.  Three runways, 2,030, 1,900, and 1,410 feet in length.  “Dennison Airport” on hangar roof.  Aircraft service facilities – days only.

Brockton – Brockton Airport, commercial.  Located two miles south of center of Brockton on main highway.  Altitude, 128 feet.  Two gravel runways, 1,00 and 1,400 feet long.  Runways are only safe landing area in early spring or exceptionally wet or rainy weather.  “Brockton” on hangar roof.  Aircraft service facilities – days only.

Brookfield – Brookfield Airport, auxiliary.  Located 7/8 of a mile west of Brookfield, 1/4 mile west of cemetery, across street from large barn, state road on north.  Altitude, 740 feet.  Railroad to the south.  No service facilities. 

Vintage Post Card View Of
Martha’s Vineyard Airport

Edgartown – Marthas Vineyard Airport, commercial. Located 1.5 miles south of city.  Water tower, 100 feet high between city and field.  Altitude, 5 feet.  “Curtis Wright”, and “Edgartown” on hangars.  Aircraft service facilities – day only. 

Fairhaven – New Bedford-Fairhaven Airport, commercial.  Located 2.5 miles north-east of center, on east bank of Acushnet River; three miles east of New Bedford; three miles north-east of Buzzard’s Bay.  Altitude, 17, feet.  “Fairhaven-New Bedford” on hangar.  200 foot water tower 3/4 mile to the west.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.  Airport was dedicated April 19, 1930.

Falmouth – Falmouth Airport, municipal.  located three miles east of North Falmouth, five miles east of Buzzard’s Bay; six miles north of Falmouth center.  Altitude, 100 feet.  “Falmouth, Mass” on hangar roof.  Facilities for servicing aircraft day and night during the summer.  Coonamessett Lake 1.5 miles to the south of field available for seaplanes in emergency, with gas and oil. 

Fitchburg – Fitchburg-Leominster Airport, commercial.  Located two miles south-east of Fitchburg; two miles north of Leominster in valley.  Altitude, 300 feet.  Three runways, measuring 2,800, 2,600, and 1,700, feet. “Fitchburg-Leominster” on hangar roof.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Framingham – Framingham Airport, commercial.  located on eastern side of railroad, one mile south of Framingham.  Altitude, 199 feet. Three runways, measuring 2,800, 2,000, and 1,900 feet.  “Framingham Airport” on hangar.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Great Barrington – Berkshire Airways Airport, commercial.  located two miles west of town.  Altitude, 726 feet.  Two runways, measuring 2,000, and 1,700 feet.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Greenfield – Greenfield Airport, commercial.  Located three miles north of Greenfield, railroad to west, Highway No. 5 to the north-east.  Altitude, 450 feet.  Two runways, measuring 2,200, and 1,700 feet.  “Airport” on hangar roof.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Hanover – Clark Airport, commercial.  Located two miles west of city, two miles south-east of Rockland.   Altitude, 74 feet.  Four runways, measuring 2,100, 1,160, feet, and two at 1,400 feet.  Aircraft service facilities – days only.

Haverhill – Haverhill Airport, commercial.  Located two miles north-east of Haverhill business district, near Lake Kenosa.  Altitude, 125 feet.  Aviation fuel available, day only.    

Holyoke – see Westfield, Barnes Field.

Vintage Post Card View Of Hyannis Airport
Hyannis, Massachusetts – Cape Cod

Hyannis – Hyannis Airport, commercial.  Located half-mile north of post office.  Altitude, 15 feet.  “Hyannis Airport” on hangar.  High tension line, buildings, hangar, and grandstand on east side of field. 24-inch rotating beacon, flashing green and white, operated June 15 to September 15, from sunset to midnight.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.   

Lowell – Lowell Airport, commercial.  Located two miles south-east of center of city, on east bank of the Concord River.  Altitude, 100 feet.  38 acres in use.  “Lowell” on water tower.  Tower and building to the south-east.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.      

Mansfield – Boltz Field, commercial.  Located 1.5 miles south of Mansfield.  Altitude, 140 feet.  Two runways, measuring 1,200 feet.  “Mansfield” on barn roof.  no service facilities.

Marlboro – Marlboro Airport, commercial.  located two miles east of Marlboro; 1/4 mile north of Reservoir No. 5.  Altitude, 255 feet.  Two runways, measuring 1,650 and 1,350 feet.  “Marlboro” on hangar roof.  Greenhouses and scattered buildings to the west.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Medfield – Fairacres Field, auxiliary.  Located one mile south-east of Medfield on north side of railroad.  Altitude, 160 feet.  Four runways, measuring two at 2,100 feet, and the others at 1,100 and 1,000 feet.  Orchard to the west.  Two radio towers 2.5 miles north-west.  No aircraft service facilities.

Mendon – Mendon Airport, commercial.  Located 3 mils south-west of Milford; 4 miles north-east of Uxbridge; 10 miles north of Woonsocket, R. I.; Lake Nipmuck 1/2 mile south-west of field.  Altitude, 450 feet.  Three runways, measuring 1,880, 1,700, and 1,500 feet.  “Mendon” embedded in field.  Arrow pointing north.  36 inch red and clear rotating beacon.  24 hour aircraft service facilities.

Nantucket – Nobadeer Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2.5 miles south-east of Nantucket.  Altitude, 15 feet.  Two runways, measuring 2,200 and 1,600 feet.  Aviation fuel – day only.     

Natick – Natick-Wellesley Airport, commercial.  Located about 1.2 miles north of Natick.  Altitude, 200 feet.  Three runways, measuring 2,100, 1,900, and 1,550 feet.  Hangars and administration building to the south of field.  Aircraft facilities – day only.

North Adams – North Adams Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2.5 miles west of North Adams, .5 mile north-west of reservoir, south of state road, railroad, and river.  Altitude, 750 feet.  No service facilities.  Filed soft in spring after heavy rain.  

North Hampton – La Fleur Airport, commercial.  Located .8 of a mile north-east of city.  Altitude, 120 feet.  “La Fleur Airport” on side of building.

North Grafton – Grafton Airport, municipal.  Located to the south of North Grafton; five miles south-east of Worcester.  Altitude, 450 feet.  Four runways, measuring 3,000, 2,450, 1,800, and 1,600 feet.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Norwood – Canton – Boston Metropolitan Airport, commercial.  Located two miles east of Norwood, and one mile west of Canton.  Altitude, 51 feet.  Four gravel runways, two measuring 2,500 feet, and the other two measuring 2,000 feet.  “Norwood-Canton” on hangar roof.   “Metropolitan Airport” across front of hangar.   Flashing amber beacon located 1/2 mile to the north-east of airfield on Gliders Hill, operated from dusk to midnight.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Pittsfield – Department of Commerce Intermediate Field (day field) Site 3, Albany-New York Airways.  Located one mile south of Pittsfield center.  Altitude, 1,130 feet.  Two runways, 2,600 and 1,800 feet long. Aviation fuel available.  Airport was dedicated June 6, 1931.

Revere – Muller Field, commercial.  Located one mile north-west of Revere, six miles north-east of Boston post office.  Altitude, 30 feet.  Two runways, 2,500 and 1,500 feet long.  “Muller Field” on hangar.  Aircraft service facilities – day only. 

Southbridge – Southbridge Field, auxiliary.  Located one mile north of town center.  Altitude, 50 feet.  Two runways, measuring 1,500 and 850 feet.  Trees to the east.  No service facilities.

South Dartmouth – Round Hill Airport, privately owned.  Located three miles south of city on Buzzard’s Bay; six miles from New Bedford Mass. Altitude, 12 feet.   “Round Hill Airport” on airship dock.  Windmill to the north; 150 ft. radio towers to the north-east; water tower to the south-east; 135 foot radio towers to the south; swamp, and airship dock to the west.  Lighthouse 1/3 mile south-east of field.  24-inch green and white rotating beacon, flashing code “D”, (- . . ), also a 20-inch green and white rotating beacon flashing “RH” (. – .  ….). 24-hour aircraft service facilities.  seaplane anchorage available on south side of field. 

Springfield – Bowles-Agawam Airport, commercial.  Located five miles south-west of city, about 1.25 miles south-west of Agawam.  Altitude, 200 feet.  Four runways, measuring 1,000 feet, surrounded by a 2,500 ft. taxi circle, asphalt paved.  “Bowles-Agawam, Mass.” neon sign on hangar.  Scattered woods and buildings around field, a 1,000 foot hill to the south-west.  24-inch green rotating beacon flashing “BA”, (- …  .-)  24-hour hangars, aviation fuel and accomodations. 

Springfield – Springfield Airport, commercial.  Located 2.5 miles north-east of city.  Altitude, 200 feet.  “Springfield, Mass. Airport” on hangar, illuminated.  Hangars and houses to the north-east.  Boundary lights and flood lights.  24-inch clear and green rotating beacon flashing “SA”  (. . .  .-).  24-hour aircraft service facilities.  Radio receiving equipment. 

Squantum NAS Seaplanes – 1949

Squantum – Naval Reserve Aviation Base, U.S. Navy owned.  Located four miles south-east of Boston on edge of harbor.  Altitude, sea level. Two runways measuring 1,600 and 1,300 feet.  Large buildings to the east.  Tower four miles to the north-west, lighted by revolving beacon.  radio tower 1/2 mile to the east – lighted.  Seaplane facilities in Dorchester Bay.  Small boats ramp and hangar available.  Aircraft service facilities available for government planes only, daytime hour only.  Naval radio station NAG, operating frequency 545 kc. 

Taunton – King Field, commercial.  Located four miles east of city; south of river; east of two large mills.  Altitude, 45 feet.  One runway, 3, 650 feet long.  24-hour aircraft service facilities. 

Turners Falls – Franklin Airport, commercial.  1.75 miles south-east, on the east bank of the Connecticut River; 3.5 miles east of greenfield, Mass.  Altitude, 345 feet.  “Franklin Airport” on hangar.  Aviation fuel in summer only.         

West Barnstable – Cape Cod Airport, commercial.  Located two miles south-west of town center.  Altitude, 100 feet.  Facilities for servicing aircraft – day only. 

Westboro – Turnpike Airport, commercial.  Located two miles north-west of Westboro; 7.5 miles east of Worcester; five miles south-west of Marlboro.  Altitude, 310 feet.  Pond to the south.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Westfield-Holyoke – Barnes Airport, municipal.  Located two miles north-east of Westfield, 4 miles south-west of Holyoke.  Altitude, 280 feet.  Facilities for aircraft service – day only.

Westwood – Westwood Airport, commercial.  located 1.5 miles south-west of Westwood; two miles north-west of Norwood; five miles south-west of Dedham.  Altitude, 190 feet.  Three runways, measuring 1,400, 1,200, and 1,230 feet.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Winchendon – Winchendon Airport, auxiliary.  located five miles south-west of Winchendon; on east side of Route No. 32.  Altitude, 860 feet.  Two runways, measuring 1,650, and 1,450 feet.  Hangar and aviation fuel – day only.     

NEW HAMPSHIRE

1930s Post Card View Of The
Claremont, New Hampshire, Airport.

Berlin – Berlin Airport, municipal owned.  Located four miles north of Berlin.  Altitude, 1,100 feet.  One runway, 2,000 feet long.  One hangar.  Aviation fuel – day only.

Claremont – Claremont Airport, municipal owned.  Located one mile due west of Claremont.  Altitude, 520 feet.  “Claremont Airport” on hangar roof.  Ski jump tower to the east of field.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Concord – Concord Airport, municipal owned.  Located one mile east of Concord.  Altitude, 335 feet.  “Concord Airport Corporation” on hangar.  24-hour aircraft service facilities.  

Conway – Conway Airport, auxiliary.  Located 1/4 mile north of Conway, on Highway No. 18.  Altitude, 500 feet.  Aviation fuel and minor repairs – day only – only during the summer months.

Deerfield – Hilton Field, auxiliary.  Located one mile north-west of Pautuckaway Mountains, 2 miles south of Deerfield post office.  Altitude, 575 feet.  Buildings to the west, brush to the north and east, garden to the south.  No service facilities.

Freedom – Freedom Field, auxiliary.  Located .5 mile south-west from center of town.  Altitude, 600 feet.  “freedom” on nearby building.  Stone wall on west and north side of field,; barn and rocks to the north-east.  No service facilities.  

Gorham – Gorham Field, auxiliary.  Located three miles north on west bank of Andrascoggin River.  Altitude, 830 feet.  Hangars.  No service facilities.

Keene – Keene Airport, commercial.  Located 2.5 miles north-west of center of keene.  Altitude, 500 feet.  Two runways, 2,000 and 1,200 feet long.  “Keene” on hangar roof.  Hill to south-east.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Lisbon – Corbleigh Airport, auxiliary.  Located one mile north-east of Lisbon on cement highway.  Altitude. 600 feet.  Aviation fuel only.   

1930s Post Card View Of
Concord, New Hampshire, Airport.

Manchester – Manchester Airport, municipal.  Located four miles south-east of center of city.  Altitude, 220 feet.  Three runways, 2,500 and 2,000 feet long.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Marlow – Keith Flying Field, privately owned.  Located three miles north-west of Marlow between two ponds; midway between Keene and Claremont, and Keene and Newport.  Altitude, 1,500 feet.  One runway, 1,500 feet long. Stone walls to the north and south of field.  No service facilities.  

Newport – Albert N. Parlin Field, auxiliary.  Located 1.5 miles north of Newport center on east bank of Sugar River, and west of Colt Mountain.   Altitude, 800 feet.  Two runways, measuring 3,000 and 1,800 feet.  “Newport, N.H.” on hangar roof.  Hangar mechanic and aviation fuel, days only. 

North Conway – White Mountain Airport, commercial.  Located three miles north of town center between highway and railroad.  Altitude, 500 feet.  One runway, 1,800 feet long. Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Plymouth – Plymouth Airport, commercial.  Located three miles south-east of city, just east of Pemigewasset River.  Altitude, 470 feet.  Aviation fuel – day only.  

Portsmouth – Lafayette Airport, commercial.  located 1.4 miles south-west of city on Lafayette Road.  Altitude, 25 feet.  Hangar building.  Marsh and creek to the east.  Aircraft service facilities – days only.

Twin Mountain – Twin Mountain Airport, auxiliary.  Within city limits, .5 mile south of post office on U. S. highway No. 3.  Altitude, 1,495 feet.  One runway, 2,000 feet long.  Mechanic, aviation fuel – day only.

Whitefield – Whitefield Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2.5 miles east of town center.  Altitude, 1,000 feet.  No services. 

Winchester – Winchester Airport, auxiliary.  Located one mile south-east of city; five miles east of Connecticut River.  Altitude, 490 feet.  One runway, 1,900 feet long.  No aircraft facilities.  

RHODE ISLAND

Vintage Hillsgrove Airport Postcard.
Today known as T.F. Green State Airport – Warwick, R.I.

Middletown/NewportNewport Airport, commercial.  Located 3.3 miles north of city.  Altitude, 85 feet.  “Newport Airport” on hangar.  Limited repair facilities, aviation fuel – day only.  (Airport is actually located in Middletown, R.I.)

Newport – Seaplane base, U. S. Naval Air Depot.  Located 2 miles west of Newport Airport, on Gould Island in Narragansett Bay.  Runway available for taxing amphibians to ramp.  Buoy available for mooring seaplanes.  Magazine on east side of island filled with high explosives.  Aviation fuel and service on emergency basis only.

North Smithfield – Montgomery Field.  Located off Mendon Road near the Woonsocket city line.  Altitude, 162 feet.  Two runways, measuring 1,700 feet, and 1,400 feet.  “Woonsocket” on hangar roof, but airport was in town of North Smithfield.  Hangar measured 50 by 60 feet. Aviation fuel, oil, repairs, and telephone available.

Pawtucket – What Cheer Airport, commercial.  Located 5.5 miles north of the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Providence, on land between Manton St. and Newport Avenue in the city of Pawtucket, extending into the neighboring city of East Providence.  Three runways, measuring 3,200, 3,000, and 2,600 feet.  60 by 60 ft. hangar, with name of airport illuminated on front.  (What Cheer Airport closed in 1934.)

Providence – Providence Airport, commercial.  Located six miles south-east from center of city.  (Airport was actually located in the town of Seekonk, Massachusetts.) Altitude, 25, feet.  “Providence Airport” on hangar.  Aircraft service facilities – days only.

South Kingstown/Quonset Point – State Camp grounds, auxiliary.  Located 3.5 miles from village of Wickford, R.I..  Altitude, 10 feet.  No service facilities.  Became a major naval base during WWII. 

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932. Bryant University now occupies this land.

Smithfield – Smithfield Airport, commercial.  Was located in the area where the football stadium is at present-day Bryant University.  Two runways, 2,000 and 1,500 feet long.  “Smithfield Airport” on hangar.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.  Altitude, 580 feet. 

Tiverton – Miltex Field, privately owned.  Located two miles south-east of Fall River, Mass.  Altitude, 250 feet.  Landing area flood lights.  Hangar and fuel open during the day. 

Warwick – Buttonwoods Field, auxiliary.  Located on Greenwich Bay in Buttonwoods section of the city.  Altitude, 10 feet.  Open for seaplanes.  No service facilities. 

Warwick – Hillsgrove Airport – owned by state of R.I.  Is today known as T.F. Green Airport.  (The main airport in the state.)

Westerly – Atlantic Airport, commercial.  Located 9 miles east of downtown Westerly.  Name and wind-cone on 40 by 60 foot hangar. Aircraft service facilities – day only. 

Woonsocket – Woonsocket Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2 miles north-east of center of downtown Woonsocket.  Altitude, 400 feet.  Four runways, measuring 2,400, 2,000, 1,800, and 1,500 feet long. “Woonsocket Airport” on hangar.  No aircraft service facilities.

VERMONT

Old Postcard View Of Burlington Airport

Burlington – Burlington Airport, municipal.  “Burlington” on hangar.  Two runways, both 4,000 feet long.  24-hour aircraft service facilities.

Forth Ethan Allen – Fort Ethan Allen Field, owned by U. S. Army.  Located five miles north-east of Burlington.  Altitude, 200 feet.  “Fort Ethan Allen” on roof of building.  Radio towers to the north-east and buildings around field.  No aircraft service facilities.  Radio communication station operated by the army, WUX, operating on frequency of 200kc.

Manchester – Equinox Airport, commercial.  Located one mile east; and .5 mile north of lumber mill; 1/4 mile east of Rutland Railroad and Battenki River; east of Equinox Mountain.  Altitude, 700 feet.  One runway, 1,600 feet long.  “Manchester Airport” on field.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Middlebury – Middlebury Airport, auxiliary.  Located 2.5 miles south-east of town center.  Altitude, 336 feet.  One runway, 1,750 feet long.  No aircraft service facilities.

Milton – Schill Airport, commercial.  Located 2 miles south-west of center of town.  Two runways, measuring 1,600 and 1,550 feet.  “Schill Airport” on hangar.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

Montpelier – Barre-Montpelier Airport, commercial.  Located four miles south of Montpelier; three miles west of Barre.  Altitude, 1,100 feet.  “Barre-Montpelier” on hangar roof.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.  

Rutland – Rutland City Airport, commercial.  Located 3/4 of a mile south-west of city; Otter Creek to the east.  Altitude, 600 feet.  Two grass runways, measuring 1,600 and 1,500 feet.  “Rutland City Airport” on building.  Hangar and aviation fuel – day only.

Springfield – Hartness Airport, municipal. Located four miles north-west of North Springfield, and half-way on compass course between Boston, mass., and Burlington, Vermont.  Altitude, 600 feet.  Five runways, measuring 1,660, 1,170, 1,616, 1,325, and 1,200 feet.  “Springfield, Vermont” on hangar.  Hangar and aviation fuel – day only.

Swanton – Missiquoi Airport, municipal.  (Temporary air port of entry)  Located one and one-eighth miles north-east of Swanton.  Altitude, 300 feet.  Two gravel runways, each measuring 2,000 feet long.  “M” embedded in circle on field.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.

White River Junction – Twin State Airport, commercial.  Located one mile south-west of White River Junction.  Altitude, 400 feet.  Two runways, measuring 2,000 and 1,500 feet. “Twin State Airport” on hangar roof.  Aircraft service facilities – day only.        

 

 

 

 

 

Charles H. Lamson’s Aerial Experiments – 1896-97

Charles H. Lamson’s Aerial Experiments – 1896-97

     Charles H. Lamson, (1847-1930), of Portland, Maine, was a successful jeweler, watchmaker, bicycle dealer, and kite inventor.  His kites were not toys, but large-scale, custom-built, flying apparatus that were capable of lifting a man into the air.  He conducted experiments with his kites in the Portland area in the late 1890s, and achieved remarkable results.   Other experiments with Mr. Lamson’s kites were conducted at the Blue Hills Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts.  

Charles H. Lamson – 1896

     The following two newspaper articles relate to Mr. Lamson’s research. 

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     This article appeared in The Sun, (New York, N.Y.), on August 21, 1896.  

     THIS AIRSHIP DID SOAR

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Leamson’s Kite Carried Up A Dummy Man 600 Feet.

******

The Rope Broke and Then the Airship Floated Off Gracefully and Came Down Without Jar or Injury to the Make-believe Passenger – Plan of Continuations

******

     Portland, Me., Aug. 20 – Charles H. Lamson performed a feat here to-day practically demonstrating that a large airship or kite capable of carrying a man can be floated successfully and steadily.  He raised his ship with a dummy man on it 600 feet.  The retaining rope broke when the ship was at that altitude.     

Lamson Kite-Airship – 1896

Had it not been for this break Mr. Lamson would have sent up a man to navigate his ship.  As it was, W. A. Eddy of Bayonne, N. J., an authority on aerial experiments, declared that Lamson’s achievement was the greatest step toward solving the problem of aerial navigation of the age.  Two records, at all events, Lamson made.  He flew the largest kite or airship ever floated.  He carried by means of this kite the heaviest weight to the greatest altitude on record.

     Mr. Lamson has been an experimenter in kite flying and construction for a long time.  He has been in constant correspondence with Lilienthal and other noted authorities for many years.  The kite which made the flight is an invention of Mr. Lamson and is called “The Lamson Airship.”   

     The kite, when in the air, resembles two large oblong boxes parallel to each other and attached to each other in the middle.  It took fifteen men to carry the kite or ship into the field from which it was to be sent up.  The retaining cord was a large braided window cord tested to a pull of 500 pounds.  This was made fast to a huge reel and four men attended to it.  About 400 feet of the rope was run out along the ground, and at a signal from Mr. Lamson the ship was released.  It quivered a moment and then steadily rose skyward. 

     Seated on the car of the ship was a dummy weighted to 150 pounds.  The ship carried it without any perceptible jar.  It rose to an altitude of 600 feet, and was rising steadily when with a sudden gust of wind, snap went the rope, showing that tremendous pressure was brought upon it by the soaring of the ship.  The ship floated out a half mile and descended as easily and gracefully as it went up.  Had a man been in the car he would not have been harmed in the slightest.    

Charles H. Lamson’s
Kite – Airship
1896

     Mr. Lamson in the construction of this ship has followed some of Mr. Hargrave’s ideas.  The point of similarity between the kite and Hargrave’s is in boxing the ends and making it double, that is, with two boxes or “cells,” as Hargrave calls them, with a space between.  This style of kite has great stability when in the air, and when floating freely always settles gently, like a parachute.

     Mr. Lamson built his airship after Hargrave’s general plan, but added improvements of his own to make it more manageable in the enlarged form.  In the first place, the rear cells were hinged on pivots near the center, so that their angle of inclination in reference to the wind and to one another can be changed at will.

     The passenger, by manipulating a lever, can keep the airship on an even keel, make it rise or fall, and direct its course in coming down.  Lateral steering can be accomplished by changing the weight to the other side of the center, the aerial vessel then turning toward the side where the weight is greatest.

     Each pair of wings is like the wings of a bird.  They are also ribbed fore and aft, and covered so that the stream of air can have its full lifting effect following the curve from front to rear, and preventing all shaking or flapping of the fabric. 

     Mr. Lamson’s plan of jointing the aeroplanes or aerocurves makes it possible to attach the flying cord on a bowsprit.  This makes it much easier to float the great kite than by Hargrave’s plan.  Mr. Clayton of Blue Hill Observatory estimated that the kite would pull at least 800 pounds if it were hung as Hargrave advises, but by Mr. Lamson’s arrangement the strain on the cord is greatly reduced, so that a few men can handle it in ordinary winds.

     A heavy windlass loaded with sand bags held the 2,000 feet of cord to-day.  All that was necessary to launch the airship was to raise its forward end a little and take a short run, when it sailed up into the air like a balloon.

     The ship presented a novel and beautiful appearance as it soared gracefully above the heads of 1,500 people, who stood gazing with open mouths at this strange monster of the air.  Nobody, to see the kite on the ground, would ever imagine that it would fly in mid-air, but Lamson demonstrated the fact that it would.  Mr. Eddy and other authorities said that to-day’s performance exceeded anything that Lilienthal or any former leader in this work has done.     

     Mr. Lamson was disappointed at the collapse of the rope, but was pleased at the success of the experiment.  He said:

     “The performance of my airship to-day satisfies me beyond all question that the ship in its present form will always ascend in a fair breeze and will remain flying any length of time under favorable atmospheric conditions; that a kite of this size will sustain and carry a man all night, and that the latter can regulate the direction of the kite in the air and descend.  I do not mean he can propel the kite.  This remains to be discovered, but I mean that, taking advantage of the air currents, he can guide the ship to a very large extent.  By Means of the guiding lever he can regulate the course up or down, and by shifting his weight can curve to the right or left.”

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     This next article appeared one year later in the Waterbury Democrat, (Waterbury, CT.), on August 11, 1897.

SKYWARD ON A KITE

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A Maine Inventor Soars Upward On An Airship

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Wind is the Motive Power – He remained Poised in Air at Will and Might Ascend to Any Height He Pleased – He cannot However, Descend at Will.

     Charles H. Lamson of Portland, Me., has demonstrated to the world that he has invented a kite-airship which is capable of raising a man from the ground to almost any height and sustaining him in the air.  the weak point in his invention is that while he can raise himself with his kite at will, he cannot lower himself.  But this defect he hopes soon to remedy.

     The demonstration of his kite’s powers was made in the presence of a number of well-known scientists who have taken much interest in the study of aerial navigation, and they all agree that the results Mr. Lamson has attained are of great interest and value.  They look upon Mr. Lamson’s achievement as a distinct step forward towards the accomplishment of practical aerial navigation.

     Exactly what this last laborer in the field of aeronautics has done is to prove that it is possible for a man to ascend in the air on a kite, taking his seat while the kite remains stationary on the ground and then rising easily and safely with it on its upward flight.  Men have been sustained on kites before, but in all previous cases the kite has first been sent up into the air and the rider afterwards hauled up to it by means of pulleys and ropes. 

     Mr. Lamson’s kite sails away with its passenger, and if he could make come down when he wanted to, aerial flight would be, at least, a partial success. 

     The kite weighs about 100 pounds, and its rider sits in a boat-shaped car, which is suspended from between the two sets of box kites.  Attached to the bottom of this car are two bicycle wheels, by means of which the kite can be moved along the ground without danger of breaking the structure.  The axils are so placed that when the supporting surfaces are folded down the kite may be moved about by one man.   

     Mr. Lamson has made two ascensions, rising each time to about fifty feet from the ground and remaining poised in the air for fully half an hour each time.  He intends to add to his kite a feature which will make it possible for the rider in the car to raise and lower it at will so that it will either ascend or descend at his pleasure.  He will do this by passing a cord around the bowsprit of the machine and attaching one end of it to the forward sail, while the other end passes through the pulley in the guiding line and back into the rider’s hands.  Mr. Lamson refuses to say just what he thinks may be developed from this airship-kite of his, but he believes it will be possible for a man to ascend to almost any height in the air and remain there as long as he wishes and then descend to the ground in safety by pulling the cord, which will be attached to the forward sail.

     Last year Congress appropriated a certain sum of money to be expended in experiments with kites by the Blue Hill (Mass.) Meteorological Station and at this point , the kites furnished by Mr. Lamson are being used.  They are sent up into the clouds a thousand feet or more above the earth, and have instruments attached to them for recording temperature and the direction of air currents and other interesting data.              

Leopold Goldberger’s Airship – 1904

Leopold Goldberger’s Airship – 1904

     The following newspaper article appeared in The St. Louis Republic, (St. Louis, Mo.), on January 18, 1904. 

EXPECTS TO SAIL IN AIRSHIP FROM BOSTON TO ST. LOUIS

     Republic Special

     Boston, Mass., Jan. 17 – In a 30-foot cigar-shaped airship, the model of which he has just completed, Leopold Goldberger, a 22-year-old Hungarian, who came to Boston three months ago, says he is going to fly from this city to St. Louis and compete for the $100,000 airship prize.

     Goldberger’s ship will be of oiled silk in a meshwork of oiled cord, and will be filled with gas through a tube.  This is to be closed to prevent the escape of the gas, which can be utilized over and over again by the engine, in the center beneath the cabin.  There will be a wheel in the stern like the propeller of a steamer and one on each side like paddle wheels.  Each side wheel is to have half a dozen steel blades, two of which are at right angles, the others at 45-degree angles.

     The engine for the airship, Goldberger says, is being built for him in Budapest, and he expects that this machine will fly sixty-five miles an hour.  

Charles M. Davis’s Flying Machine – 1906

Charles M. Davis’s Flying Machine – 1906

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Daily Capitol Journal, (Salem, Oregon), on February 6, 1906.  Brighton is a neighborhood of Boston. 

THE LATEST IN AIRSHIPS

     Boston, Feb. 6 – Scientists and inventors in this city are highly interested in the announcement just made that Charles M. Davis of Brighton, has invented a flying machine which is constructed on entirely new and original principles and is said to promise remarkable results.  The inventor says that his machine is neither a freak nor a fake and will surely do what he expects it to do.  It has neither a gas tank nor a balloon attachment and not even wings, yet, it is said, that the model just completed ascended to any height without danger of a sudden drop.  The inventor has designed the machine primarily for use on a battleship.  The machine will move equally well in the air and in the water and can be easily carried like a life boat.  Three aluminum propellers furnish the motive power in either water or air.  Mr. Davis is trying to get some eastern capitalists interested in his invention and will soon start to build a model on a larger scale.     

    

The Lake Airships – 1908-09

The Lake Airships – 1908 – 09

 

     Christopher John Lake, (1847 – 1938), was an inventor, and father of Simon Lake, (1866 – 1945), the man who invented the Lake Submarine Boat. 

     On June 8, 1908, a short article appeared in The Hartford Courant, (Hartford, Ct.), announcing that Simon Lake, “inventor of the Lake submarine boat”, had patented a design for a new type of airship.    

     In the article Simon Lake was quoted as saying, “The new airship will be a combination of the dirigible balloon, the aeroplane, and the helicoppre.  I have been too busy with other work to devote the time that is necessary for building the new airship, and I will give a reward to the man who will build it and relieve me of the task.  I cannot go into the details of the invention at this time, but am satisfied it is one that has solved the problem of aerial navigation.”   

     It’s unknown if Simon’s airship was constructed, but the following article indicates that construction was begun in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on another airship designed by Simon’s father, Christopher Lake. 

     The following article appeared in the Norwich Bulletin, (Norwich, CT.), on September 28, 1909.

BRIDGEPORT AIRSHIP  

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Inventor Lake Hopes To Test It During October

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     Christopher J. Lake, the flying machine inventor, is completing the construction of his airship at Nutmeg Park, Bridgeport.  His force of mechanics are working daily, getting the invention ready for its first trials next month.  Just when the machine will be completed cannot be stated definitely, but Mr. Lake reiterated his statement that he expected to make his first flight during October.  

     He feels confident of having the machine ready for a trail flight before November 1, and within four weeks he ought to be able to give the first test of the machine.  He is working along novel lines and all of his theories have been demonstrated so that there should be no great question about the ability of the machine to fly. 

     There is a great deal of interest in this “Made in Bridgeport” flying machine which will be a combination of biplane and dirigible balloon.  When the airship is finished and private demonstrations made, Mr. Lake may give the public a chance to see it fly.  He is working now to demonstrate to his own satisfaction that his ideas of aerial navigation are correct.

     If he is successful, he will probably enter into the manufacture of the machines for sale the same as automobiles.  He says that no expert knowledge is required to operate an airship and that they can be manufactured for sale at reasonable cost.  Mr. Lake says that the time is not far distant when airships will be sold for pleasure purposes the same as automobiles, but perhaps not so numerously.  He is spending considerable money in the development of his machine and before the snow flies he may have other aviators at Nutmeg Park, the name of which would be changed to Lake Aerodrome.

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     Mr. Lake’s airship project was also mentioned in a publication called, Aeronautics – The American Magazine of Aerial Locomotion.  The brief article stated, “Charles J. Lake, of Bridgeport, father of Capt. Simon Lake, inventor of the Lake submarine boat, is at work on an apparatus of his own design and has secured an option from Stephen C. Osborne, owner of Hippodrome Park, where the new flying machine is to be built and tested.  Several men are now at work there to carry out the ideas of Mr. Lake, but their work is enshrouded in complete mystery, no one being privileged to give out any information in regard to it.

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     On September 16, 1909, it was reported in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer that an unidentified man had tried to break into the building where Mr. Lake’s airship was being constructed, but was driven off by a night watchman hired to guard the premises.   

     ****************

     Sources:

     Hartford Courant, “Lake Invents An Airship”, June 8, 1908

     Norwich Bulletin, “Bridgeport Airship”, September 28, 1909

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “May Shoot Next Time”, September 16, 1909

     Aeronautics – The American Magazine Of Aerial Locomotion, “From Submarine To Airship”, September, 1909, page 111.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trans-Atlantic Balloon History – 1910

Trans-Atlantic Balloon History – 1910

     Since the first manned balloon ascensions in the late 1700s, aeronauts had been envisioning a time when it would be possible to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air.  With the advent of mechanical flight in the early 1900s it was thought that aviation technology might have reached a point where such a crossing might be possible. 

     The following article appeared in the Evening Star, a defunct Washington, D.C. newspaper, on October 20, 1910.  It illustrates why crossing the ocean was easier said than done, and mentions aeronaut Washington Donaldson, and his unexpected trip to New England.   

     DREAM OF 70 Years

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Flight Across Atlantic Hope of Many Persons.

*********

     For the last seventy years there have been numerous projects for crossing the Atlantic Ocean by means of a balloon, but, while several of those engaged in the enterprises expended considerable money in making preparations , only one balloon before that of the Wellman expedition actually made a start.

     Strange as it may appear, the first idea of crossing the Atlantic by means of the old-fashioned spherical balloon came from England, but from such information as is now common property regarding the upper air currents generally blowing over the North Atlantic, such an expedition would be impossible in all but a reversal of conditions, which, in the law of averages, is not likely to happen more than once in ten thousand times.  In a spherical balloon it was recognized after John Wise, a Philadelphia aeronaut, published his studies in the 1840s, that a voyage across the sea from east to west, while not impossible under conditions that were hardly to arise at the psychological moment, was so unlikely to meet with those conditions that it was improbable.

     It was in the year 1840 that Charles Green, a daring English aeronaut, outlined his proposals for crossing the ocean.  Mr. Green offered his services gratuitously if some wealthy persons would finance the project. These patrons of ballooning, however, failed to come forward in the requisite number, and the project went to join the great limbo of great things undone.  Green’s idea, briefly, was to jockey for the right currents of air.  He intended to rise up to meet the current that would carry him in the chosen direction, or would descend to the stratum that would do so. 

Much Ballast Needed      

     Such a plan necessitated an enormous quantity of ballast, and it was pointed out by Tissandler and others that the experienced aeronaut did not, perhaps, count sufficiently on the loss of gas that would follow such a proceeding. They also showed that by making this attempt the balloon could not possibly have the buoyancy necessary for so long a voyage. 

     There seems to be no doubt that Green’s project gave the initiative to John Wise, for in the year 1843 he published his plan for making the voyage across the Atlantic, and having asserted the existence of an almost constantly prevalent wind blowing toward the east, received more attention than such daring projects usually gain.

     In an announcement directed “to all publishers of newspapers on the globe,” Mr. Wise told of his intention to cross the Atlantic in the summer of the following year.  The announcement asked the commanders of seagoing vessels to be on the lookout for him and his balloon, and he admitted that the expedition was daring and dangerous and it success only problematical. 

     It was thirty years afterward before the dream seemed to be on the eve of realization, and at the time when the big airship was being manufactured and arrangements made for the actual voyage, Wise published another book, in which he explained that the trial had not been attempted sooner because of the failure to receive the financial assistance that such an expedition entailed.

     While Wise did not make the voyage in the summer of the year 1844, as he had announced, about that time there appeared in the New York Sun a most wonderful account of a voyage of Monc Mason, Harrison Ainsworth, and one or two others.  This was the now celebrated balloon hoax, written by Poe, and, with the announcement of Wise still in their ears, it required no serious difficulty to make the majority of persons believe that a voyage by balloon across the Atlantic actually had succeeded.   In a day or two the hoax became evident, and even now the story is read with interest because it was constructed on such probable lines that only Jules Verne, in a later time, has succeeded in giving so marvelous a tale.

Prepared For Start      

     In the fall of the year 1873 the great balloon that had been designed by Wise was being made ready for the start in Brooklyn.  Wise was to be the chief of the expedition, and his lieutenant was to be the daring aeronaut and circus acrobat, Washington H. Donaldson.   The balloon followed closely the pattern Wise had advanced thirty years before.  It was not, however, quite so extensive.

     The balloon was said to have a lifting power of 14,000 pounds, and sufficient carrying capacity to permit about 7,000 pounds of ballast and passengers and freight being taken.  In addition to the main aerostat, there was a smaller one, which was intended to supply gas when the main gasbag should need repletion, and when it had been exhausted in this manner it was the intention to cut it up for ballast.

     Hanging below the balloon was a car of two stories in height, in which the passengers, food, and ballast were stowed.  Below this there was a boat weighing 800 pounds, which was to be used in emergency.  Wise already had used a boat under his balloon in his historic voyage across lake Erie, when he was carried along with a hurricane that was terrifying in its violence. 

     The lower room in the car was taken up with ballast and with a windlass to lower and take up the drag rope, which weighed about 600 pounds.  The boat was divided into airtight compartments, and was believed to be practically unsinkable.  Provisions and water for the party for thirty days were taken in.

     After the great balloon had been taken to the ground in Brooklyn where it was to be inflated a series of disappointments beset Wise.  It seemed to be impossible to inflate the huge gasbag.  Several ineffectual attempts were made, and then Samuel A. King, another Philadelphia aeronaut, now the nestor of the whole profession, being in his eighty-third year, was called in, and he succeeded in inflating the aerostat with the hydrogen gas.      

     It was about this time that a disagreement arose between Wise and others connected to the enterprise.  This result, Mr. king always had predicted, would be the end of Wise’s connection with the project, and in the end the balloon was placed in charge of Donaldson, who, while regarded as the most daredevil man who ever went aloft in a balloon, had had so little experience with ballooning that it was said he never would succeed in making the voyage.

Trip Began In Gale     

     There was a fierce gale blowing toward the east when, on the morning of October 6, 1873, the balloon with the expedition on board was cut loose and swiftly sailed toward Europe.  The balloon soon rounded the eastern end of Long Island, where a contrary current of wind changed her course to the north , and the huge aerostat was hurriedly carried over the New England states.  Its farthest northern point was in Massachusetts, when another current caught it and bore it back again.  Finally the balloon came down and its passengers made a landing safely, in a terrible storm, after a voyage of about 500 miles. 

     There were several French projects afterward, but some of these were not balloon projects, but airships, that had not been actually made, but designed.  One of the most interesting of these was a steam airship designed by Nadar, which, although using planes for supporting surfaces, made its ascent or descent by means of a series of vertical screws, the principle which now is being studied in the helicopter designs of airships.

     In the winter of the year 1879 Samuel A. King put into practice his long cherished project of attempting to cross the Atlantic, and it may be said that while that failed he still believes in its possibility.  A syndicate built two giant aerostats, and they were established in a station on Manhattan Beach.  The balloons had each an ascensive force of about 10,000 pounds, and figuring on green’s studies, Mr. king expected to be able to stay in the air long enough to jockey the balloon across the ocean.  The studies, however, showed that there were still some things to be learned.

     While wireless telegraphing had not been discovered at that time, telephony had not only been invented, but was in a small way actually in use in the larger cities, and Mr. King’s balloon had arranged to make use of this new invention: but this, it should be stated, was only used while the balloons were used as captives at the observing station on Manhattan Beach.  They could have no use at sea.

     Some hitch occurred before the time for the starting of the expedition arrived, and Mr. King never made his attempt.  This was the withdrawal of the backers according to Mr. King.      

 

Boston’s Aeronaut Convention – 1896

Boston’s Aeronaut Convention – 1896

          The following article appeared in The Topeka State Journal, (Topeka, Kansas), on July 18, 1896.

CLOUD TOURISTS 

Aeronauts Will Hold A Unique Convention At Boston

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Flying Machine Contests

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Men of science rom all parts of the world will show the possibilities of aerial navigation.  

*********

     Folks afflicted with the balloon fever will have a chance to indulge the disease to the uppermost limit before long.  An aeronautical convention, the very first of its kind, is to be held in Boston in the early part of September, and flying sharps from all parts of the world will attend to show their fellows what wonderful things they have accomplished in the matter of touring among the clouds.  

     It is almost unnecessary to state that this convention may be the means of causing a revolution in the matter of quick transit.  The men who will attend it are not reckless, untutored spirits; on the other hand they are intelligent scientists who believe that aerial navigation is not only possible but that within a few years it will be a popular reality, indulged in by great financial corporations and by private individuals.  Popular interest in aeronautics has been aroused all over the world by the balloon expedition to the North Pole by Explorer Andree.  recent experiments by meteorological experts in kite flying have also excited the public mind in the matter, and it is fair to presume that when the famous aeronauts convene at Boston their doings will be heralded to all the ends of the earth.

     The convention has been arranged by the Aeronautical Society of Boston.  This is composed of only twenty men, but each one of the twenty is a man skilled in the work of the organization.  The society was only formed in May of 1895.  Professor William H. Pickering, the astronomer of Harvard College, is the president.  He has taken up the study of aeronautics for the purpose of furthering the science of astronomy, believing that the scope of the latter will be enlarged to a limitless degree when astronomers are able to sail above the clouds.  

A Famous Gathering    

     The best known of the scientists who will attend the convention are Herr Otto Lilienthal, of Berlin; Willis L. Moore, Chief of the United States Weather Bureau; A. S. Potter, also of the Weather Bureau’s staff; William A. Eddy, whose many experiments in kite flying have made him famous; J. Woodbridge Davis, inventor of the life-saving kite; Octave Chanute, who has been a recognized authority on flying machines for more than fifty years; Professor S. P. Langley, director of the Smithsonian Institution; Gilbert T. Woglom, of New York; Alexander Graham Bell, of telephone fame, who within the past year or two has given much time to the study of aerial navigation, and possible Laurence Hargrave, of New South Wales.

     Much of the work for the convention arrangements have fallen upon Albert A. ????? will probably take place at Milton, a suburb of Boston.  The reason of the selection of Milton is that there is a fair sized sheet of water near at hand.  All aeronauts have a weakness for making ascents in the vicinity of water.  Experience has taught them that it is pleasanter to fall a few hundred feet into deep water than to smash into the earth.  It is quite probable that if no water were near at hand many of the designers would refuse to show off their flying machines at the competition.

The Competition

     The various contests are classified as follows:

     Prize A – For the kite showing the maximum of lift to the minimum of drift in a breeze having a velocity of more than fifteen miles per hour.

     Prize B – For the kite showing the maximum of lift to the minimum of drift in a breeze having a velocity of less than fifteen miles per hour.

     Prize C – For the kite keeping its equilibrium through the greatest extremes of wind velocity.

     Prize D – For the soaring machine of free flight which, after gaining velocity, shall make the best course.  The excellence of the course to be judged by the maximum length and the minimum of undulation.  Energy may be given to the machine by carrying it to a height. 

     Prize E – For the best self-propelled machine.    

One of Professor Langley’s Flying Machines

     The great interest will center in the flying machines, and according to experts this feature of the program will be a duel between the designs of Professor Langley, of Washington, and Herr Lilienthal, of Berlin.  Professor Langley’s machine is a contradiction of the principles recognized by all of the other designers of flying machines.  In other words, the aim of the average designer is to produce a machine lighter than the air.  Professor Langley believes that the weight of the machine has nothing to do with its flying capacity.  He claims that the great essential is the driving force.  If enough power can be introduced, he argues that a machine of any weight can be driven through the air.

     It was the lowly turkey buzzard that gave this idea to Professor Langley.  On this subject he says; “Did you ever think what a physical miracle it is for such a bird as one of our common turkey buzzards to fly in the way it does?  You may see them any day along the Potomac, floating in the air, with hardly the movement of their feathers.  These birds weigh fro five to ten pounds; they are far heavier than the air they displace; they are absolutely heavier than so many flatirons.”    

A Mysterious Machine       

     Professor Langley has been most reticent about the construction of his machine.  He uses steam as a driving power.  It is in the distribution and form of the solid matter, he says, which allows it to float through the air, and the greater the speed attained the less danger there is of the machine falling.  Less than three months ago Professor Langley sent a small machine on a flight of nearly half a mile through the air in the presence of Alexander Graham Bell.  The machine was built of steel, weighed 24 pounds and measured 14 feet from end to end.  It was 1,000 times heavier than the air supporting it.  Great secrecy attended the experiment, and the world would probably have never known of it had it not been for the enthusiasm of professor bell.  Professor Langley is now at work on a larger and heavier machine, in which the driving power will be much greater.  It is possible that the new machine will be exhibited at the Boston convention.

The Lilienthal Idea  

     Professor Langley does not believe that man has sufficient strength  to fly with artificial wings.  His rival, Herr Lilienthal, does.  His machines are constructed on that idea.  With the Lilienthal machine it is necessary to start the flight from a high hill.  The flyer buckles on the machine, takes a sharp run and jumps into space.  The big wings on the machine are supposed to do the rest.  The novice, when he runs and jumps, usually hits the ground with his face.  Herr Lilienthal has had an artificial hill fifty feet high built near his home at Gros Lichterfelde, a suburb of Berlin.  From this eminence he has made repeated flights of 250 yards.    

 

 

     

 

         

 

 

Boston Kite Flying Experiments – 1890s

Boston Kite Flying Experiments of the 1890s

     Kite flying experiments intended to further the study of meteorology and aeronautics, as well as influence possible designs for future flying machines, were conducted in the 1890s at the Blue Hills Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts.  The program was administered by the Boston Aeronautical Society, an organization that was founded in the spring of 1895.  The society initially consisted of about twenty members, each considered an expert in their field of research. 

     The mission of the society was to encourage experiments with aerial “machines”, (not necessarily mechanical) and to collect and disseminate knowledge relating to solving the problems of aerial navigation, for it was still a time when manned mechanical flight had not yet been perfected.

     In April of 1896 it was announced that the society had decided to include in its mission the encouragement of research and development of kite design.  As an incentive, the society offered monetary prizes for kites that could perform in certain ways.   

     The kites used in the Blue Hills experiments weren’t toys, but large, well designed, scientific instruments meant to fly at high altitudes to gather atmospheric readings.  On July 4, 1896, it was stated in the Evening Star, a Washington D. C. newspaper, “The Boston Aeronautical Society holds that the kite is a scientific instrument of value, and worthy the attention of those who take an interest in scientific equipment.”

      Some of the kite experiments resulted in kite-altitude records being set. On July 21, 1896, what was described as a “flight of kites” was sent up from the Blue Hills Observatory.  The kites were strung together in tandem, and the uppermost kite soared to the record breaking height of 7,200 feet above sea level according to the altimeter device which had been attached to the string below it.  The observatory, it was said, is situated at 625 feet above sea level.

     During another flight the string connected to the kites broke while they were 2,000 feet in the air, sending them and the attached instruments sailing off and out of sight.  They were later recovered three miles away from their starting point. 

     On August 1st a new kite-altitude record was achieved when a string of kites reached 7,333 feet.   The event was witnessed by fifty members of the Appalachian Club. 

     Not long afterward, a new altitude record of 7,441 feet was established.    

This illustration of William Eddy’s kite configuration as he photographed Boston from above appeared in newspapers of the day.

     One man who came to Boston to participate in the Blue Hills kite experiments was William Abner Eddy, (1850-1909), of Bayonne, New Jersey.  Eddy was the inventor of the “Eddy Kite”; a some-what diamond shaped kite of large proportions which lacked a tail. 

     In August of 1896, Eddy arrived with twenty-two of his kites with the intention of taking aerial photographs of Boston by suspending a camera in the air and working the shutter remotely from the ground.  Mr. Eddy was already credited with taking the first aerial kite photograph in the United States in Bayonne, N.J., on May 30, 1895. 

     Eddy began his photographic trials over Boston on Monday, August 24, from the roof of the post office building, and continued them throughout the week.  The first picture was taken from an altitude of 400 feet, the second at 700 feet, and the next four at 500 feet.

     On August 25, as Eddy was attempting to take his seventh aerial picture over the city, the string to the kites broke, sending all nine kites and his camera crashing to the street, but it was reported that it did not appear that the camera was too badly damaged, or the film compromised.     

     When all of the film plates were later developed, it was found that Mr. Eddy had captured some great aerial views of the Boston Common area, Beacon Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Tremont and Washington Streets, and the Charles River.  Some were taken from an altitude of 1,500 feet.       

     The kites Mr. Eddy employed for the project measured seven feet in diameter and between four to eight were flown at the same time depending on the wind. 

     Besides his camera, Mr. Eddy also attached a self-registering thermometer to record temperatures at different altitudes above the city to be compared with temperatures above the Blue Hills Observatory from kites being flown there during the same time.      

     In the autumn of 1896 further kite experiments were conducted at the Blue Hills Observatory to gather meteorological data.  In these experiments, nine kites attached by piano wire and carrying meteorological instruments reportedly rose to nearly 9,000 feet. 

     One newspaper, The Austin Weekly Statesman, described the process: “The kites were three in number, all of them on this occasion of the Eddy pattern, two of them being at the end of the line and the third some hundreds of feet below.  The kites were of large size, two of them being six feet in their largest dimension, and the third one a monster of nine feet, presenting some 65 square feet of surface to the wind.  This varied from 18 to 31 miles per hour at the surface, and the pull of the wire which held the kites mounted at times to upwards of 125 pounds.” 

      Sources:

     Courier Democrat, (Langdon, N.D.), “Taken From A Kite – Ingenious Method Of Taking Photographs”, August 1, 1895

     Evening Star, (Washington, D. C.), “Kites And Science”, July 4, 1896 

     The Topeka State Journal, (Topeka, Kansas), “Cloud Tourists – Aeronauts Will Hold A Unique Convention In Boston”, July 18, 1896

     The Topeka State Journal, “New Kite Record”, July 25, 1896  

     The Herald, (Los Angeles, CA.), “Great Kite Flying”, August 2, 1896

     The Evening Times, (Washington, D.C.), “Photos From The Sky”, August 24, 1896

     The Sun, (New York, N.Y.), “Eddy’s Kite String Broke”, August 26, 1896

     The Roanoke Daily Times, (Roanoke, VA.), “Kite Photograph Of Boston”, August 27, 1896 

     Waterbury Democrat, (Waterbury, Ct.), “Mid-Air Photographs”, August 28, 1896 

     The Austin Weekly Statesman, (Austin, TX.), “High Kite Flying In Boston”, October 1, 1896  

     The Chicago Eagle, (No Headline), October 31, 1896

 

The Boston Aeronautical Manufacturing Co. – 1909

The Boston Aeronautical Manufacturing Company – 1909

     The following newspaper articles relate to the Boston Aeronautical Manufacturing Company, of which little is known.  

     The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Bridgeport, CT.), on December 23, 1909.  

     NEW AIRSHIP TO CROSS ATLANTIC IN TWO DAYS

     Boston, Dec. 23 – A new airship intended to carry a dozen or more people and expected by the inventor to be capable of going to New York with the greatest ease, and later of making a trip across the Atlantic in two days, is promised by a new Boston flying machine concern, the Boston Aeronautical Manufacturing Company, just incorporated here with a capital of $500,000.

     The president of the new company is Frank S. Corlew of the Corlew-Coughlin Motor Company, and its vice president and engineer, Albert Gouldhart, inventor of the new machine.  Mr. Gouldhart is now completing the machine with which he will make the first flight about May 30.

     The machine will weigh 800 pounds and will have a lifting capacity of 2,500 pounds. 

     Mr. Gouldhart says that the machine will rise in its own space perpendicular from the starting point and without any assistance outside of its own power to about 5,000 feet, although it is said almost any height may be attained.  At this point the airship will keep as nearly as possible on that same level until it has attained a speed of 75 miles an hour.  Then the planes will be set so as to attain a gradual descent, the power shut off and the machine, with its initial velocity will glide rapidly toward the earth and to within a few hundred feet, then will be shot up again.  While gliding or coasting, the inventor expects to keep a speed of about 40 miles an hour.    

     The following article appeared in The Spokane Press, (Spokane, WA.), December 31, 1909.  

LANDING PLACES FOR FLYING MACHNES IN BOSTON

     Boston, Dec. 31 – Aeroplanists sailing Bostonward next spring need not suspend their journeys on the outskirts of the city but can fly into the heart of the downtown section, for a flying machine landing is to be established for them.  It will be on the top of the large five-story building on Hawkins Street, known as the Sudbury Garage, and plans are now being made to provide all the necessary facilities for the landing and starting of different types of aeronautical craft on the broad roof of the building.  To conduct this station and also to build a new type of flying machine the Boston Aeronautical Company has been incorporated with $500,000 capital.  

 

Seaplane – Westerly, R.I.,

Seaplane – Westerly, Rhode Island

     A vintage post card view of a seaplane in Watch Hill Cove, Westerly, Rhode Island. 

Click on image to enlarge.

 

 

U.S. Air Force R-2 Crash Rescue Truck

U.S. Air Force R-2 Crash-Rescue Truck

     The following photos were taken at an antique military vehicle show held in Exeter, Rhode Island, sponsored by the Rhode Island Military Vehicle Collectors Club. 

     These photos show a fully restored 1953 Dodge, U.S. Air Force, R-2 crash-rescue truck.  These trucks were specifically designed to respond to aviation accidents and were used extensively by the military at air bases throughout the country. 

Click on images to enlarge.

 

 

 

 

 

The Disappearance Of Captain Mansell R. James

The Disappearance of Captain Mansell R. James

By Jim Ignasher

 

Captain Mansell James

     One of New England’s most intriguing aviation mysteries relates to the unexplained disappearance of 25-year-old Royal Air Force Captain Mansell R. James, who vanished without a trace in the spring of 1919. James was a native of Ontario, Canada, who’d served overseas with the R.A. F. during World War I downing eleven enemy aircraft. He’d come to the United States to enter a contest sponsored by the Boston Globe newspaper for the fastest flight-time between Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boston, Massachusetts. To the winner would go a trophy and cash prize of one-thousand dollars.

     On May 28, 1919, James made a flight from Atlantic City to Boston in a Sopwith Camel biplane, the same type of aircraft he’d flown in combat during the war. He landed in Boston having flown at an average speed of 115 miles per hour, successfully eclipsing the fastest speed to date of 90 miles per hour. To this, the Boston Globe reported in part, “This is one of the fastest flights ever made in this country and will in all probability capture the Globe Trophy and cash prize of $1,000.” 

     When it came time to leave Boston, James reportedly flew to nearby Saugus, Massachusetts, to have the air ballast tank on his airplane refilled.  Prior to leaving Saugus it was discovered that the compass of his aircraft wasn’t working properly, but James was an experienced airman, and intended to navigate by following the railroad tracks of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad towards Atlantic City.      

     He left Saugus about 6:00 p.m., but while passing over Boston he inadvertently began following tracks belonging to the Boston & Albany Railroad.  These tracks led him in the wrong direction, leading him across central and western Massachusetts.  At about 7:30 p.m.  he landed in the small town of Tyringham, Massachusetts.  There he spent the night with the intention of resuming his trip in the morning.

     Newspaper accounts of what happened next vary slightly, but the basic facts are this; on the morning of May 29, 1919, Captain James took off from Tyringham, Massachusetts, bound for Mitchell Field on Long Island, New York, where he intended to refuel.  (Some news reports state he left from the town of Lee, Massachusetts, a town that borders Tyringham.) From Mitchell Field James was expected to continue on to Atlantic City.

    In leaving Tyringham, James reportedly stated he intended to follow the Housatonic River, which flows southward through Massachusetts and Connecticut all the way to Long Island Sound.  From there he intended to cross the Sound to Long Island. (Other reports say he intended to follow railroad tracks.) When he failed to appear at Mitchell Filed it was initially assumed that he’d changed his plans and flew to Toronto, Canada, instead.  However, inquiries from Mitchell Field officials proved this not to be the case.

     A search was begun, but it was like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. It was almost June, and the trees were in full foliage thus making it difficult if not impossible to spot a downed airplane. Furthermore, the New England countryside in 1919 was very rural, with literally thousands of square miles of forests, rivers, and lakes, capable of easily swallowing a small airplane.

     At least five military aircraft from Mitchell Field were brought in for the search, and in some areas ground volunteers probed the woodlands, but it was all mostly guesswork, for there were many possibilities. Captain James could have gotten lost or disoriented in low level clouds, and with an inoperable compass flown miles off his intended course. He could have gone down in the Housatonic River, flown into a thickly wooded hillside, or even fallen into Long Island Sound.    

     With no immediate leads, authorities appealed to the public for information, and possible sightings of James’s plane began to trickle in. One early report had James over the town of Winchester, Connecticut.  Another report held that an airplane, possibly in distress, had been heard over West Cornwall, Connecticut. Still others came forth with sightings that ranged from the Mt. Riga area of Salisbury, to Windham, to Stratford, as well as the town of Millerton, in upstate New York. Unfortunately the reports lacked confirmation that it was actually James’s airplane that had been sighted, and investigators had to keep in mind that Captain James’s airplane wasn’t the only one in the sky at the time of his disappearance.

   On June 7th it was reported that one of the military aircraft taking part in the search suffered engine failure and crash-landed in the town of Newburgh, New York. By this point James had been missing six days and since he wasn’t known to have taken any food or water with him, hopes that he may still be alive, but injured, began to fade. It was assumed that if or when James was found, it would likely be by accident.        

     There were no significant developments in the case until two months later when a hiker from Lakeville, Connecticut, reported that he may have discovered the wreck of James’s airplane in a valley between Mt. Riga and Bear and Monument mountains. The man reported that on July 31st he’d been berry picking on Mt. Riga about three miles in from the nearest road, when he came upon a foul odor wafting in the air. From a rocky ledge, he looked down and saw what may or may not have been the remains of an airplane; he couldn’t be sure due to the distance involved.  

     The man returned to the area the following day with his nephew, but they were unable to locate the place from which he’d made his observation. Further expeditions were carried out, and in one instance a reporter from the Hartford Courant newspaper went along, but no sign of the missing aircraft was found.

     On October 2, 1919, a small but intriguing news item appeared in the Norwich Bulletin, a now defunct Connecticut newspaper that read as follows: “A badly mutilated body was washed ashore in Hempstead Bay, L.I. A wrist watch thought to be that of Capt. Mansell R. James, a lost British aviator, was the only clew to identification.” (The word “clew” was their spelling.)

Norwich Bulletin, October 2, 1919

     Could this have been the body of Mansell James four months after his disappearance, or that of some other unfortunate person who happened to wear a similar watch?  Unfortunately contemporary research revealed that there doesn’t appear to be any further information available concerning this incident.

     Several Long Island libraries with historic newspaper microfilm collections were contacted via telephone, but none were able to locate any articles in local papers about this incident.  However, it should be noted that some collections were incomplete.

    Furthermore, the Norwich Bulletin didn’t name the town where the body allegedly washed ashore.  Hempstead Bay is a large body of water located on the north shore of Long Island and faces out to Long Island Sound.  It’s bordered by four separate municipalities along its shoreline: Sands Point, North Hempstead, Glen Cove, and Oyster Bay.  Contacting town halls revealed that none of these municipalities seem to have any vital statistic record of an unidentified body being recovered from the water during the time frame of late September to early October of 1919.  However, it should be noted that one stated their death records only go back as far as 1920.

    Therefore, as of this writing, the mention of the body adds yet another page to this unsolved mystery. 

   In the spring of 1921, some fishing boats began snagging their nets on “something” lying on the bed of the Hudson River about three miles north of Poughkeepsie, New York. In mid-June a group of fishermen got together with their boats and attempted to raise whatever it was and remove if from the river. Unfortunately the attempt was unsuccessful, for the ropes reportedly broke just as the object was coming to the surface. However, those who were able to get a brief glimpse of the object claimed it was an airplane. On June 22ed, the New York Tribune reported in part, “A vain attempt of the fishermen to raise it resulted in a partial view of the object and the report was that it is an airplane.” Some of the ropes that had been attached to the object reportedly had green paint coloring on them, and it was noted that James’s plane had been painted green on its underside.

     On June 25th a second attempt to raise the object was undertaken, and this time it was successfully brought to the surface. Instead of an airplane, the object was positively identified as a huge log. The alleged green paint was attributed to algae on the log.

     Four-and-a-half-years later interest in the disappearance was renewed when in December of 1925 a hunter reported finding a wrecked airplane in the woods of Tyringham, Massachusetts, the area from which Captain James began his ill fated trip. Unfortunately the hunter was from New York, and unfamiliar with the area, and was unable to lead searchers back to his discovery.  

   Then on May 19, 1927, the U.S. Coast Guard boat 290 was involved in a search for the missing French aircraft, White Bird, when the crew recovered an aircraft wing found floating in Fort Pond Bay near Montauk Point on the southern tip of Long Island. The wing bore no markings and had evidently been in the water for a long time. After examination, authorities didn’t believe it to be related to the missing French airplane, but some raised the possibility of it being connected with Capt. James’s disappearance, however this was never established.

     The disappearance of Captain James eventually faded into obscurity, but the mystery of what happened to him still remains.  

Sources:

Boston Daily Globe, “Capt. James Loses Way Lands In Tryingham”, May 29, 1919, page 1

Boston Daily Globe, “Briton Makes Remarkable Flight For Globe Trophy”, May 29, 1919.

New York Times, “Seek British Ace Missing In Flight”, June 2, 1919

New York Times, “Air Search For James”, June 3, 1919

The Barre Daily Times, (Vermont), “Missing Airman Being Sought”, June 3, 1919

Hartford Courant, (Conn.), “To Search West Cornwall Woods For Lost Airman”, June 3, 1919

Hartford Courant, “Airman Here Seeking Missing Canadian Ace, Believes He Is Dead”, June 4, 1919

Hartford Courant, “No Trace Yet Of Missing Aviator”, June 4, 1919

New York Times, “Five Army Planes Hunt Lost Aviator”, June 4, 1919

Hartford Courant, “Find No Trace Of Missing Ace”, June 5, 1919

The Bennington Evening Banner, (Vermont), “Hope Of Finding Captain James”, June 5, 1919

New York Times, “Seek Missing Airman In Wooded Wilderness”, June 5, 1919

Hartford Courant, “Believe James Fell Into Sound”, June 6, 1919

Harrisburg Telegraph, (Penn.), “Stunt Aviator To Hunt James”, June 6, 1919

The Washington Herald, (Washington D.C.), “Fliers Abandon Hunt For Lost Brisitsh Ace”, June 6, 1919

The Bridgeport Times And Evening Farmer, (Conn.), no headline – news item of W. C. Magune sighting James’s plane over Stratford, Conn.

Hartford Courant, “James Traced Close To Sound”, June 7, 1919

Norwich Bulletin, (Conn.), “Tracing Course Of Missing Aviator James”, June 7, 1919

The Evening World, (N.Y.), “Pulitzer Trophy Draws Crowds”, June 10, 1919

Hartford Courant, “Believe British Ace Gone Two Months Lies Dead In Mt. Riga Gully”, August 6, 1919

The Sun (New York),”Thinks He Saw Aero Of Lost Capt. James”, August 6, 1919

The Bennington Evening Farmer, (Vermont), “Saw Wrecked Airplane”, August 7, 1919

Hartford Courant, (Conn.) “No Hope Held Out Of Finding Aviator’s Body”, August 9, 1919

New York Tribune, “Obstruction In Hudson May Be British Plane”, June 22, 1921

New York Times, “Wreckage In Hudson May Be Lost Plane”, June 22, 1921

New York Tribune, “Captain James’s Plane Believed Found In River”, June 23, 1921

Norwich Bulletin, (Conn.) “Fishermen Unable To Raise Hudson Obstruction”, June 23, 1921

Hartford Courant, (Conn.) “Sunken Object In Hudson River Is Not Airplane”, June 26, 1921

Ottawa Citizen,(Canada), “Search Tyringham Woods For Plane”, December 17, 1925, page 5

Buffalo Courier, (N.Y.), “Find No Trace Of Airplane Reported Wrecked In Woods”, December 18, 1925

The Meriden Daily Journal, (Conn.), “Missing Plane Wing Claimed”, June 7, 1927, page 3

Canadian War Project, www.canadianwarproject.com

 

 

First Public Air Trips In Vermont – 1919

First Public Air Trips In Vermont -1919

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Middlebury Register, of Middlebury, Vermont, on August 8, 1919. 

FIRST PUBLIC AIR TRIPS TO BE A FEATURE OF COUNTY FAIR 

     Interest in aviation in this section has been developing at rapid strides but the best exhibition yet seen is expected to be afforded at the Addison County Fair when Lieut. John J. Lynch of Rutland will qualify here as the first public carrier of air passengers.

     Mr. Lynch, who for a month past has been making almost daily flights from Rutland and carrying a number of passengers on short trips which are said to have cost a dollar a minute, is the foremost aviator now in Vermont, and he has a particular interest in providing a good exhibition here as just prior to his enlistment in the army he was a student at Middlebury College.

     Secretary F. C. Dyer of the Fair management announced with a great deal of elation this week that he had succeeded in procuring Mr. Lynch and that if conditions are favorable he would do “all the stunt flying” that he learned in the army, and in addition would take up passengers.  It will be the first appearance of an army aviator at any Vermont fair, and added to the other entertainment attractions will doubtless bring out a large crowd for the four days of fair week.

     The rapid multiplication of automobiles in the country will make it possible for a larger number of farmers to attend than ever before and from the talk at the big farm meeting at the Government Farm last Tuesday it appeared that practically everyone in the county as well as many outsiders were planning on fair week as their next holiday.  The presence of Lynch and his plane will make it possible for any farmer to stay at the fair up to within about two minutes of milking time and then speed home in the air, if he has a dollar a minute to spare.

     Hortonia Man Will Buy Airplane   

     Lieut. Lynch made a number of flights at Meehan’s Park, Lake Dunmore, last Sunday and had a narrow escape from injuring himself and the machine while making one of his landings at the field.  Because of the size of the field, Lynch was obliged to have five men assist him in stopping the machine.  On this occasion two of the men fell, while another missed his hold on the fast moving plane, and the other two were able to do little toward holding it as it swung around toward the pavilion.  It was diverted, however, so that it did not strike the building, but ran into a fence where, however, there was little damage. 

     One of Lynch’s passengers on Sunday was Edward C. McGoff of Rutland, construction foreman for the Hortonia Power Company, who is planning on a purchase of a small flying machine to take him around to the various plants of the Hortonia Company, covering practically the entire state. This probably will constitute the first commercial use of a flying machine in Vermont.      

 

Photos OF The Former Quonset Air Museum

Photos Of The Former Quonset Air Museum

     The Quonset Air Museum was formally established in 1992 by a group of dedicated aviation enthusiasts and for many years it was a popular Rhode Island tourist destination. The museum was located in a WWII era airplane hangar at 483 Eccleston Avenue, North Kingstown, Rhode Island, in the Quonset Business Park, on land that was formerly part of the Quonset Point Naval Air Station.      

     The winter of 2013-14 produced above average snowfall amounts for Rhode Island.   In March of 2014, a portion of the museum’s roof caved in due to the weight of heavy snow that had accumulated there.  The collapse occurred in a portion of the building that was not open to visitors, and it didn’t affect any part of the museum’s collection of airplanes or artifacts, however, the building was declared unsafe and ordered closed to the public. 

     For more than two years the museum’s  board of directors worked with local and state politicians hoping to raise funds to have the building repaired and reopened, but they were unsuccessful.  The board also looked into the possibility of obtaining a site for a new building, but those plans were also unsuccessful.  

     In December of 2016 it was officially announced that the museum would remain permanently closed, and plans were begun to disperse    the museum’s collection of 28 aircraft to other organizations.

     As of this posting, the future of the former WWII aircraft hangar which housed the museum is uncertain.  

      Click on the images to enlarge.

Northeast side of the Quonset Air Museum – 2004

Quonset Air Museum
Interior View – 2008

Quonset Air Museum – 2008

Quonset Air Museum – 2008

Quonset Air Museum – 2008

Southeast lot of the Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Southeast lot Quonset Air Museum 2009

TBM-3E Avenger
Recovered from the woods of Maine in 1991.
Restored by the Quonset Air Museum.
Photo taken in 2009.

     This TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 53914), was built by General Motors in 1944.  In 1963 it was sold as surplus to a private company and converted to a crop duster.  In 1972 it crashed in the woods of northern Maine where it remained until 1991 when it was recovered by members of the Quonset Air Museum.  It was brought to Quonset where volunteers painstakingly restored it to original condition.

The TBM-3E Avenger modified for crop spraying as it looked in 1991. Note the engine is missing, and the cowl ring lies in the foreground.
Photo courtesy Larry Webster,
Quonset Air Museum.

How the Avenger looked upon arrival at the
Quonset Air Museum – 1991
Courtesy Larry Webster, Quonset Air Museum

Interior of TBM-3E
Quonset Air Museum

 

F6F-5 Hellcat undergoing restoration.
Quonset Air Museum – 2009

     On April 3, 1945, Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz was piloting an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70185), on a training mission off the island Nantucket, Massachusetts, when he was forced to ditch in the 42 degree water due to engine trouble.  He got out of the plane safely before it sank, but died before rescue boats could arrive.  In late 1993 the Hellcat was recovered by members of the Quonset Air Museum and eventually brought to Quonset for restoration.  It was planned to make the aircraft a memorial to Ensign Frankwitz.  While much work was done on the plane, as of the museum’s closing, the restoration had not yet been completed.      

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

U.S. Navy P2V Neptune
Before Restoration
Quonset Air Museum – 2009

P2V Neptune during restoration – 2009
Quonset Air Museum

P2V Neptune
Quonset Air Museum

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Wicker seat from an early airplane.
Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Joseph Zino Human Powered Aircraft Display
Quonset Air Museum – 2009

     The display pictured above depicted memorabilia relating to Joseph Zino and his human powered aircraft, The Olympian.  (The tail section of The Olympian can be seen in the display case.)  The airplane made its first flight on April 16, 1976.  It was the first human powered airplane to ever fly in in New England.   

 

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

     The above two photographs show the restored Blue Angel aircraft honoring Lt. Cmdr. Mike Gershon who was killed at Niagara Falls, New York, on July 13, 1985, while preforming with the navy’s Blue Angels team.

Quonset Air Museum – 2009

U. S. Navy Banshee
under restoration
Quonset Air Museum – 2012

U.S. Navy F2H Banshee
Under restoration
Quonset Air Museum – 2012

 

Granite sign located near the entrance of the north east side of the building.

 

 

Charles B. Whittlesey’s Airship – 1908

Charles B. Whittlesey’s Airship – 1908

 

     In or about August of 1908, Charles B. Whittlesey Jr., Age 9, of Hartford, Connecticut, saw plans for building a dirigible airship in a Sunday newspaper.  The plans didn’t seem too complicated, so he brought the matter to his father, Charles Sr., who was superintendent of the Hartford Rubber Works.  Mr. Whittlesey liked the idea of building a scale-model airship, and figured it would be good publicity for the rubber company. 

     After enlisting the help of several workers, construction was begun in a vacant area of the factory.  The finished airship had a cigar shaped gas bag that was eight-and-a-half feet long, and eighteen inches in diameter, made of “Indian Mull” and covered with rubber cement.  It could hold fourteen cubic feet of gas. 

     A framework was suspended beneath the gas-bag which held a small battery operated “Rex” motor that drove a four inch wide, three-blade wooden propeller 300 revolutions per minute.         

     The entire airship weighed slightly less than four pounds.

     When completed, the airship was named the “Hartford 1”. 

     Initial testing was done in November of 1908, and several successful flights were made in the back lot of the factory.  The gas bag wasn’t large enough to lift the ship to any great height, and the ship lacked a rudder, but Mr. Whittlesey could see the potential and planned to make improvements on the initial design.   

     The Hartford 1 was presented to Charles Jr. on his birthday, November 24, 1908. 

     Source:

     Hartford Courant, “The First Airship Made In Hartford”, November 24, 1908.       

The Aerial Construction Company Of Hartford – 1911

The Aerial Construction Company Of Hartford – 1911

     The Aerial Construction Company of Hartford, Connecticut, was established in September of 1911 for the purpose of building a commercial airship of German design that could carry passengers.  The business office was located at 212 Asylum Street, Room 10, in Hartford.

     The company started with $50,000 in capital.

     The officers of the company were listed as: President, F. W. Dart; Vice-President, F. W. Stickle; Treasurer, F. C. Billings; Secretary, H. Franklin Wells; managing Director, Joseph K. Kopacka, all of Hartford.

     The company’s Chief Engineer was listed as John Twardus of Germany, who was known for his work in aeronautics.   

     The company announced plans to begin construction of its first airship, to be named “The Hartford Flyer”, as soon as possible.  The Hartford Flyer  would have a 135 foot long cigar-shaped gas-bag with a car situated underneath capable of carrying seven passengers and a pilot. The ship would be powered by a 75 h.p. motor capable of driving it through the air at forty to fifty miles per hour.

     It is unknown if this airship was completed.  

     Source:

     Hartford Courant, “A New Commercial Airship”, September 19, 1911

Connecticut Airplane Contest – 1912

Connecticut Airplane Contest – 1912

     On July 28, 1912, an aerial contest between two well known aviators, Charles K. Hamilton, and Nels J. Nelson, took place in the town of Berlin, Connecticut.  The well advertised event was attended by over 5,000 people.

     The first contest was the “testing of winds”.  Hamilton was in the air for three minutes and four seconds, while Nelson remained aloft for seven minutes and ten seconds. 

     The “quick starting” contest was held next.  Hamilton got off the ground in 311 feet, 9 inches, while Nelson’s airplane only required 172 feet, 9 inches to get airborne. 

     For the “bomb dropping” event, a target was placed on the ground and each aviator was to make a “bombing runs” at it using oranges.   On his first run, Nelson’s orange hit the ground 51 feet, 1 inch, from the target’s center, and 9 feet, 10 inches on his second.  His third orange hit 17 feet from the center.

     Meanwhile, Charles Hamilton’s oranges struck the ground 27 feet, 18 feet, and 47 feet, 8 inches, respectively.     

     The final contest involved flying a figure-eight in the air.  As Hamilton was starting to take off, an intoxicated man stepped in front of his aircraft and was struck in the head by one of the wings.  He was knocked to the ground and received a bad cut.  Once the man had received treatment, Hamilton took off, but only circled the airfield once due to wing damage from the accident.  After making some repairs, he completed his figure-eight over the judges in just 55 seconds.  Nelson completed his figure-eight in two minutes.       

     When all the scores were tallied, it was determined that the contest had resulted in a tie. 

     Source:

     Hartford Courant, (Conn.), “Aeroplane Duel Results In Tie”, July 29, 1912  

 

 

Mystery Aircraft Over New England – 1917

Mystery Aircraft Over New England – 1917

     The following newspaper articles relate to some unidentified aircraft (Airplanes) reportedly seen at night by residents of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire during March and April of 1917, a time when World War I was being waged in Europe, and foreign submarines were known to be prowling the waters off New England.  It’s unknown if the pilot(s) of these airplanes were ever identified.    

    It was initially assumed that the reported sightings were a mistake, for navigating an airplane at night between the hills, mountains, and valleys of northern New England was considered difficult if not impossible for even the best of pilots.  Besides dealing with unpredictable air currents, there was always the chance of blindly flying into the side of a mountain.

     The following newspaper story appeared in The Brattleboro Daily Reformer, (Brattleboro, VT), on March 24, 1917.  The initial sighting of the aircraft that reportedly passed over West Dummerston, Vermont, occurred two days earlier on Thursday, March 22.   At the time the article was written, the United States had not yet entered the war. 

MYSTERY STILL LACKS SOLUTION

Sound Thought To Have Been Made By Airplane Also heard Here

Mentioned To Wife By Esteyville Man

     George Houghton was in woodshed when something that sounded like airplane passed overhead – not likely that it was such a machine.

     Whatever it was that disturbed residents of West Dummerston Thursday night and gave them the idea that one or more airplanes were circling about the town was heard by George Houghton, a resident of Estyville, who reported to his wife as he entered the house from the woodshed that he had heard in the air what he believed was the noise of an airplane engine.  He saw no light and said nothing about the matter publicly until after the reports from West Dummerston were published in The Reformer yesterday.

     In spite of the insistence of those who were attracted by the strange noise and who saw the moving lights that they must have been airplanes, the probabilities are very strongly to the contrary.

     A. G. Thurber of West Dummerston said that one light which he watched for some time resembled an arc light and that it moved up rapidly and then appeared to maintain a level.  he said that it was apparently a long distance away, but was moving rapidly, he judged.  The other two lights were smaller and at different points of the compass and were red.  He heard no noise, but was indoors all the time.

     Airplanes, to maintain themselves in the air, require a speed of from 30 to 40 miles an hour and to mount higher the pilot finds it necessary to describe great circles.  While, according to Mr. Thurber, one of the lights might have been making the required speed, there seems to be no one who considered that the light was moving in great circles as it rose higher and higher.

     If it were to be conceded that one or more airplanes were in flight in this locality Thursday night there are men in the United States who are better airmen than the government experts ever suspected.  Since the European war developed, almost overnight wonderful improvements have been made in the construction of heavier-than-air machines, and since hundreds of pilots now drive machines on long raids at night there are very few, if any, who are able to manipulate machines at night low in the treacherous air currents to be found among the hills and valleys of Vermont.

     An airplane requires considerable ground from which to get started in its flight.  The pilot also requires a fair sized space , reasonably level and free from obstructions, upon which to alight and it is essential that he see where he is going when making a landing.  Pilots who make night flights in airplanes are guided to their landing places by a system of illumination prepared in advance and understood by the pilot.

     The probability of such a landing place being located anywhere within flying range of West Dummerston or Brattleboro is very remote.  If there is such, there is no need for the Vermont Aero Club to seek a landing place in the neighborhood of Brattleboro.  It has been proposed by the club, in the interests of aviation, to select numerous landing places throughout the state and have them designated so that pilots of the future would know where they might land.

     Meanwhile the mysterious noise in the air and the lights seen by several are mysteries still.  if not airplanes, what?  If airplanes, by whom operated, where from, and what for? 

*********

     The United States officially entered World War I on April 6, 1917. 

     On April 13, an unidentified airplane was sighted over the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, area, and fired upon by national guardsmen.  Portsmouth is about 100 miles to the east of West Dummerston, Vermont.  It is unknown if the West Dummerston and Portsmouth sightings were related.    

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Brattleboro Daily Reformer on April 13, 1917.  

MYSTERY ABOUT THIS AIRPLANE

Flew Close To Portsmouth Navy Yard And Was Fired At By National Guardsmen.

     Portsmouth, N.H., April 13 – National guardsmen stationed on the bridge between this city and Kittery, Me., early today fired several shots at an airplane which came in from the harbor and flew across the bridge.

     The airplane, evidently not hit, proceeded up the Piscataqua River and disappeared.  Officials at the navy yard were notified.  They said that no airplane had left the yard or any naval vessel stationed there. 

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     The following newspaper story appeared in The Barre Daily Times, (Barre, VT.), on April 18, 1917.  It referred to another sighting over the Piscataqua River which occurred on Monday, April 15th.  

NAVY CAPTAIN HUNTS STRANGE AEROPLANE

Mysterious Aircraft Seen Near Portsmouth Navy Yard – Sought In Mountains.

     Boston, April 18 – A Mysterious aeroplane was sighted over the Boston & Maine railroad bridge across the Piscataqua by Massachusetts National Guardsmen Monday night.   Capt. W. L. Howard, Commandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard, sent a telephone message to Capt. William R. Bush , commandant of the Charlestown Navy Yard, yesterday, and the latter issued the following statement on the report:  

     “Commanding officer of the 6th Massachusetts National Guard , detailed to watch the Boston & Maine railroad bridge over the Piscataqua River, reports that the sentry on watch at 11:20 p.m. last night distinctly saw an aeroplane coming, to which he called the attention to the other sentries on the bridge, and the four of them watched the aeroplane for five minutes, circling to the northward of the bridge.  It made no attempt to come over the bridge, but the four men are positive that they saw the aeroplane in the manner mentioned.

     The commandant thinks that there is something in this aeroplane business and thinks it must have a base in the mountains to the north of Portsmouth.

     The sheriff of Rochester, N. H., has sworn in a squad of men and they are circling the mountains in the district.  The commandant has taken it up with the press associations and asked their co-operation in getting information.” 

     *********    

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Brattleboro Daily Reformer, April 19, 1917. 

ANOTHER FLIGHT OVER PORTSMOUTH

Naval Authorities Renewing Search Today For Mysterious Airplane

May Have Base In White Mountains

Commandant Of The Navy Yard Has Called On The Civil Authorities To Co-operate In Effort To Locate The Aviator

     Portsmouth, N.H., April 19 – Naval authorities renewed the search today for a mysterious airplane whose night prowling over many parts of new Hampshire has been reported recently by citizens and soldiers, in view of the reports that another flight was made over this city last night.

     Messages stating an aviator had sailed over York Beach, Me., and Hampton, reached the navy yard shortly after telephone calls were received from persons here who asserted that they distinctly observed the craft in the vicinity of the yard.

      No government airplane of any description has been operated hereabouts according to naval officers, who frankly admitted that they could not account for the positive statement by members of the National Guard that they had fired on a machine over the city. 

     Capt. William Howard, commandant of the yard, has requested the civil authorities to co-operate with the government in its effort to locate the aviator and learn something regarding reports that he had been operating from a secret base in the White Mountains.

*********    

 

Woodstock Connecticut Fair Advertisement – 1913

Woodstock, Connecticut, Fair Advertisement – 1913

Woodstock, Conn. Fair Advertisement

Putnam Patriot – 1913

Early Connecticut Balloon Ascensions (And Mishaps) of Professor Alfred E. Moore

Early Connecticut Balloon Ascensions (And Mishaps) Of Professor Alfred E. Moore  

     

     Professor Alfred E. Moore, (1858-1890), was an early Connecticut aeronaut from the town of Winsted, who was perhaps best known for his balloon ascensions with photographer John G. Doughty, (1857-1910), during which some of earliest aerial photographs of the Nutmeg State were taken. 

     Professor Moore’s first balloon ascension took place at the former Cherry Park in the town of Avon, Connecticut, on July 4, 1885. 

    On the evening of July 29th, 1885, Professor Moore and another well known Connecticut aeronaut, Silas M. Brooks, (1824-1906), made a balloon ascension from Winsted, Connecticut, in a balloon named “Winsted” after the town.  This was Moore’s second balloon flight.  The Winsted was reported to be “the largest balloon now in existence”, measuring 80 feet height and 120 feet around, with a gas capacity of 30,000 cubic feet, and capable of lifting 15,000 pounds.   Unfortunately, this flight ended badly when the balloon encountered a severe storm.   

     The following excerpt is from a newspaper article which appeared in the Alexandria Gazette, (Virginia), on August 4, 1885, detailing the ill fated flight.

     “The ascension was made from the public square in the center of the town.  Brooks and Moore entered the car and gave the word.  The cables were cast off and instantly the big machine of silk and cordage sped up into the air like a rifle bullet.  The size of the balloon and its light load, for others had been expected to join the party in the car, made its ascent unusually rapid.  All went well until the aeronauts had reached an elevation of 2,000 feet.  Although they were above the clouds, they were caught in a storm, which proved to be the heaviest experienced in that part of the state for years.  Becoming terrified by the lightning they began to descend, and passed through the cloud in safety, although the balloon suffered from the heavy rain and the gas began to escape.  When within 100 feet of the ground the machine was rocking violently from side to side.  As they fell the two men threw out sand bags, and, losing too much ballast, the balloon careened wildly.  The gas escaped, the car was overturned, Brooks and Moore lost their hold on the slippery rail and fell headlong from the car.  The crowds that had been cheering wildly a few minutes before stood out in the pouring rain in their eagerness to see the descent, and did their best to catch the aeronauts as they fell.  Brooks was picked up badly hurt.  He is expected to die.  Moore’s injuries are not so serious.”

*********

     History has shown that Silas Brooks survived his ordeal and lived for another 21 years.           

     About a month after that perilous flight, Professor Moore made his third balloon ascension on September 3, taking with him as a passenger photographer John Doughty.  

     The following article appeared in the Morning Journal And Courier of New Haven, Connecticut, on September 4, 1885.   It relates the details of that third flight, and also mentions the ill fated flight of July 29th.

THE BALLOONISTS

Their Arrival And Reception In Southington – The Aeronauts Experiences On Their Trip  

     Southington, Sept. 3. – Look!  Oh, Look!  See that big thing up there.  Oh! Charlie, why what is it?  Don’t you know?  Why it is a balloon.  Such were the remarks overheard by the Courier correspondent last evening as Prof. Moore with his balloon passed over this town as briefly noted in the Courier yesterday. For about twenty minutes hundreds of people kept their eyes heavenward awaiting with no little anxiety to see where and when the thing would drop.  About 6:20 the balloon made a descent and was lost from the sight of our townspeople.  Numerous were the queries as to where the balloon had landed, but about 8 o’clock they were all dispelled by the news of the arrival of J. C. Messenger and the two aeronauts, Alfred E. Moore and John G. Doughty.  After they had partaken of a lunch they were found at the Bradley House by your correspondent and the following was gleaned from the highflyers: “We left Winsted at 5 o’clock with our balloon and apparatus and made the ascent very rapidly.  The balloon was inflated near the gas works, from which spot we made our start.  Several persons tried to prevail on us to  wait until Thursday, but we made up our minds that procrastination was the thief of time, so we did not calculate on being robbed.  As soon as the ropes were cut we started on our journey and when about one thousand feet above Winsted we photographed the spectators and from (the) time we landed in Kensington on the farm of E. J. Whitehead we took twenty views of the different towns, lakes, groves, and mountains over which we traveled.  We made the distance of forty miles in one hour and twenty minutes.  The balloon when inflated stands forty feet high and is seventy-two feet in diameter, and weighs, with the basket, 500 pounds, and has a capacity of 30,000 cubic feet for the reception of gas.  The gas used in ascension was common illuminating gas.  The occupants of the basket at the time of making the ascension were myself, Alfred E. Moore, and Mr. John C. Doughty, son of the leading photographer, and a carrier pigeon, which we let loose when over Bristol.”  Mr. Moore further stated that this was his third ascension and that the balloon, which is his property, is the second one he ever saw, the first being the Fourth of July last, when he made an ascension from Cherry Park alone and traveled nineteen miles in sixteen minutes.  On the 29th of the same month he, in company with Professor Silas M. Brooks, who has made 166 ascensions in his life, made an ascent from Winsted and came very near being killed by the balloon being torn open.  Professor Brooks had his body blackened in a horrible manner.  Mr. Moore says that the beauty of riding in a balloon is that your course is all the at “double tracked; no danger of a collision up there.”  The balloon was carted to the depot this morning by a man named Carey and was the object of much curiosity.            

*********

     On October 1, 1886, Professor Moore experienced another aeronautical adventure in a balloon.  On that date he ascended from Bristol, Connecticut, and when the balloon had risen to about 8,000 feet it was caught in a strong northeast wind current which carried it towards Hartford at a rapid rate.  While passing over the city Moore began jettisoning ballast, which caused the balloon to suddenly plunge downwards where it came down in some trees on Birch Mountain in Manchester, Connecticut.   Local farmers had to cut down four trees to rescue Moore from his badly wrecked balloon.

     Moore had traveled a distance of 35 miles from his starting point in only 25 minutes, giving him an estimated speed of 84 mile per hour.   

     Professor Alfred Moore died July 15, 1890.  The following announcement appeared in the Evening Star, (A Washington, D.C. newspaper) on July 16, 1890.

DEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN AERONAUT    

     Alfred E. Moore, president of the franklin Moore Bolt Company at West Winsted, Conn., died yesterday of Bright’s disease.  He was prominently known in the iron trade of the country and had achieved a wide reputation as an aeronaut, having made a number of ascensions.  One of his most notable ascensions was made June 17, 1887, from Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis.  The monster balloon which Moore had built at his Connecticut home for this particular ascension, at the expense of a newspaper , had been waiting a week for favorable air currents.  The voyagers were Mr. Moore, in charge of the expedition; H. Allen Hazen of Washington, connected with the United States Signal Service, and Prof. John G. Doughty, photographer.  The highest point reached was 16,000 feet, greatest altitude, probably, ever reached by a balloon in this country.  A premature descent was made near Centralia, Ill., 55 miles northeast from St. louis, the balloon having become nearly unmanageable.  The landing was very difficult and dangerous.  The event was eminently successful from a scientific point of view, according to Prof. Hazen’s report.  It was the intention of the projectors that the balloon should land somewhere on the Atlantic coast, thus proving the existence of an easterly air current, but the failure to work satisfactorily prevented this.    

*********

     Alfred E. Moore is buried in Forest View Cemetery in Winsted, Ct.  

     It is unknown how many balloon ascensions Professor Moore made during his aeronautical career, but the following ascensions are documented:

     September 9, 1886: Moore ascended from the fair grounds at New Milford, Connecticut, and landed about one hour later in Merwinsville. 

     September 22, 1886:  Moore ascended from the fair grounds in Watertown, Connecticut, and landed 18 miles away on the farm of E. C. Stillman in Meriden, Conn.

     September 30, 1886: Moore ascended in his new balloon, “The Comet”, from the Southington Driving Park.  This was reportedly The Comet’s first flight.      

     Sources:

     Morning Journal And Courier, (New Haven, CT.) “The Great Winsted Balloon”, July 27, 1885

     Alexandria Gazette, (Virginia), “Fell from A Balloon”, August 4, 1885

     Morning Journal And Courier, Balloon Ascension Announcements, Spet. 9, 22, & 30, 1886

     Morning Journal And Courier, “A Terrific Balloon Ride”, October 2, 1886

     Evening Star, (Wash. D.C.), “Death Of A Well-Known Aeronaut”, July 16, 1890  

     www.findagrave.com, memorial # 123726647

Harvard University Aeronautical Society – Harvard 1

Harvard University Aeronautical Society – Harvard 1

Vintage postcard view of a

Curtiss Airplane

      The Harvard University Aeronautical Society was established in November of 1909 with 250 charter members.  In 1910 the society constructed its own airplane, a Curtiss style biplane called the “Harvard 1”.  It was the first airplane to be owned by any college or university in America.  

     The following newspaper articles relate to the “Harvard 1”  

*********

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Caucasian, (Shreveport, La.), on January 25, 1910.   

     HARVARD TO BUILD AN AEROPLANE

     All the materials and accessories necessary to the construction of a first class, full size aeroplane have been ordered by the Harvard University Aeronautical Society.  J. V. Martin, director of the organization, has been authorized to make such purchases as he may deem necessary to build a two passenger biplane.  Plans of the machine have already been completed.  When it comes time to manufacture the various parts needed in the construction of the aeroplane the work will be done by undergraduates in the Harvard engineering and scientific departments, and the assembling of the machine will also be under their charge.    

*********

     By June of 1910 the Harvard 1 was ready for testing.  The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Bridgeport, Ct.), on June 14, 1910.

HARVARD’S AEROPLANE HAS TRIAL FLIGHT ON SOLDIERS FIELD TODAY

     Boston, June 14 – Harvard’s new aeroplane, the first flying machine owned by any college in America, went for the first time under its own power in a series of engine testing feats on Soldiers Field today.  The Harvard I, as it has named, did not leave the ground, and the attempt to fly will not be made until tomorrow morning, when if the weather is propitious, the machine will have further tests.

     In the trials this morning the aeroplane simply covered the length of the field four times on the rubber-tired wheels with which it is equipped for starting purposes.  The engine proved able to drive the propeller at 1,200 revolutions per minute and to develop in the propeller a thrust of 190 pounds.

     The aeroplane developed speed quicker than an automobile and within 100 yards was going at about 20 miles per hour.

*********

     The following article appeared in The Washington Times, (Washington D.C.),  on July 11, 1910.

HARVARD AEROPLANE MAKES TWO FLIGHTS

     Boston, July 11 – Harvard aeroplane No. 1 made two fairly successful flights on Soldiers Field today.  In the first the machine traveled fifty yards.  Fifteen minutes later the machine went an estimated distance of 150 yards.  During the first flight an altitude of four or five feet was attained and in the second flight about eight feet.

     When descending from the second flight the machine landed on the left rear wheel, breaking it and disabling the machine for further use today.  It was operated by J. B. Martin.  The Harvard Aeronautical Association has announced that it will build another machine of the passenger-carrying type.  

*********

     The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Bridgeport, Ct.), on July 12, 1910, page 4. 

     HARVARD AEROPLANE IS AGAIN SMASHED

     Boston, Mass., July 12 – Harvard aeronauts today are busily engaged patching up their aeroplane Harvard I which has again been smashed after twice getting off the ground in the first flights of its erratic career.  In the latest attempt the flier covered 100 yards at about five to eight feet from the ground.  The was preceded by a trip of 50 yards. 

     As the ship was making good speed towards the bleachers it collapsed, landing on the left rear wheel and straining a wire.  In a subsequently attempted flight, this wire snapped.  The Harvard Aeronautical Club proposes to begin working on a passenger ship within a week. The latter craft, together with the Harvard I, will compete in the aero meet this coming September at the stadium.

*********

     (The aero meet referred to was the famous Harvard-Boston Aero Meet of 1910.)  Click here for more info: Boston Harvard Aero Meet 

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     The following article appeared in the New York Tribune, August 27, 1910, page 4.

WIND DAMAGES AEROPLANES

     Boston, Aug. 26 – The two flying machines now assembled on the aviation field at Atlantic, where, from September 3 to 13, is to be held the Harvard-Boston Aero Meet, were almost carried off to-day by a gale of wind during a heavy rainstorm. The machines – the Harvard I aeroplane and the Pfitzner monoplane – were stripped clear of the their covering, and the monoplane lost its wings.

     H. F. Kearney, an aviator, of Missouri, who is to fly the Pfitzner monoplane, had expected to make his first flight on the Atlantic field to-day, but the storm forced him to abandon the attempt. 

     Cromwell Dixon, in his dirigible airship, declares that on Tuesday he is going to try to fly from Boston to Plymouth, more than forty miles, landing as near Plymouth Rock as possible.  later he intends to retrace Paul revere’s historic ride through Middlesex County towns , to circle Bunker Hill Monument and to maneuver over the navy yard at Charlestown and over vessels in the harbor, dropping imitation bombs.

*********

     Other Sources:

     The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, “Harvard Men To Build Biplane”, February 26, 1910, page 6.

Balloon Ascension, Brockton, Mass. – c. 1910

Balloon Ascension, Brockton, Massachusetts – Circa 1910

Vintage Postcard View Of Brockton, Mass., Balloon Ascension

The Harvard-Boston Aero Meet of 1910

The Harvard-Boston Aero Meet of 1910

   

Vintage postcard view of a
Curtiss Airplane

     The Harvard-Boston Aero Meet of 1910 was the first international air-meet of its kind ever held in the United States, and became an aviation record setting event.  Some newspapers touted it as “the greatest meet of its kind ever held in America”, and it was, for it eclipsed the first international aviation meet that was held in Reims, France, the year before.  

     Although it was advertised as the “Harvard-Boston Aero Meet”, the event was actually held on a 500 acre tract of land on the Squantum Peninsula in the neighboring town of Quincy, but some newspapers reported the location as being in “Boston”, “Squantum”, “Atlantic”, or “Soldiers Field”.

     The air meet was originally scheduled to be held from September 3rd thru September 13, but was so successful that it was extended for two additional days.  Preparations had been made months before the start, with advertising and promotion, vendors, and the construction of grandstands capable of seating 150,000 people, and parking areas which could accommodate up to 10,000 automobiles.

     The event came about through the efforts of the Aero Club of New England and the Harvard Aeronautical Society of Harvard University.   

     The following newspaper article which appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Bridgeport, CT.), on May 24, 1910, indicates that during the early planning stages there was some disagreement between the various aero clubs across the country.     

     INSURGENTS WILL NOW HOLD RIVAL AVIATION MEETS

     New York, May 24. – When the board of governors of the Aero Club of America meets this afternoon to decide formally upon a place for holding the international aviation contest and to award the contract for financing the meet, it is not likely that representatives of the various aero clubs throughout America will be present following the split which has resulted in the foundation of a rival aero club.  The split will probably be followed by new complications in the patent suits of the Wright Brothers which were thought to have ended when the Aero Club of America recently recognized the validity of the Wrights patents and agreed that no aviation meet should be held in America unless it consed (newspaper word/spelling) by the Wright company.  

     The clubs which were formally affiliated with the Aero Club of America and which have now broken away to form the American Aeronautic Association are the aero organizations of Indianapolis, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Harvard, Illinois, Washington and Buffalo.  The Aero Club of America declares that the association of out-of-town clubs will in no way affect the international aviation meet to be held in October, plans for which will be completed this afternoon.

     The insurgents say they will in their turn hold such aviation meetings as they see fit.  This will surely be followed by legal complications for the Wright company would immediately seek to enjoin any meeting held without license.  If the courts uphold the validity of the Wright patents as some have done heretofore, opposition would be useless.

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     An unrelated dispute arose between two of America’s top aviators, Glenn Curtiss and Charles Hamilton, which was reported in the New York Tribune, on August 2, 1910, page 2.

HARVARD MEET IN DANGER   

Aero Club Can’t Settle Dispute Between Curtis And Hamilton

Both Men Prove Obstinate

Hamilton Still Without License, And Curtis Insists He Stick To Old Agreement

     Aviators have highly sensitive organisms, and when they fall out there is not much use in a third party trying to reconcile them.

     Curtiss and Hamilton have not smiled when speaking of each other for several weeks now.

     “You can’t fly at Harvard in any machine other than the one I make at Hammondsport,” says Curtiss to the bull-headed younger man.

     “I won’t fly anywhere unless in a machine not made by Curtiss,” replies Hamilton to one and all.

     And then the third party, the national council of the Aero Club of America, tried to calm the breezes and invent some means whereby both aviators could make money while utilizing the same sky.

     The council met at 3 p.m. yesterday and worked hard until 7 o’clock.  It was decided that that body could sanction only an aeromatic show that was open to any licensed and duly qualified aviator.

     The action settled the right of Hamilton to fly at Harvard, without of course, involving the council concerning the alleged contract existing between Curtiss and Hamilton, which Curtiss maintains, binds Hamilton to fly the former’s type of machine for a stated period.

     Although Hamilton has not yet been “licensed” by the Aero Club, no doubt is prevalent of his ability to qualify.  It would, in fact, be a serious undertaking for any aviator in America to duplicate the things that Hamilton  might well be expected to do while proving that he knew how to be a pilot.

     Curtiss was appointed by the club some time ago to “observe Mr. Hamilton for three flights,” so the officials might be guided in giving him a license.  Curtiss has requested that the club waive the triple observation and issue the license any way.

     All this then points to the probability that if Hamilton does not fly at the Harvard aeronautic meet, September 3 to 13, it will not be because he is short on qualification.

     But it does not lessen the strain on a lot of persons as to whether Curtiss and Hamilton will fly at Harvard together or separately, or whether Harvard will have any aeronautical meet.  The action of the council yesterday doesn’t help Curtiss or Hamilton to attain equilibrium.  It is said by Curtiss’s manager, J. S. Fanciulli, who is also secretary of the executive committee of the council, that Curtiss will not fly at Harvard if the aero club of that learned institution consents to Hamilton’s appearance in a machine not named for his principal.      

     Hamilton said last night after the conference that he would not go to Harvard or take any steps leading toward Harvard unless he was invited – he might add, urged.

     It is all most unsatisfactory and befuddled to many interested enthusiasts.

     Israel Ludlow was Hamilton’s attorney at the meeting yesterday.  Fanciulli was invited to retire temporarily as secretary, but was commended in a resolution later.

     It is said he will be retained by the council in that capacity, and will also manage the making of exhibition contracts for Curtiss.

     “I am at a loss to explain the action of the National Council of the Aero Club of America,” said President A. Lawrence Rotch of the Harvard Aeronautical Club, when told to-night at his summer home in Northeast Harbor, Me., of the council’s step in deciding to withhold sanction of the Harvard aviation meet in September unless the entry of Charles K. Hamilton is accepted.  

     President Rotch declined to say whether or not the meet would be held regardless of the official sanction, saying it was a matter for the directors to consider.

     Adams D. Claflin, manager of the meet, denied that any one had been barred from competing.  he added: “Hamilton can fly if he wants to.  I can assign no reason for the action of the national council.” 

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     Apparently all matters were settled for the aero meet took place as scheduled, and Charles Hamilton and Glenn Cutriss participated.        

     Initially balloons of all types were going to be allowed to participate in the aero meet, and plans were in the works for constructing a hydrogen plant, however, in mid-August it was announced that balloons would not be allowed so as not to detract from the airplane flying contests.  

Vintage postcard image of Boston Light

     The Harvard-Boston Aero Meet drew the world’s top airmen of the day.  One particular incentive was a $10,000 cash prize offered by the Boston Globe newspaper for the fastest flight by “any kind of flying machine from Soldiers Field to Boston Light” and back, without stopping.   The distance from the airfield to the light was reported to be a little more than 12 miles which meant an aircraft had to cover almost 25 miles.  This might seem mundane in today’s world, but aviation technology was still in its infancy in 1910, and a pilot had to be confident of his abilities and his machine to attempt such a “long distance” water crossing.  And besides the fame that would go to the winner, ten-thousand dollars was a fortune.   This contest was open to anyone, and contenders were welcome to try their best efforts each day of the meet 12 noon and 7 p.m.   Furthermore, a contestant would be allowed to fly the course as many times as they dared.         

Curtiss Airplane

     In addition to the Globe’s prize money, cash prizes totaling $50,000 were to be awarded to the winners of other contests which included “duration flights” to see who could stay in the air the longest; bomb dropping contests, where points would be scored for accuracy; “get away” contests, to see who take off in the shortest distance; and “accuracy in landing”, to see who could land closest to a designated spot on the field.  These contests were open to all types of mechanical aircraft.

     On August 20, 1910, the New York Tribune reported in part: “No aviation meet held in this country, and probably none yet held in the world, has had such a representative list of foremost aviators as is assured the Harvard-Boston Aero Meet according to the list of entrants to date, announced to-night.  The entry list is international and includes seventeen individual aviators and eleven types of air navigating machines.  The latter embrace the three principal standard types – the monoplane, biplane, and triplane.  It will be the first time the latter type has been exhibited in this country. ”    

      The entrants to date, with their respective types of airship, are as follows: 

     Walter Brookins and Arthur Johnstone, Wirght biplane. (This should read Ralph Johnstone, not Arhtur.)

     M. Didier Masson, Vendome aeroplane.

     A. V. Roe, Roe triplane. (Mr. Roe’s full name was Alliott Vernon Roe.)

     C. Graham-White, Farman biplane and Bleriot monoplane.

     William M. Hillard, Herring-Burgess biplane.  

     J. M. Allias, Harvard biplane.

     Dr. W. W. Christmas, Christmas biplane. ( Full name William W. Christmas, 1865-1960)

     John G. Stratton, Burgess-Curtiss aeroplane.

     Horace F. Kearney, Pfitzner aeroplane

     Greeley S. Curtiss, Bleriot monoplane,

     Ernest P. Lincoln, Clifford B. Harmon, Captain Thomas Baldwin and Jacques De Lesseps.

     For the purposes of exhibition only, Cromwell Dixon also will appear in a dirigible balloon.

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A vintage postcard view of a Bleriot monoplane.

     As the aviators arrived in Boston in preparation for the meet, their aircraft were secured in tents at the airfield.  On August 26 disaster struck for two of them when a severe storm came through the area and severely damaged two planes; the Harvard I, belonging to the Harvard Aero Club, and the Pfitzner monoplane owned by Horace Kearney.  Both aircraft had their canvas skins shredded and the wings from Kearney’s monoplane were pulled away. 

     Meanwhile, aeronaut Cromwell Dixon, stated to the press that on Tuesday, August 30, he planned to fly his dirigible airship from Boston to Plymouth, Massachusetts, a distance of more than forty miles, and landing as close to  Plymouth Rock as possible.  He then planned to retrace Paul Revere’s historic ride via the air, and circle the Bunker Hill Monument before continuing out over Boston Harbor where he would drop imitation bombs on naval vessels. 

     Cromwell Dixon was born July 9, 1892, and by the age of 14 had built his own airship.  In September of 1910, at 18,  he was one of America’s youngest aviators.  He died in an aviation accident on October 2, 1911, in Spokane, Washington.  

Souvenir Postcard View of A. V. Roe’s Triplane

     One aircraft that drew a great deal of attention was a tri-plane belonging to aviator A. V. Roe, (Alliott V. Roe, 1877-1958), which was the first of its kind seen in America. It was reported that his competitors were anxious to see how it would perform against their biplanes and monoplanes. 

     It also was announced that there would be a woman aviator taking part in the meet, 21-year-old Miss Emily T. Willard, of Melrose, Massachusetts, sister of well known aviator Charles F. Willard, hailed by the press to be one of America’s most daring aviators. 

     By September 1st the number of aviators registered to compete in the aero meet had risen to twenty-two.  The following in an excerpt of an article that appeared in The Salt Lake Tribune, (Utah), on September 2, 1910, page 10.       

    “ When the contest committee closed the entries at noon, twenty-two aviators and thirteen different makes of aeroplanes had been registered.  Among the latest to file their applications were Stanley Y. Beach, who will be seen in a Bleriot equipped with a gyroscope for securing stability – the first of its kind: H. Rietmann, with a helicopter, also the only one of its kind: H. A. Connors, with a Connors biplane; Augustus Post, with a Curtiss biplane, and John W. Wilson, who will be seen in a unique man-propelled monoplane.”          

A Vintage Souvenir Postcard of
Claude Grahame-White’s Bleriot monoplane

     The evening before the aero meet was to begin, English aviator Claude Grahame-White made a practice flight around the airfield.  The following morning, people began to gather at the field before sunrise to be sure they obtained prime viewing locations.  Not wanting to disappoint the early risers, Grahame-White started his aircraft and took off to make a six mile flight circling the field, thus unofficially opening the meet.       

      The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Conn.), reported in part; “Grahame-White left the ground within five minutes after his machine was run out of the tent which had sheltered it.  He flew three times around the course marked out on the field.  The first lap was made in 2:16.75 official time.  The second lap was completed in 2:17.75.”

     The flight was made at an average height of between 150 and 200 feet, and took a total time of 7 minutes and 1.60 seconds.        

     Later in the day the first accident occurred when Clifford B. Harmon’s biplane sank into soft dirt during take-off.  Some of the wet dirt stuck to the wheels of the plane, upsetting the aircraft’s aerodynamics and causing it to crash into a marsh from an altitude of forty feet.  Although the plane was damaged, Harmon was not hurt.    

     About noon time a drizzling rain began to fall sending some of the crowds home, but those that chose to remain got to see Claude Grahame-White make another three-lap flight around the field.  The five and a quarter mile flight was accomplished in 6 minutes and 5 seconds, which was the best speed of the day.        

     At 6:30 p.m., Glenn H. Curtiss made some practice flights in his airplane.

    Among the spectators on opening day was John Trowbridge, the Cambridge, Massachusetts author who in 1869 penned the famous poem, “Darius Green and His Flying Machine”.  It was reported that despite his writings, he’d never seen a flying machine, and took great interest in the aircraft.        

    On September 4, Claude Grahame-White took first place in all five classes.  He also gave several exhibition flights where he performed hazardous aerobatics.  On one flight he carried as a passenger a Miss Campbell of New York.  With Miss Campbell aboard he circled the field twice and then performed a 200 foot aerial slide pulling out a mere ten feet from the ground before coming down to land.     

     It was reported that the best time of the day (around the airfield) was made by Grahame -White.  This time he covered 5 and 1/4 miles in six minutes, one second with a Bleriot airplane.

     White’s distance record of the day was 45 miles 617 feet, on which trip he was in the air for one hour and 15 minutes, 7 seconds.

     On that same day, Charles F. Willard took Miss Eleanor Ladd of Boston on a flight.  She worked for a Boston newspaper, and was reportedly the first newspaper women in America to fly in an airplane.

     Apparently it wasn’t until September 7th, five days into the meet, that any of the airmen attempted to win the coveted $10,000 cash prize offered by the Boston Globe.  The following details were reported in the Burlington Weekly Free Press, (Vermont), on September 8th. 

     “On September 7th Claude Grahame White became the first competitor to try for the Boston Globe’s 10,000 prize money by flying to Boston Light and back in his Belriot monoplane.  The established course required two trips to the light and back as well as some twists and turns which brought the total miles to be covered to 33.  Grahame-White accomplished this in 40 minutes 1 and 3/5 seconds which set the mark for all other contestants to beat.    

     While passing over the water toward the light at an altitude of 1,000 feet, three U.S. Navy torpedo boats, Stringham, MacDonough, and Bailey, gave chase, but couldn’t keep up with the speed of the airplane.   

     Meanwhile Glenn Curtiss flew his aircraft over a one-and-three-quarter-mile course in six minutes and 29 3/5 seconds.  He also beat Graham-White’s score in the “landing accuracy” event when he came down within 68 feet 10 inches of the mark, besting his rival by 100 feet.” 

Claude Grahame-White’s Curtiss Airplane

     On September 8th, Alliott V. Roe took off in his triplane and circled the field once before his aircraft was hit by a strong gust of wind and crashed near the grandstand from an altitude of about twenty-five feet.  As he was assisted from the wreckage he declared that he wasn’t seriously hurt, but the triplane had to be removed in sections.

     William Hillard then made a similar flight circling the field at about thirty-five feet in the air without incident.

     Ralph Johnstone, Walter Brookins, and Claude Grahame-White, competed for the altitude record. 

     Wilbur Wright announced that his aircraft would not be participating in the speed contests, stating that his airplanes were built more for better fuel economy,  carrying ability, and durability.    

     Augustus Post made several short flights in his Curtiss biplane.

     On September 9, Claude Grahame-White was piloting his Farman biplane when he crashed while attempting to land, crumpling the right wing and damaging the chassis.  Grahame-White, however, was not hurt.  The accident was due to the aircraft being caught in a strong gust of wind.

     The accident occurred at the end of a duration flight contest.  Ralph Johnstone was forced to land during the same contest when the motor of his Wright biplane began to misfire.  At the time Grahame-White had his accident, he had exceeded Johnstone’s time by four minutes, and would have stayed up longer, but was signaled to land by Mr. McDonald, his manager, due to the wind building up.    

     Grahame-White had flown 33 miles and 1,420 feet, compared to Johnstone’s 28 miles, 4,557 feet.     

     Grahame-White already held the world’s record for distance required for take-offs;  20 feet 9 inches.  Prior to the accident he’d tried to beat his own record but was unsuccessful.  He did, however, manage a low score of 26 feet 11 inches which put him in first place for that competition at the aero meet.    

     September 9th was also Governor’s Day at the meet, and Massachusetts Governor Eben S. Draper was on hand with several of his staff.

     Apparently contestants were given points based on their performance in various contests. By the end of the day the following rankings were reported: 

     Bomb Dropping Contest: Claude Grahame-White, 75 points; Glenn H. Curtiss, 25, Charles F. Willard, 13.    

     The standing of the contestants in the other four events in which points were awarded were as follows:  Claude Grahame-White, 30.5 points; Ralph Johnstone, 17; Walter Brookins, 10: Charles F. Willard, 7: Glenn H. Curtiss, 6.5.

     On September 10, Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss competed in the bomb dropping contest by dropping bombs at a mock-up of a battleship.  Curtiss flew his new biplane dubbed “The Flying Fish”.

     Walter Brookins attempted to best his own altitude record of 6,160 feet but was unable to do so.  He did however set a record for airplanes equipped with skids instead of wheels when he landed his biplane 12 feet 1 inch from a given point on the ground in the accuracy contest.   

     Ralph Johnstone set a new duration record by remaining in the air two hours, three minutes, and 5.25 seconds, covering 62 miles and 3,756 feet.  

     On September 12th it was reported that one world’s record and two American records had been broken.  Ralph Johnson set two new records, one in accuracy landing, and the other in distance.  He remained airborne for 3 hours, 4 minutes, and 44 seconds, which broke Clifford Harmon’s record of 1 hour and 58 minutes.  Johnstone’s flight covered 97 miles and 4,466 feet, breaking Harmon’s old record of 90 miles.  Upon landing Johnstone came down almost on top of the designated mark on the field setting a new world’s record.   

     Claude Grahame-White flew twice to Boston Light in his Belroit monoplane covering a distance of 33 miles in 34 minutes.

     What was mentioned as “a feature of slightly less interest” involved a flight made by Charles F. Willard who took along army lieutenant Jacob E. Finkel, a rifle sharpshooter.  As Willard circled the airfield, Finkel fired shots from the airplane at targets on the ground, hitting them more often than not.  The “experiment” was considered “highly satisfactory”.        

     On the final day of the meet, it was determined that the overall champion was Claude Grahame-White.  He’d not only won the $10,000 crash prize from the Boston Globe, but also won first place in four other events, and second place in three others, earning an additional $22,000 dollars.   

     As to Grahame-White’s victory,  the Norwich Bulletin reported in part: (that Glenn Curtis had) “secured a fast motor for his Hudson river flier too late to contest White’s rights to the Globe $10,000 prize, has challenged the Englishman to a match race, the latter to use the Bleriot with which he won the prize.” 

     Ralph Johnston won three first prizes and one second prize for at total of $5,000 in winnings.  Johnston would be killed a few weeks later in a plane crash in Denver, Colorado, on November 17, 1910.  

     Walter Brookins won two first place prizes and one second, earning himself $4,250.

     Glenn Curtiss won the second place prize for speed and took home $2,000.

     Charles Willard won $50 for second place in take-offs. 

     Clifford Harmon of New York reportedly won “all the amateur prizes” but there was no mention of what the amounted to in prize money.

    Although regular prize competition for all events had been closed on the last day, the meet had been so popular that it was decided to allow it to continue for an additional two days. 

     The following day, September 14, a bomb dropping contest from an altitude of 1,800 feet was held, and trophy’s were awarded the winners.

     Two more Boston aero meets were held at the same airfield, one in 1911, and the other in 1912. It was at the 1912 aero meet that well known aviator Harriet Quimby, and William Willard, the event’s organizer, were killed.    

     Sources:

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Conn.) “Insurgents Will Now Hold Rival Aviation Meets”, May 24, 1910, page 8

     New York Tribune, “Harvard Meet In Danger”, August 2, 1910, page 2.

     Vermont Phoenix, “Globes $10,000 Prize”, August 5, 1910, page 3.

     New York Tribune, “No Balloons At Aero Meet”, August 18, 1910, page 3.

     New York Tribune, “Leading Aviators Enter”, August 20, 1910, page 3.

     New York Tribune, “Wind damages Aeroplanes”, August 27, 1910, page 4.

     The Calumet News, (Calumet, Mich.), “Big Aviation Meet In Boston”, September 1, 1910.

     The Salt Lake Tribune, (Utah), “Twenty-two Aviators In Harvard-Boston Meet”, September 2, 1910, page 10.

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Conn.) , “English Aviator Makes Six Mile Flight In Boston”, September 3, 1910, page 2.

     Los Angeles Herald, “Big Flock Of Men-Birds Flies At Harvard Field”, September 4, 1910.

     The Bemidji Pioneer, (Minn.) “Aeroplane Cuts Capers”, September 6, 1910.

     The Washington Times, (Wash. D.C.), “Current Tumbles Amateur Aviator”, September 8, 1910, Last Edition, page 4.

     Burlington Weekly Free Press, “English Airman Flies To Light”, September 8, 1910, page 12.

     The Topeka State Journal, (Kansas), “Wrecks his Machine”, September 8, 1910, page 3.  

     New York Tribune, “Smash At Aero Meet”, September 10, 1910, page 4.

     Los Angeles Herald, “Big Aeroplane At Boston Falls In A Heap On Aviation Field”, September 10, 1910, page 13.

     New York Tribune, “New Endurance Record”, September 11, 1910, page 7.

     Los Angeles Herald, “Johnstone Sets Three New Records”, September 13, 1910, page 6.

     Palestine Daily Herald, (Palestine, TX.), “Records Crumble”, September 13, 1910.   

     San Francisco Call, “English Aviator Wins Blue Ribbon”, September 14, 1910, page 1.

     Norwich Bulletin, (Conn.) “Continue For Two Days”, September 14, 1910.

Almenia Rice And Her Human-Lifting Kite – 1902

Almenia Rice And Her Human-Lifting Kite – 1902

A newspaper illustration of Almenia Rice soaring over Boston in her kite – 1902

     Little is known about Almenia Rice other than she was married to Daniel Rice, Jr., and both were circus performers; he a clown, she a tight rope walker, trapeze artist, and balloonist/aeronaut.  What made her famous was her claim in 1902 to have made ascensions over the city of Boston in a kite capable of lifting a human being. 

     The story first appeared in several newspapers around the country as early as December of 1901, and then in various magazine articles, beginning in 1902, and was still being referenced as late as 1977.  What became of the Rice’s and their kite us unknown. 

     The idea of kites capable of lifting a human being was being researched in earnest in the 1890s primarily by the military as an alternative to balloons as a way to observe enemy troop movements.  The advent of the airplane and mechanized flight led to the discontinuation of this program.  However, in 1901-02, before the Wright brothers had made their historic flight, there were still those hoping to perfect this form of aerial ascent.   

     The kite used by Mrs. Rice was built by her husband sometime in 1901, and christened the “Dan Rice Junior”  It was built with a wooden frame covered by canvas, 14 feet tall, 14 feet wide, and open in the middle, with a 5 foot long bar on which Mrs. Rice stood upon while making her flights.  The first test-flight was reportedly made in October of 1901 from the roof of a hotel at 144 Tremont Street, across from the Boston Common.  Subsequent ascensions were also made there.  

     In an article that appeared in a magazine known as the Current Opinion, Mrs. Rice described what took place during the testing phase of their research: “Next we attached weight to the kite – 50, 100, and then 125 pounds.  It carried all of these easily.  Several times the kite broke its line, but instead of collapsing and pitching down zig-zag as most kites do, it floated away like a balloon and settled down as lightly as a bird.”     

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Plymouth Tribune, (Plymouth, Ind.) on February 13, 1902.  (For those not familiar with New England, Boston is sometimes referred to as “The Hub”.)  

     SOARED HIGH OVER BOSTON

Plucky Woman Views The Hub From A Kite

     Boston, Feb. 11 – Supported 500 feet in the air by a kite, a daring little Boston woman has taken a birds-eye view of the Hub.

     Mrs. Rice enjoys the distinction of being the first woman in the world to navigate the air with a kite as a craft.  The man who built the kite – her husband – knew full well the sustaining power of this instrument, he says he felt no thrill when he launched her forth from the roof of the building at 144 Tremont Street.  The woman lay prone in a frail wooden frame, buoyed up by a few square yards of canvas, floating horizontally and guided only by a slender cord, with her husband at the windlass far below.   

     “It was just like flying,” said Mrs. Rice after the feat had been accomplished.  “Never in my life have I experienced so delightful a sensation as that when the big kite went up above the streets and buildings of Boston.”

     “The kite went upward just as easily and evenly as a bird takes flight.  That’s all I can compare my trip – a bird’s flight and nothing else.  There was no jerking, no terrible rushes to take one’s breath away, just a push over the edge of the building, a sinking sensation for a moment, and then a delightful gliding through space with the creatures of the air.”

     During the proceedings Mrs. Rice’s life actually hung on the cord by which the kite was flown.  Had the kite “string” broken she would have been hurled to her death on the pavement of house tops.

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     As to being hurled to her death, one account related how Mrs. Rice took the precaution of wearing a parachute.

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     The following newspaper article appeared in the Willmar Tribune, (Wilmar, Minn.), on July 9, 1902. 

THE WOMAN WHO FLEW

How A Boston Lady Won This Title, By Which She Is Known Among Her Friends 

     To mount into the air upon on of the bars forming the frame of a huge kite is a feat which would seem too perilous to be undertaken, and yet it has recently been done by a woman, Mrs. Almenia Rice, of Boston, has the unique distinction of being the first to use a kite as an aerial vehicle, says the Metropolitan Magazine.  What is more, this daring woman enjoyed the experience so keenly that she declares her intention of making this her chief pastime in the future.  The kite upon which she made her venturesome flight was built for her by her husband, Mr. Dan Rice, Jr.

     “I’ve never had such a delightful sensation” declared she, “as I experienced when my kite was given its freedom and I rose gently into the air.  The ascent was made gradually and evenly as a bird wings in flight.  There was no jerking, no terrible breath-taking rush, but just a delightful glide into space, away from the noise of the city into the mystery of the ether.

     “people said I was foolhardy when they first learned of my intention to take the trip, and they declared that one experience would satisfy me, for if I ever reached earth alive I would be content to live in the lower regions with the rest of mortals.  Before the kite was set free I though possibly public opinion for once was correct, for I am naturally a little fearsome of the unknown and untried, but once well on my way upward I knew that my life on earth would, in the future, be miserable unless I could occasionally take my kite and fly away from the dull level of the city.” 

     Mrs. Rice says that when Santos-Dumont crosses the ocean in his airship she will meet him above the clouds in her strange vehicle.  She has already been up 200 feet above the business districts of Boston, and in the depth of winter, without experiencing any discomfort, so that she feels confident that she can go upward to a height of 3,000 feet in summer time without any danger.

     Mrs. Rice’s monster kite has wooden strips running from the top to the bottom, 14 feet in length; the little bar at the bottom on which she stands measures five feet in length.  The two big white wings for the sides of the kite are 14 feet long.  The line is three-eighths-inch bell rope, made of Italian flax, and will withstand a strain of 1,000 pounds.

     dressed as a boy, so as to attract as little attention as possible, Mrs. Rice made her first ascent from the top of a building in Boston. She has made balloon ascensions, walked a tight wire far above the ground, and swung trapezes, “but the kite sensation was not at all like these,” she says.  

     “As I walk up the wire the earth seems to fall away from me and a feeling of weakness comes over me.  When you go up in a balloon it is quite the same feeling of the earth falling away from you, but as I went up with the kite the sensation was different altogether.  There was no shock, no nervous tremor, but just a peculiarly delightful sensation of flying.  As I rose above the mist and fog of the city, Flying along through the sky, I felt that I could float on forever in happy forgetfulness of all below.” 

*********

     Sources:

     The Plymouth Tribune, (Weekly Edition) “Soared High Over Boston”, February 13, 1902

     Willmar Tribune, “The Woman Who Flew”, July 9, 1902

     Current Opinion – A Magazine of Record and review, Vol. 32,  January to June, 1902, page 607

     Pearson’s Magazine, Vol. 15, January to June, 1903, Page 114.

     Cassell’s Magazine, Vol. 24, December 1901 to May 1902, page 606

     Library of Congress, “Letter From Alexander Graham Bell To Samuel P. Langley”, February 15, 1902.   

     Kitelines Magazine, “Person-Lifting Kites”, Summer, 1977

First Balloon Ascension In Massachusetts – 1821

First Balloon Ascension In Massachusetts – 1821

     The earliest known balloon ascension to take place in the state of Massachusetts occurred on September 3, 1821, from the Washington Gardens on Treemont Street in Boston.  The pilot was a well known aeronaut by the name of Louis Charles Guille, who had begun making balloon ascensions in New Jersey in 1818.  The balloon landed on Ten Hills Farm in Somerville, a town just to the north of Boston.   

     Not only was this flight the first of its kind in the Bay State, but it also triggered what might be the first lawsuit involving a balloon.  Ten Hills Farm was owned at the time by a man named Swan, who sued Aeronaut Guille for damage to his vegetable crops. 

     The facts of the case were stated in a newspaper article which appeared in the New Ulm Review, (a Minnesota newspaper), on December 21, 1910, as part of an article about the potential liability attached to air travelers who may inadvertently cause damage to private property on the ground.  The case involving Louis Charles Guille was cited as a president even though it had occurred 89 years earlier.     

     The article stated in part:

    ” The facts are there stated as follows: Guille ascended in a balloon in the vicinity of Swan’s garden and descended into his garden.  When he descended, his body was hanging out of the car of the balloon in a very perilous situation, and he called to a person at work in Swan’s field to help him in a voice audible to the pursuing crowd.  After the balloon descended it dragged along over potatoes and radishes about thirty feet, when Guille was taken out.  The balloon was carried to a barn at the farther end of the premises.

     When the balloon descended more than 200 persons broke into Swan’s garden through the fences and came on his properties, beating down his vegtables and flowers.  The damage done by Guille with his balloon was about $15, but the crowd did much more.  The plaintiff’s damage in all amounted to $90.

     It was contended before the justice that Guille was answerable only for the damage done by himself and not for the damage done by the crowd.  The justice was of the opinion, and so instructed the jury, that the defendant was answerable for all the damage done to the plaintiff.  The jury accordingly found a verdict for him for $90, on which the judgement was given and for costs.”     

     The sum of ninety-dollars was a significant amount of money in 1821.  Guille appealed, but the decision was upheld.  The court ruled in part that Guille was a trespasser, (although not intentionally), and that his shouts for help “induced the crowd to follow him”, which in turn made him liable.  

      Sources:

     New York Tribune, “New Laws For Air Travel Soon To Be Broached”, October 24, 1909, page 3.  

     New Ulm Review, (Minnesota), “Air Trespassing May Be Costly”, December 21, 1910      

     Massachusetts Aviation Historical Society, www.massaerohistory.org

     Book: “North Jersey Legacies: Hidden History From The Gateway To The Skylands”, by Gordon Bond, The History Press, 2012

The Connecticut Aero Club – 1910

The Connecticut Aero Club – 1910

     The Connecticut Aero Club was an organization that was established in New Haven, Connecticut, on December 28, 1910, with the objective of promoting aerial navigation and aeronautical sports. 

     There were five committees formed within the club: the Contest Committee, Law Committee, Auditing Committee, Membership Committee, and the Consulting Engineers Committee.

     The club was begun with 32 charter members, and quickly grew.  Research did not uncover any newspaper articles about the club past April of 1912.    

     The charter members of the Connecticut Aero Club were as follows:

     President: A. Holland Forbes, of Fairfield

     Vice President: William C. Beers, of New Haven

     2nd Vice President: Alton Farrel, of Ansonia

     3rd Vice President: Clarence E. Whitney, of Hartford

     Secretary: Gregory S. Bryon, of Bridgeport

     Treasurer: Arthur H. Day, of New Haven    

Other Charter Members Included:

Edward W. Beach – Waterbury

Robert A. Beers

General Henry A. Bishop

Nathaniel W. Bishop

Frank V. Chappell – New London

Richard Crane III – Bridgeport

Edson F. Gallaudet – Norwich

John W. Green – Danbury

W. Harry Green – Danbury

Maxwell S. Hart – New Britain

Clarence Hooker

Samuel E. Hoyt – New Haven

A. J. Lake

T. H. MacDonald – New Haven

Hiram P. Maxim – Hartford

Phelps Montgomery – New Haven

Herbert H. Pease – New Britain

Andrew L. Riker – Bridgeport

Clarence G. Spalding – New Haven

Henry B. Stoddard – Bridgeport

Edward L. Uhl

Arthur Watson

D. Fairchild Wheeler – Bridgeport

Walter Wheeler

Two Names Missing

     Sources:

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Bridgeport, Conn.), “A Holland Forbes Heads New State Aero Club That Is Founded In New Haven”, December 29, 1910  

     Norwich Bulletin, (Norwich, Conn.), “Connecticut Aero Club”, December 30, 1910, page 5.  

 

First Woman To Fly An Airplane In Rhode Island – 1912

First Woman To Fly An Airplane In Rhode Island – 1912

     The following article appeared in The Sun, a now defunct New York newspaper, on September 3, 1912.  This paper discontinued publication in 1916.

FIRST WOMAN FLIES IN R. I.

     With Beachey She Amuses 100,000 People At Providence

     Providence, R. I., Sept. 2 – Lincoln Beachey was the principal performer this afternoon at an aviation meet held at Narragansett Park over the old racetrack.  Beachey  in a biplane performed stunts never before witnesses in this state.  Miss Ruth Bancroft Law, the first woman to fly in Rhode Island, went up in a biplane and for ten minutes entertained the 100,000 spectators.  It was Miss Law’s first flight alone.

     Samuel A. Libbey made a triple parachute jump from a balloon, landing about two miles from the park.

     The meet was held by the Rhode Island Aviation Association and Beachey’s performances included spiral glides and maneuvers in the air the brought the crowd to its feet.  He dropped several chalk bombs.  Of the forty minutes of actual flying at the meet Beachey was in the air a half hour.

*******  

Post Card View Of The Former Narragansett Park in R.I.

     Ruth Bancroft Law was a famous aviator of whom much has been written, and can be found elsewhere on the Internet.

 

 

Connecticut Passenger Seaplane Service – 1921

Connecticut Passenger Seaplane Service – 1921

     What was proposed as a “tentative plan” for a seaplane passenger service for Connecticut was to be, “the first established passenger service by seaplane in New England”.   

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Evening World, a now defunct New York newspaper, on July 12, 1921. 

SEAPLANE PASSENGER SERVICE FOR CONNECTICUT 

     Plans To Make Trips Between New London And Hartford

     New London, Conn., July 12 – Within a short time an air line service of seaplanes will be established between New London and Hartford by Hartford insurance officials and some New London men.  The tentative plan calls for trips from New London at 8 a.m., arriving at Hartford at 8:50 by way of Saybrook and the Connecticut River.  The return trips will be made daily, leaving Hartford at 5 and arriving at New London at 5:50 p.m.

     The Aeromarine Engineering and Sales Corporation will put the flying boat into operation and, if the service demands, an increased schedule will be made up for another seaplane.  The HS-3 type, six-passenger boat, will be used.  This will be the first established passenger service by seaplane in New England.

     Several Hartford insurance men own summer cottages near beaches between Newport and New Haven, and the plan is to drop off passengers at their summer cottages.

     It will cut the automobile time down at least one hour.

********

     The Aeromarine Engineering and Sales Corporation, or “Aeromarine Airways” was a company with six seaplanes which had been successfully operating a passenger airline service from Florida to Cuba since January, 1921.  

     One of their airplanes was named the Ponce de Leon.    

     Source: Shippers Advocate (Magazine), “Aeromarine Airways” by Jack Binns, July-August, 1921, page 306.     

Ballooning For Lost Sounds – 1894

Ballooning For Lost Sounds – 1894

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Washington Standard, (Olympia, Washington), on May 18, 1894.   It is unclear what results, if any, were learned from this experiment, which appears to be the first ever of its kind. 

BALLOONING FOR LOST SOUNDS 

Uncle Sam’s Aeronaut Will Find Out What Ails Boston’s Fog Horns

New York World

     Thomas S. Baldwin, the aeronaut and gymnast, connected with the ballooning department of the signal service and war departments, has been ordered to Boston, where he will conduct a series of interesting and important experiments in aeronautics.  Vessels approaching Boston can be heard through their fog horns 15 miles out at sea, but when within three miles off shore the sound of the fog horn whistle is absolutely lost.  The question is, where does the sound go?

     It is proposed to investigate the upper atmosphere at a distance of 3,000 feet in the hopes of ascertaining whether the sounds from the whistles and fog horns do not go upward, as Mr. Baldwin believes such sounds do.  A monster balloon will be anchored to a government vessel, and will be allowed to ascend to any required distance by means of a wire cable worked by steam.  The vessel will cruse about off Boston and neighboring points to a distance of 10 or 15 miles, and sounds will be made from whistles and horns.  When within three or four miles of shore it is believed that the aeronaut in the balloon can ascertain whether the sound in getting lost ascends.

     In the coil of wire that is attached to the balloon is a telephone wire, by means of which Baldwin will communicate with officials on board the ship.  Major Livermore, of the government service with his staff, will assist the aeronaut in his work, which will probably occupy some months, and perhaps a year.  After these experiments are concluded, Baldwin will turn his attention to experiments in war ballooning, for the benefit of the War Department.

    

        

Aero Club Of Vermont -1916

Aero Club Of Vermont – 1916 

     The Aero Club of Vermont was formally established in Burlington, Vt., on July, 6, 1916.  It should be noted that there was another club with a similar name known as the “Vermont Aero Club”, which had been established in Rutland, Vt., in either 1908 or 1909.  Neither club is still active today, and it’s unclear if there was any link between the two, or if the former club merged with the latter.    

     While both clubs were open to those with an interest in aviation, it appears that the Rutland club (Vermont Aero Club) was established primarily for balloon ascensions, and the Burlington organization (Aero Club of Vermont) focused more on airplanes and state defense, and later on the establishment of airports. 

     The following Vermont newspaper articles relate to both organizations.  It has been noted that after July of 1916, the newspapers sometimes referred to the Aero Club of Vermont as the Vermont Aero Club.   

**********

     The following article appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner, April 14, 1908.    

Taken Up Ballooning

Rutland is the First Vermont Town to Form Aero Club 

     Rutland, April 12, – There is an indication that ballooning may supplant league base ball in Rutland this summer.  A meeting will be held tomorrow evening to discuss a movement to form an aero club, the idea of the business men who are at the bottom of the project being that the novelty of balloon ascensions would do more to advertise the city than base ball.  Rutland is the first Vermont town to spring an aero club, the incentive having been by the success of the North Adams and Pittsfield clubs.  

**********

     The following article appeared in The Barre Daily Times, June 23, 1909, page 1.  (The “aero club” referred to in this article is the Aero Club of America.)

Rutland To Be A Station

Notice Received That Aero Club Has Added Vermont City To Its List.

     Rutland, June 23, – That Rutland is to be added to the list of Aero club stations in New England, is announced in a letter just received by sec. H. W. Allen of the Rutland Improvement League from Charles J. Glidden, whose balloon, the Massachusetts, made a trip from this city to Gilmanton, N. H., last Friday.

     The letter states that the committee on balloons and ascensions has recommended this station to the Aero Club, and that official notice of the fact will be sent to all the clubs of the United States.     

**********

     The following article appeared in the New York Tribune, July 21, 1909, page 7. 

     Aeronauts In Quick Descent

Pilot of Balloon Ascending From Pittsfield Says He Never Came Down Faster

     Winsted, Conn., July 20, – Winsted today witnessed a thrilling descent by three aeronauts.  William Van Sleet, pilot; C. T. Fairfield, of Rutland, Vt., publisher and editor of “The Rutland Evening News” and president of the Vermont Aero Club, and Professor Oswald Tower, of North Adams, teacher of science in Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass.  The men ascended from Pittsfield, Mass., at 8:40 a.m.  When at an altitude of 8,900 feet the balloon started across the town and then suddenly began to drop.  So rapid was its descent that all three men were rendered deaf for half an hour.

     The party finally landed without accident on the farm of Daniel O’Neil, in Mooreville. All ballast in the car had been dumped to avert a landing in the heart of Winsted’s business district.  It was van Sleet’s thirty-sixth flight, and he said he never experienced a quicker ride to earth.

**********

     The following article appeared in the Burlington Weekly Press, July 29, 1909.

An Ascension In Rutland

Wm. Van Sleet Takes Four Rutland People Up In Balloon Massachusetts

     Rutland, July 27,  – Pilot William Van Sleet of the Pittsfield Aero Club made an ascension here at four o’clock this afternoon in the balloon Massachusetts with four Rutland people, H. Clayton Carpenter, Frank M. Wilson, Charles H. West, and Harry A. Mattison.  The start was made in the presence of 1,000 people with the most favorable weather conditions, a light breeze driving the big bag slowly out of sight over the mountains east of the city.   

     Pilot Van Sleet will make another ascension here next Thursday, the first under the direction of the new Vermont Aero Club.

    ( The balloon landed in Barnard, Vermont, at 6:30 p.m., 18 miles northeast of Rutland.)

**********

     By 1916 the airplane had progressed to the point where it was being used as a weapon of war in Europe.  At the same time the United States was facing the possibility of becoming involved in World War I, and there were those here in America taking proactive action.  Some military leaders began looking to the nations aero clubs for possible recruits.     

**********

     The following article appeared in The Barre Daily Times, May 31, 1916.

Lieut. Peary In Northfield

North Pole Man To Assist In Forming Aero Club Of Vermont

     Admiral Robert E. Peary, the discoverer of the North Pole, who is now devoting his entire time to aeronautics and aviation, is to be the guest of major Wallace Batchelder, of the Aero Club of America, at Norwich University, Northfield, July 6, and will help perfect the organization of the Aero Club of Vermont, at that time and place.  Other distinguished officers and civilians will be present to help launch what promises to be one of the largest aero clubs in America.  All persons who desire to become charter members of the Aero Club of Vermont should make application before July 6 by letter addressed to Major Batchelder, Aero Club of America, 297 Madison Avenue, New York. 

**********

     The following article appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner on July 8, 1916.

Vermont Aero Club

John Hartness of Springfield Elected President

     Burlington, July 6. – The exercises attending the formation of the Aero Club of Vermont and the prominence of the speakers attracted a large crowd to Camp Governor Gates today.  The event presided over by James Hartness of Springfield.

     Gov. Charles W. Gates welcomed the distinguished visitors and commended the excellent showing made by the 1st Vermont regiment now on the Texas border.

     The principal speaker of the day was Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary, who discussed the advisability of every state preparing an adequate aero service in connection with its national guard.

     Augustus C. Post, manager of the approaching military transcontinental aeroplane flight gave an interesting history of aviation in America.

     Those present had the opportunity to inspect the 1st Vermont Cavalry now being recruited at the state camp to war strength. 

     The following officers of the Aero Club of Vermont were elected:   

     President, James Hartness of Springfield; vice president, Adjt. Gen. Lee S. Tillotson; secretary, James P. Taylor of Burlington; treasurer H. R. Roberts, dean of Norwich University; governing board, Gov. Charles W. Gates of franklin, Col. Ira L. Reeves, commander of 1st Vermont Infantry, Maj. Wallace Batchelder, commanding 1st Vermont Cavalry, Clark C. Fitts of Brattleboro, Horace F. Graham of Craftsbury, Redfield Proctor of Proctor, W. A. Scofield and James P. Taylor of Burlington and James Hartness.    

     The crowd was somewhat disappointed that no aeroplanes or demonstrations were present.

**********

     The following excerpt is from The Barre Daily Times, July 6, 1916.

     “The Aero Club of Vermont filed articles with headquarters at Burlington, and with the names of 147 signers attached, the leading name being James Hartness of Springfield.”

**********

     The following article appeared in the Essex County Herald, November 17, 1916.

Annual Meeting Of Vermont Aero Club

     The first annual meeting of the Aero Club of Vermont will be held on the 27th at the Hotel Vermont.  The annual dinner of the Club will be at seven o’clock to be followed by addresses and the annual business meeting.  All citizens of Vermont interested in aeronautics are urged to be present.  Tickets for the dinner may be secured by application to James P. Taylor, Secretary, Stannard Memorial building, Burlington, Vermont.

Aero Club

     The Aero Club of Vermont came into existence to meet the peculiar needs of Vermont, both in respect to its economic development in times of peace and its complete military preparedness to meet any conditions arising out of disturbance of our peace.  The membership of the Club is made up of those who are interested in promoting Vermont’s aeronautical interests, and is not restricted to air pilots or those who, as passengers, make occasional trips in air craft.  There is a distinctive service which everyone can render to Vermont, either by becoming a member of the Club or by co-operating with Club members.

Landing Places 

     Vermont now needs landing places for the air craft.  In the present state of the art, flying in Vermont is unsafe unless one keeps within a short distance of a landing place.  The aeroplane must descend as soon as the engine fails, and although some engines can make a continuous run of several hours, it is still a matter of common experience to have the engine stop unexpectedly.  The descent under favorable conditions may be made at a downward pitch of one in eight.  hence if one is flying a mile high he can volplane a distance of eight miles.  But he never should be farther from a landing place than eight times his altitude.  This means that in order to make it possible to fly in safety through Vermont there should be a chain of landing places separated by a distance of not more than sixteen miles.  Of course, a wind blowing in any direction would change the matter favorably or otherwise.      

     It is highly desirable to get routes through Vermont in all directions, and the landing places should be even closer together than the sixteen miles.

     It is a very fascinating subject to follow.  The aero papers, such as the monthly publication “Flying” and the weekly “Aerial Age”, contain the latest information.  Both of these papers are published in New York City.  Membership in the Vermont Aero Club gives each one an opportunity to attend the meetings and other functions of the Club and get the pleasure that comes in cooperating in an effective way for the betterment of our state, town, and lives.

     There is no more inspiriting subject and surely very few can compare with it for great potency for future development.

     Joining the club gives us a practical opportunity to express our patriotism.  It may be infinitely small compared with the service rendered by those who enlisted in the National Guard, but nevertheless it is of great value.  If you wish to become a member send a letter to Mr. James P. Taylor, Secretary, Aero Club of Vermont, Burlington, Vt.  

**********

     The following article appeared in The Brattleboro Daily Reformer on July 26, 1919. 

Rutland Men Favor Preparing Airport

James Hartness Of Springfield Addressed Business Men’s Association Previous To Vote

     Rutland, July 26, – There were two meetings of the Rutland Business Men’s Association in their rooms yesterday, a special meeting being called for yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock to hear a talk by James Hartness, the Springfield manufacturer and inventor, president of the Vermont Aero Club and a licensed aviator, on the importance of towns establishing airports or landing places for aircraft.  Mr. Hartness is the recognized head of air interests in Vermont and has advocated the necessity of all towns having such landing places in consequence of the early establishment of regular air routes for the delivery of mail, small express and passengers.

     The resolution was offered by Dr. J. M. Hamilton placing the association on record in favor of procuring an airport here.

**********

      In the spring 1919, James Hartness, President of the Aero Club of Vermont, purchased two adjoining farms in Springfield, Vermont for the sum of $4,800, and donated the land to the state to become Vermont’s first state airport – Hartness State Airport.  (Source: Brattleboro Daily Reformer, “Airplane Flies Over Town Today”, July 2, 1919.)  

     The following article appeared in The Barre Daily Times on September 15, 1919, page 8.  

Gov. Clement To James Hartness

     Governor P. W. Clement sent the following letter to James Hartness in appreciation to his gift of an aviation field to the village of Springfield.

     “Please accept my heartiest greetings on the occasion of the first commercial flight from one Vermont landing field to Vermont’s first municipal landing field, at Springfield.

     It is an exceptional pleasure that this message is to be borne by my townsman Lieut. John J. Lynch, to the president of the Vermont Aero Club and the state’s foremost advocate of aviation.  This is a pioneer event, and I wish the greatest success to Vermont’s progress in aviation.”

     “Percival W. Clement, Governor”

 **********      

    James Hartness was elected Governor of Vermont in 1920, and served until 1923.  As Governor, he resigned his position as President of the Aero Club of Vermont. 

     It is unknown when the Aero Club of Vermont disbanded, but it is known to have been operating in the early 1920s.   

Herring-Burgess Flying Fish Aeroplane – 1910

Click on image to enlarge.

Herring – Burgess “Flying Fish” Aeroplane – 1910

     The Herring-Burgess company produced airplanes in Marblehead, Massachusetts, in the early 1900s.  Their Flying Fish aircraft was reported to be the first airplane to fly in New England.  It was known for the eight “fins” attached to the upper wing for better stability. 

     Some sources say the Flying Fish made its maiden flight on April 17, 1910, but an article which appeared in the New York Tribune indicates its first flight took place weeks earlier on March 1st.  (See the following newspaper articles below.)  

*****

New Style Flier

Herring and Burgess Have a Successful Trial at Marblehead

     Boston, March 1 – A. M. Herring and W. Starling Burgess launched today at Marblehead a new heavier-than-air flying machine.  Its first trip was said to be successful.

     It is an aeroplane, frankly intended to avoid the Wright patents. Instead of the balancing planes, over which the Wrights are suing, this machine has a leg of mutton arrangement on top of the plane.  This is made to work automatically so that as the machine swerves, the fin will be buoyed up by the air and bring the mechanism back to a lateral balance.

     New York Tribune, March 2, 1910, page 2 

********

Aeroplane Makes Flights

     Newburyport, Mass., April 17, – Over the marshes of Plum Island the Herring-Burgess aeroplane “Flying Fish”, made three successful flights to-day.  Arthur M. Herring of Hammondsport, N. Y. piloted the machine in the first flight.  After alighting easily at the river edge after a 250-yards run, the craft was turned over to W. Sterling Burgess, who made two short flights.

     The Salt Lake Tribune, (Utah), April 18, 1910, page 7  

********

Fins Used To Maintain Equilibrium

      Marblehead, Mass., May 21 – “I hope to flight through the air faster than any American has yet flown, including the Wright brothers,”  is the statement made by W. Starling Burgess, the millionaire yacht designer of this town who has been making flights with his partner, A. M. Herring, the former partner of Glenn Curtiss in their new bi-plane of their own design at Plum Island the past few days.  “I hope to travel a half mile in the air and by hour in this machine,”  says Mr. Burgess.  “Within a week I expect to  travel a half mile in the air and by the end of the month I expect to travel miles distance in the air at a stretch.”  

     Associated with Mr. Burgess and Mr. herring are Norman Prince, a well known young Boston millionaire, and Professor J. V. Martin, manager of the Harvard Aeronautical Society.  Mr. Martin has made flights in many French airships.

     The Herring-Burgess biplane is about the same size and somewhat like the Herring-Curtis machine, and much smaller than the Wright brothers machine.  One of the features of the machine is entirely different from any other machine and designed especially to avoid litigation with the Wrights.  To prevent it from tipping over it has eight overhead fins or sails, four near the center and two on each end.  They are shaped like a leg-o-mutton sail and are believed by Mr. Burgess to be a great improvement over all other devices to prevent tipping. Another feature is the use of skids or runners instead of wheels for making a rise into the air from the ground.  There are three of these, shaped like snow skids and have steel runners like an ordinary child’s sled. Mr. Burgess believes this to be a great improvement over the small wheel.  The machine complete weighs 408 pounds.  It is built of laminated spruce and is claimed to be stronger than any machine yet built.  It is 26 feet 8 inches wide and 29 feet long.  The control is by the right hand and right foot, and steering is done by a horizontal wheel with the left hand.  It has a 4-cylinder, 29 horsepower engine capable of developing 30-horsepower.

     The radiator is very light, being honeycombed.  Messrs Herring and Burgess have spend three years of experimenting with it.  The curves of the planes are different from the Herring – Curtiss machine and the angles of the wings steeper, with will allow the machine to rise earlier.  It will lift going at the rate of 26 miles an hour, while the Herring-Curtiss lifted at 37 miles an hour.  The wings are of strong silk, treated with celluloid and are airtight and gastight.  The skids allow a much more graceful landing than the wheel would.  As they slide along like skis, the jar will be broken.       

     “Of course,”  says Mr. Burgess, “the chief feature of this machine over all others of the series of fins overhead by which the operator can keep the machine from tipping.  These are an entirely new thing and are not used on any other machine.  I expect they will correct many of the present evils of flying.  We will make straight flights at first. We will not attempt any turns until later.”

     The machine is called the Flying Fish.  She is the first aeroplane to make any flights in New England.  

     The Daily Missoulian, (Montana), May 22, 1910

     The Flying Fish was later involved in three accidents during test flights at Plum Island, Massachusetts. The first occurred in late April, and the second about three weeks later on July 9, 1910, when Hungarian military aviator Lt. Alexander Pfitzner made a crash landing.  The plane was repaired, but crashed again on August 4, 1910, when William Bowman wrecked and was seriously injured. 

Newburyport, MA. April 22, 1910

Newburyport, MA. – July 9, 1910

Nweburyport, MA. – August 4, 1910

Massachusetts Volunteer Balloon Corps – 1909

Massachusetts Volunteer Balloon Corps – 1909

 

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Salt Lake Tribune, (Utah), on August 15, 1909, page 20.  It is unclear if the Massachusetts Volunteer Balloon Corps ever came to fruition.   

 

Bay State Is To Have Volunteer Balloon Corps

     BOSTON, Aug. 14. – Massachusetts is to have the first “volunteer balloon corps” in the world, according to the announcement made today by Charles J. Glidden, the well known aeronaut and automobilist who is now making plans for organizing the aeronautic corps this fall.  Recognition from the state militia will be sought.

     The volunteer corps will consist of men of prominence, who are interested in aeronautics, and will be made up of two divisions, pilot and meteorological.  The pilot division will include the leading balloonists now making ascensions in Massachusetts for pleasure.  Those who have been invited to join the meteorological are Prof. W. Pickering, and Prof. A. Lawrence Rotch of Harvard, Prof. David Todd of Amherst, and Prof. Helm Clayton, formerly of the Blue Hill Observatory.

       

Aerial Lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M. – 1909

Aerial Lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M. – 1909

     On Tuesday, September 16, 1909, the balloon “Massachusetts” made an ascension from Pittsfield, Mass., and while more than 7,000 feet in the air became the first balloon in aviation history to have a Masonic meeting conducted in its basket.   The Massachusetts was owned by the Aero Club of New England.

     The following article appeared in the Essex County Herald, (of Guildhall, Vermont) on September 24, 1909. 

     “Aerial Lodge, No. 1, F. & A. M., was formed last Thursday afternoon in the balloon Massachusetts at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet, it being the first meeting of the kind ever held, and the lodge was conducted with all Masonic observances possible under the conditions.  The balloon ascended from Pittsfield, and the Masonic ceremony was the chief feature of a short but most interesting aerial journey.  This item has a peculiar interest to our readers in Essex County, inasmuch as Jay B. Benton, formerly of Guildhall, is senior warden of the new lodge.”  

     The following article appeared in the Evening Star, (Washington, D. C. ), on September 25, 1909, page 3.   

     “The latest in the way of novelty is the institution of a Masonic lodge in a balloon more than a mile in the air.  This happened at or near Pittsfield, Mass., recently, when Aerial Lodge A. F. & A. M., was instituted in the balloon Massachusetts at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet, this being the first meeting of the kind ever held.

     The lodge was conducted with all Masonic observances possible under the conditions.  J. J. Van Valkenburg of South Framingham was worshipful master; Jay B. Benton of Winchester was senior warden, and Charles J. Glidden of Boston junior warden.

     The Masonic ceremony was the chief feature of a short but most interesting aerial journey, the details of which were recounted when the party descended at Greenfield, Mass., after considerable difficulty in getting the huge gas bag and its numerous trappings out of the forest.

     The start was made in the afternoon at 2:05 o’clock from the grounds of the Aero Club of New England, at Pittsfield.  At the highest point recorded, 7, 200 feet, the Masonic ceremony took place.”  

Rockville Collegiate Balloon School – 1917

Rockville Collegiate Balloon School – 1917

Updated June 4, 2017 

     The Rockville Collegiate Balloon School was established in September of 1917 by William and Francis Maxwell as a training school for perspective army observation balloon pilots.  Rockville is a village within the town of Vernon, Connecticut, however, the school was actually located in the former Windermere factory building in the neighboring town of Ellington.   

     The school was set up to train up to 100 students at a time.  During preliminary study, cadets were paid $33 a month, which included food, clothing, and a place to sleep.  After two months of courses, they were sent to training camps to continue their studies, during which time they would be paid $100 per month.  Upon graduation they would be commissioned lieutenants in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and receive $2,000 per year.

     The school was administered by Everard Thompson.  The Chief Pilot was Nason Henry Arnold, who held pilot license #14 with the Aero Club of America.  Nason had been flying balloons for fourteen years, and had participated in the International Balloon Race held in Germany in 1908.  Another instructor known to have taught at the school was Walter Jewell. 

     Three students known to have attended the school are; E. H. Millikan, E. L. Taylor, and W. S. Sweeney. 

     The first balloon ascension from the school took place on September 11, 1917, when a balloon containing Nason H. Arnold and Walter Jewell reached an altitude of 6,500 feet as it drifted over the town of Willimantic and beyond.  The balloon came down on the farm of Joseph Nosal, located in Windham near the Lebanon town line.   

     The second flight took place two days later on September 13, and nearly ended in disaster.  This ascension involved one of the school’s largest balloons, the 80,ooo cubic foot America II, which had once flown over Europe from Paris, France, to Berlin, Germany.   

     The balloon left Rockville at 8:45 a.m. with six persons aboard.  There was the pilot, Nason Arnold, and his assistant pilot, Walter Jewell, as well as William and Francis Maxwell, and two students, Edward Lee Taylor and his brother William Sloan Taylor.  They landed safely near Vernon Center, where the Maxwell brothers got out and two others took their place.  The balloon then ascended for the second time that day and was carried off by a gentle breeze, but wound up crashing into some treetops near the town of Coventry, the jolt of which severed the netting holding the huge gas bag, which broke loose and floated away on its own, leaving the passengers and gondola stuck at the top of a tree.    

     Apparently someone had seen the balloon make its unexpected plunge, for rumors of a severe if not fatal accident quickly circulated sending people rushing into the area.  Fortunately, such was not the case, and all injuries were minor.   The run-away balloon was recovered about seven miles away. 

    About a week later, the balloon Cleveland ascended with Nason Arnold, student E. L. Taylor, and a cameraman identified as W. F. Bergstron of Hartford, Connecticut.  Bergstron worked for the Mutual Film Corporation, and it was his job to film the ascension from the point of view of the occupants of the balloon to be used for lecture purposes at the school.   The Cleveland rose to 5,200 feet as it passed over Willimantic, and landed safely in the town of Hampton, 35 miles from its starting point.  

     On October 18, Nason Arnold made an ascension with Congressman John Q. Tilson, a member of the House Committee on Military Affairs.  After a three hour flight the balloon landed at Long Meadow, Massachusetts.  

     On October 24, 1917, a balloon from the Rockville Collegiate Balloon School made an ascension in Springfield, Massachusetts as part of the Liberty Loan Campaign.   

     On November 1, 1917, what was described as a “monster military balloon” came down in a swamp in Putnam, Connecticut, near the home of Judge Charles O. Thompson.  There were no injuries, and large crowds gathered while considerable effort was done to remove the balloon.  

     Sources:

     Images of America, Vernon and Historic Rockville, by S. Ardis Abbott & Jean A. Luddy, Arcadia Press, 1998

     Air Service Journal, September 6, 1917, Page 277.

     Norwich Bulletin, “Various Matters”, August 17, 1917, page 5

     Norwich Bulletin, “Government Balloon Comes From Rockville”, September 12, 1917, page 2

     Norwich Bulletin, “Second balloon Flight”, September 14, 1917, page 2

     The Hartford Courant, “Balloonists In Tree Top And Gas bag Sails Away, Courant Man Right There”, September 14, 1917

     The Brattleboro Daily Reformer, (VT.), “Camera Man Has Trip In Balloon”, September 25, 1917

     Norwich Bulletin, “Various Matters”, October 24, 1917, page 5

     Aerial Age Weekly, “Congressman Up In The Air”, October 29, 1917

     Norwich Bulletin, “Putnam”, November 2, 1917

The Zodiac Dirigible Airship Company – 1910

The Zodiac Dirigible Airship Company – 1910 

Early c. 1910 postcard view of a Zodiac airship manufactured in France.

     The Zodiac Dirigible Airship Company was a business venture started by Rhode Island businessman Stuart Davis in 1910.  The idea was to establish an airship ferry service between Hazard’s Beach in Newport and Scarborough Beach in Narragansett, a distance of about eleven miles.  The city of Newport is located on the east side of Narragansett Bay, and the town of Narragansett is on the western shore.  In the early 1900s the only way to cross Narragansett Bay was by boat, for the Jamestown and Newport bridges did not exist.     

     The new airship company was incorporated to serve the needs of wealthy citizens who might wish to travel across Narragansett Bay by air rather than by boat.  The famous Narragansett Pier, located not far from Scarborough Beach, was a very popular resort area for the wealthy at that time, especially during the summer season.  Another popular destination was the now defunct Rocky Point Park, located on Narragansett Bay in Warwick, R.I.  It was also anticipated that excursions could be made to that destination as well.     

     The name Zodiac Dirigible Balloon Company was derived from the Zodiac balloons then being produced in France.  The Rhode Island company was incorporated in New York City.

     Mr. Davis announced his plans for an airship ferry service in June of 1910 which was exciting news for Rhode Island’s summer colonies.   On July 4th, Davis’s first Zodiac balloon arrived in New York from France aboard the steamship George Washington.  From there it was brought to Rhode Island to be assembled.  When completed, the airship would be 100 feet long, contain about 20,000 cubic feet of gas, and capable of carrying up to six passengers.  Being a dirigible meant that the balloon had no interior metal framework like a Zeppelin.  Therefore it would only fly on calm days. 

     The trip between Narragansett and Newport was estimated to take about an hour or less, and it was anticipated that the airship would make three or four trips per day.  While no rate fees had yet been established, it was reported that it would cost about five-hundred dollars to charter the aircraft for an entire afternoon – a great deal of money for the time.       

     Davis hoped that flight operations would begin by August, but in the meantime  preparations for housing the airship were being made at Scarborough where the company’s Rhode Island headquarters would be located.  The San Francisco Call reported on July 6th that the structure presently under construction would be 112 feet long, 42 feet wide, and 50 feet high.  When completed, it would reportedly be the first (commercial) airship station in America.  If successful, Davis’s venture would also be the first commercial airline in the country.  Plans for a second station in Newport were also underway.

     On July 31st, Davis’s airship, the Zodiac IV,  as it was now named, arrived in Narragansett to begin making test flights.  It was further reported that a second airship, the Zodiac III, was expected to arrive within the next seven to ten days and it too would begin test flights. Once the test flights were completed the airship(s) would begin passenger service. 

     Unfortunately, the test flights did not go well, and the whole venture was scrapped.   

     Sources:

      The Tacoma Times, (Wash.), “Airship Line Planned”, June 17, 1910 

     Daily capital Journal, (Salem, Ore.) “Flying Machine Service”, June 17, 1910

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, (Conn.), “Dirigible For Newport Class”, July 6, 1910 

     San Francisco Call, “Newport To Have Aerial Ferry Line”, July 6, 1910 

     Alexandria Gazette, (Alexandria, D.C.), “Dirigible Airship Line”, July 7, 1910 

     New York Tribune, “Newport’s Airship On Hand”, July 25, 1910

     The Times Dispatch, (Richmond, Va.) “Narragansett Has Airship”, August 1, 1910

     History Bytes: Airships In Newport, Newport Historical Society, R.I.

    

A Balloon Mystery, Cumberland, R.I. – 1888

A Balloon Mystery, Cumberland, Rhode Island – 1888

     About 7:00 p.m. in the evening on September 28, 1888, an unmanned balloon came down in a cusp of trees on the Razee Farm in the Cumberland Hill area of the town of Cumberland, Rhode Island.  The craft had some signs of age to it, and was in poor condition. 

     When the balloon was recovered and laid out in an open area to be examined, it was found that there was a large slit in the side. The neck of the balloon contained a nine-inch valve made of wood and leather, on which was found a name written in pencil: “Carl Myers, Mohawk, N. Y.”

     Further investigation revealed a paper tag from the American Express Company marked “162, owner S. Y. Baldwin, Freehold, N. Y.”   There was also found a piece of silk marked “Buffalo, 27-413 lbs. Dec. 1887. F. Cloud.”

     The seams along the balloon measured 40 feet 6 inches. 

     The ropes attached to the balloon’s netting appeared old, but the netting containing the balloon appeared to be new.  The balloon’s iron ring was two feet in diameter and made from a welded piece of 1/2 inch gas pipe.

     Nobody knew where the balloon had come from, or if an aeronaut had met with misfortune.  Severe weather had been over southern New England the day before and it was wondered if that could have played a role.   

     The story was picked up by a few newspapers around the country, all reporting that a handwritten note was found pinned to the balloon’s basket.  Two versions of what the note supposedly said were reported in different papers.  The first, “We have perished in the clouds”, and the second, “Met death in the clouds”.   The note was allegedly written on a small piece of newspaper from Buffalo, New York.   However, The Woonsocket Evening Reporter, a newspaper that covered Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and its neighboring town of Cumberland, had this to say about the note: “The story was told that in the car was found a slip of paper on which was written, “Met our death in the clouds,” but a reporter who examined the contents could not find any such paper.”   

      Carl Myers was well known in balloon circles at the time, for besides being an aeronaut, he was also a scientist, inventor, and manufacturer of man-carrying balloons which he built and sold from his “balloon farm” in upstate New York.   When contacted about the balloon found in Cumberland he said he knew nothing about it, and offered that it might be one he’d sold.  The only balloon he’d “lost” was at a July 4th exhibition in Willimantic, Connecticut, but it had been recovered in southern Rhode Island.     

Advertisement from The United Opinion newspaper of Bradford, Vermont, June 17, 1887.
The ad was promoting the Lyndonville, Vt., July 4th Celebration.

      Myers wife, Mary, was also a well known aeronaut who went by the professional name of “Carlotta”.  On September 26th Carlotta and a man she worked with, Leon A. Dare, were to have participated in a balloon race at Syracuse, New York, and on September 28th Carlotta was to have made an ascension at Lockport, New York.  Both Carlotta and Mr. Dare were found to be safe, and unconnected with the balloon found in Cumberland.

     “I have sold a number of balloons,” Myers was quoted in the Woonsocket Evening Reporter, “but cannot for  the life of me surmise who this balloon could belong to.  I think someone must have pinned the paper on the balloon when found, so as to make a sensation.” 

     Famous Rhode Island aeronaut, Professor James Allen of Providence, went to the Razee Farm to offer his opinion.  Allen noted that the balloon was made of cotton cloth and not silk.  Measurements revealed that the balloon was 27 feet in diameter, which would give it a gas capacity of 8,000 cubic feet, thereby making it large enough to only lift the weight of one person during an ascension.  Allen speculated that based on how the ropes were attached, and the fact that there was no anchor or drag rope, the balloon may have been used for trapeze work, and that the performer may have fallen during an exhibition, or landed at some location where the balloon then escaped.  If it had been filled with hydrogen gas then his theory was plausible. 

     The mystery, it seems, was cleared up when a small news item appeared in The United Opinion, a newspaper of Bradford, Vermont, on October 5th.  It read:     “Chief of Police Child of Providence has received a letter from S. Y. Baldwin, the parachute jumper, concerning the balloon found in Cumberland Thursday night.  Baldwin parted company with it at Freehold, N. J. that afternoon. “

     No further details were given, and thus far research has failed to find any.

     The news item states “Freehold, N. J.” but based on what was reported earlier about the American Express tag found in the balloon, it was most likely referring to the small town of Freehold, New York, which is about 145 to 150 miles “as the crow flies” from Cumberland, R.I.   

     This news item about the letter was not found in the Woonsocket Evening Reporter.

      Sources:

     Woonsocket Evening Reporter, “That Balloon”, September 29, 1888, page 1 

     Woonsocket Evening Reporter, “Derelict Air Ship”, September 29, 1888, page 4

     Woonsocket Evening Reporter, “That Vagrant Balloon”, October 1, 1888, page 4 

     Woonsocket Evening Reporter, “Balloon Mystery Yet Unsolved”, October 2, 1888, page 4

     New York Times, “The Lost Balloon”, September 30, 1888

     The United Opinion, (VT.) “Condensed News”, October 5, 1888

 

Joseph A. Zinno And The Olympian – 1976

Joseph A. Zinno And The Olympian – 1976

New England’s First Human Powered Airplane

     Note: As of this writing the Quonset Air Museum in Rhode Island is currently closed, and its future is uncertain.  All artifacts have been placed in storage.      

 

Remains of the tail section of the Olympian; the first human-powered airplane to fly in America.
Click on image to enlarge.

       There was an interesting display at the Quonset Air Museum that included a rare artifact relating to New England’s aviation history – a portion of the tail section of the Olympian; all that remains of the first human powered aircraft to fly in America.

   The story of the Olympian began in the 1960s, when an English businessman announced that he would award a large cash prize to the first person who could fly a completely human-powered aircraft in a figure-eight around two pylons set a half-mile apart.  As of 1974 the prize money was still unclaimed.

     Enter Joseph A. Zinno of North Providence, Rhode Island, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot who served in three wars.  He became intrigued with the idea of human-powered flight, and after careful study, decided to build his own human-powered airplane.  The result was the Olympian, constructed in a former World War II aircraft hangar at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.          

      The Olympian represented 7,000 man-hours of careful labor.  It  consisted mostly of balsa wood covered with a clear light plastic. The aircraft was 21 feet long, had a wingspan of 78 feet, 6 inches, weighed 150 pounds, and a propeller powered by bicycle components.

     The Federal Aviation Administration issued the Olympian tail number N1ZB.

   On April 16, 1976, the Olympian made its maiden flight before a small group of reporters at Quonset Point.  The first three attempts to leave the ground were unsuccessful, but on the forth try the Olympian rose 12 inches off the ground and flew for 77 feet.  This short but historic flight made Joseph Zinno the first American to fly a human-powered aircraft.

     Throughout the rest of the spring and summer of 1976, Zinno conducted further tests. Come winter, the Olympian was stored in a hangar at Quonset Point, suspended from the ceiling by cables to prevent damage. Unfortunately, one of the suspension cables broke lose causing the ship to crash on the cement floor below. The plane was a total loss, and today, only the tail portion is believed to have survived. 

     The tail remnant was later put on display at the Quonset Air Museum, along with the flight suit worn by Zinno on his historic flight, as well as photographs of the event.   

     Mr. Zinno had been planning to build another human-powered aircraft when the prize money was finally claimed by a California man in 1977.

     For his efforts and contribution to aviation history, Mr. Zinno was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame in November, 2006.

     To see photographs, and read more detailed and biographical information about Mr. Zinno, see http://www.globalsolutions-87.com  then click on “Hosting Client Links”. 

     Sources:

     Popular Science magazine, “Man Powered Aircraft”, July, 1976, page 47 

     Biography of “Lt. Col. Joseph A. Zinno, USAF (Ret.), Air transport Pilot- World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Aviation Pioneer, Artist, Architectual/Industrial Designer” for website www.globalsolutions-87.com

     Providence Journal, “The Man Who Could Fly – R.I. native was first American to fly in a human-powered plane”, November 18, 2006, Section D

     Astronautics and Aeronautics 1976 – A Chronology, Page 79.  (A publication of NASA.)    

 

 

First Vermont Woman To Fly In A Balloon – 1909

First Vermont Woman To Fly In A Balloon – 1909

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Barre Daily Times, (Barre, Vermont), on August 13, 1909.

LANDED IN BRANDON

**********

Yesterday’s Balloon Ascension

At Rutland Had Lady Passenger

     “Rutland, Aug. 13. – Mrs. Edith I. Sawyer, a reporter on the Evening News in this city, has the distinction of being the first woman in Vermont to make a balloon ascension.  She was a passenger yesterday afternoon in the big balloon Heart of the Berkshires, piloted by William Van Sleet. 

     The ascent was made at 3:25 and was witnessed by a large number of people.  Ezra Allen of Fowler was the second passenger in the car.  Harold F. Keyes of Boston was to have been a passenger, but failed to show up.  A place was then offered to Charles S. Fairfield, editor of the Evening news, and he assigned Mrs. Sawyer, who was in the crowd watching the ascension, to make the trip.

     The big bag was in sight from this city until after five o’clock and the landing was made near Brandon, on land belonging to Dr. O. A. Gee, shortly after that time.  The balloon was seen by many people as it slowly traveled in a southerly direction, and in some instances people on the ground talked with the occupants.  At Fowler the balloon had dropped so low this it was necessary to throw out considerable ballast, and they were plainly seen by the operatives in the mill at that point.

     The landing was made easily and without mishap and the party returned to this city shortly after 11 o’clock.”      

Update January 29, 2017

     Mrs. Sawyer may been the first woman born in Vermont to make a balloon ascension, but the following advertisement promoting the 1887 Lyndonville, Vermont, July 4th celebration indicates that the first woman to go aloft in a balloon over Vermont might have been Mary Myers, (1849-1932,) of Mohawk, New York, better known by her professional name of “Carlotta”.  She was married to Carl Myers, a famous aeronaut and inventor of the time.   

Advertisement from The United Opinion newspaper of Bradford, Vermont, June 17, 1887.
The ad was promoting the Lyndonville, Vt., July 4th Celebration.

Update: November 19, 2022

     Click here to read about Ada I. Mitchell, a woman who flew from Rutland, Vermont, in a balloon in October of 1894.

The Balloon Le Centaur – 1906

The Balloon Le Centaur – 1906 

 

     The following articles concern a famous balloon know as Le Centaur, which was sometimes referred to in the press as simply “Centaur”.  The Le Centaur was well known for having set a new world distance record for a balloon in October of 1900 when it flew non-stop from Paris, France, to Kiev, Russia, a distance, (Reportedly measured, “as the crow flies”) of 1,304 miles.      

     The Le Centaur and two other balloons, the L’Orient, and the L’Union, were owned by Count Henri de la Vaulx of France, who brought all three to the United States in March of 1906.    

     The following article about a balloon race from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to Bennington, Vermont, appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner newspaper on October 22, 1906.  Only two balloons were involved with the race, the Centaur, and the Orient.

     Note:  Although the article states the balloons are named Centaur and Orient, other sources identify them as being Le. Centaur and L’Orient.  

  SMALL BALLOON WINS CONTEST

     “The contestants in the balloon race which started out of Pittsfield at 10:23 o’clock this morning arrived here about 1 o’clock this afternoon.

     The Centaur , the larger balloon of the two, piloted by Charles T. Walsh and having as passengers Captain Charles F. Chandler and Major Samuel Reber, U.S. Signal Corps, reached the village several minutes ahead of the Orient.  After passing over the village in an easterly direction the balloon began to sink.  People at the house of Frank Cromack, by means of a glass, saw the balloonists throwing out ballast, but the big bag had apparently begun to lose gas.  An anchor was thrown out and caught in the trees so that the occupants were in no danger of injury.  The balloon still had sufficient buoyancy to keep clear of the trees and the occupants were apparently not at all alarmed.

     The smaller balloon, the Orient, piloted by Leo Stevens and containing Captain Homer W. Hedge, president of the Aero Club of America, passed over town in a northerly direction almost in a straight line along North Street and went out of sight shortly before 2 o’clock.

     Soon after the small balloon passed over the village the first of the five automobiles that started out in chase of the balloons from Pittsfield arrived , coming down South Street like an express train.  The men were covered with mud and said that the trip had been a hard one.  After taking in gasoline at Phelan’s Garage the automobiles again took up the pursuit of the larger balloon.

     At 3 o’clock observers at Arlington informed the Banner by telephone that the balloon was still in sight from there but far to the northeast and working north close to the mountain range.”

     Source: The Bennington Evening Banner, (Bennington, VT.),  “Small Balloon Wins Contest”, October 22, 1906

     The following article appeared in the Abilene Weekly Reflector on October 25, 1906.

A BALLOON RACE

     “Pittsfield, Mass. Oct 23 – Two balloons, Centaur and L’Orient, which remained here after the aero-automobile race between balloons and automobiles for the Hawley Cup had been declared off last Saturday , participated in an endurance contest Monday which carried them miles over northwestern Massachusetts and southern Vermont.  The balloon L’Orient outsailed the Centaur by about three hours and a half, finally landing in the little mountainous town of Jamaica in Windham County, Vermont, 57 miles from the start.  The Centaur came down in Bennington, Vt., 30 miles from this city.

     The balloons rose from here at 10:20 a.m.  The Centaur carried Charles T. Walsh, pilot, and Maj. Samuel Reber and Capt. Charles F. Chandler, of the signal corps U.S.A.  L’Orient was piloted by Leo Stevens, who had as his companion Capt. Homer W. Hedge, president of the Aero Club of America.  The balloons were in sight of each other for about three hours and after them sped three automobiles which had been entered in the Hawley Cup contest on Saturday.  The Centaur was slightly behind L’Orient in crossing the Vermont border, and after getting over Bennington, Pilot Walsh decided to land.  The descent was successfully accomplished on the slope of Woodford Mountain.   

     The occupants of the Centaur said on landing that they considered their object accomplished and that their trip has been highly successful from a scientific standpoint.  The Centaur reached a height of 6,200 feet.

     After seeing the Centaur descend, Pilot Stevens of L’Orient decided to keep on.  Twenty-seven more miles of southern Vermont was traveled and at 4:30 L’Orient came down in Jamaica. 

     Mr. Stevens said after landing that L’Orient went 8,000 feet into the air.  Above the clouds the heat was so intense that all outside clothing had to be discarded.  At one time the thermometer registered 106 degrees.

     Twenty-five minutes after Centaur landed in Bennington an automobile driven by Floyd Knight of this city stopped by the side of the car.  Half an hour later an automobile owned by C. F. Bishop of Lenox arrived on the scene.

     Both these machines had followed the balloons as an experiment, although both airships were out of sight much of the time.”

     Source: Abilene Weekly Reflector, (Abilene Kan.) “A Balloon Race”, October 25, 1906       

     On November 3, 1906 the Centaur, or Le. Centaur, took off from Pittsfield, Mass. and landed in a clump of trees on Short Beach in New Haven, Connecticut.  (Some sources put the location in Branford.  Each town apparently has a “Short Beach”.)

     What was remarkable about the 126 mile trip (Some sources put the distance at 156 miles.) was that it was made in only two-and-a-half hours, which was considered very fast for a balloon to travel at that time.   The aeronauts aboard, Leo Stevens, and Captain Homer Hedge, reported that at one point the balloon moved along at 65 miles per hour.    News reports stated, “…the speed attained has not been equaled in this country.”

     The trip would have lasted longer, but the aeronauts didn’t want to cross Long Island Sound, so they quickly brought the balloon down from an altitude of 3,000 feet in only 90 seconds.  Captain Hedge suffered a minor injury climbing down from the balloon.

     The Le Centaur, was later wrecked in late May of 1907 when it again rose from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and developed two tears in the balloon envelope caused by a rapid expansion of the buoyant gas inside due to the heat of the sun.  The craft came down near Middlefield, Mass., and both men aboard, Leo Stevens, and Harry Markoe, escaped unharmed.  It was reported that the damage to the balloon was such that it could never be used again.

      Sources:

     The Plymouth Tribune, (Plymouth, Ind.) “Two Men Fall A Mile”, May 30, 1907

     The Evening World, (NY), “Frightful Fall In A Burst Balloon”, May 24, 1907

     New York Tribune, “Autos Chase Balloon”, November 4, 1906

     The Barre Daily Times, (Barre, VT), Balloon Records beaten”, November 5, 1906

     Deseret Evening News, (Utah), “Remarkable Ballooning”, October 12, 1900

     New York Tribune, “To Fly To South Pole – Count de la Vaulx Arrives With Plans Of Daring Balloon Venture”, March 25, 1906 

A Most Unusual Air Battle Over Boston – 1936

Originally published in The Smithfield Times magazine, August, 2015.

 A Most Unusual Air Battle Over Boston

 By Jim Ignasher

       “Lady, please,” the policeman begged, “all I want is your name and address for my report. Then I promise I’ll leave you alone.”

     “Just give me a gun!” Was all she would say. “Just give me a gun!”

     The patrolman was growing weary of the young woman’s refusal to answer his questions, but showed patience by reminding himself that she was obviously ill. One reason he loved his job was because of the unending variety of situations he encountered, and this one was certainly different. Looking at the woman, he wondered why someone so pretty would do what she did. There had to be more to the story, but whatever it was, she wasn’t telling.

     The date was May 22, 1936. The setting was the Boston Airport. (Today known as Logan Airport.) Earlier in the day the woman had arrived at the hangar belonging to Intercity Airlines and asked to take a one hour observation flight over the city. She had taken several such flights in the past and always with the same handsome young pilot whom she requested again. However, that pilot, she was told, was unavailable that day, and was asked by the operations officer if she would consider flying with someone else. After some hesitation she agreed, and the job fell to Charles W. Sutherland.  

     Almost from the start something about the woman made Sutherland uncomfortable, but he couldn’t say exactly what that “something” was. She was attractive and well dressed, wearing a white linen skirt under a finely tailored blue coat. Her hair and makeup were perfect. Maybe that was it; she looked more like she was ready for an important date than someone who wanted to go flying.

     They climbed into an open-cockpit bi-plane, of the type commonly seen in old World War I movies. The seats were in tandem. While Sutherland took the front seat where the pilot’s controls were located, the woman sat in the rear. There was a rearview mirror, similar to those in an automobile, mounted above the front cockpit which allowed Sutherland to periodically glance back at his passenger as he went though the pre-flight safety check. Although Sutherland’s gut told him something wasn’t right, the woman’s demeanor seemed normal.

     Flying in such open aircraft generally required a leather helmet and goggles. The helmet kept the wind from pulling at ones hair and offered minimal protection in an accident, while the goggles protected ones eyes from wind and grit. The woman seemed reluctant to don the headgear, and Sutherland wondered if it was because of her stylish hair-do, but finally and carefully, she put it on.

     Seeing that the woman was settled in, Sutherland started the engine and taxied out to the runway. The weather was clear and seasonable and he hoped the flight would be nothing more than routine. The takeoff and rise to altitude went smoothly, and in a few minutes he leveled the plane at 10,000 feet and began a long lazy circle over Boston Harbor that would take them around the city and back to the airport.

     Things appeared to be going well, and the pilot began to wonder if his fears had been unfounded. Periodically glancing in the rearview mirror, he saw that the lady seemed to be enjoying the flight, but then she suddenly unfastened her seatbelt and begin shifting around in her seat. At one point she leaned way out of the cockpit to peer over the side. Sutherland turned to ask if she was alright and she nodded, but didn’t smile. To him, it appeared as if she was trying to make up her mind about something – was she going to jump? Sutherland couldn’t take the chance. He put the plane into a steep dive with the intent of returning to the airport, but as the plane descended the woman’s behavior became more erratic.

     At 1,500 feet she suddenly pulled off her helmet and goggles and tossed them overboard, letting her thick brown hair billow in the slipstream. Then she tried to climb out of the airplane! As she put one leg over the side Sutherland knew he had to act quickly. Unfastening his own safety belt, he stood up, reached back, and grabbed her by the only thing her could – her hair.   He then used his brawn to pull her back into her seat, but by this point she was intent on finishing what she’d come to do. She fought back, hitting, scratching, swearing, and biting, but Sutherland held tight.

     There he was, standing up in the airplane roughly 2,000 feet over the city, with one hand on the control stick and the other gripping the woman’s hair, struggling to keep the ship steady as he searched for the airport. Strong winds coming in off the ocean buffeted and rocked the plane making the situation all the more difficult, for it wouldn’t take much to toss both of them into space.    

     The battle against life and death raged for the next fifteen minutes over the skies of Boston. There was no way for Sutherland to call for help, and there was nothing anyone could do even if there had been. He was on his own, trapped in the sky struggling with a deranged woman who could at any moment bring both of them hurtling to their deaths.

     She screamed and swore at Sutherland, calling him every name in the book, and a few that hadn’t been invented yet, all the while trying every move she could think of to get him to let go. The question was; did she want to kill herself more than Sutherland wanted to save her?

     She flailed and twisted. Sutherland locked his arm and continued to hold tight. Every time he brought the plane closer to the ground she would cause him to jerk back on the controls and regain altitude. As the low flying plane passed erratically over the city, people on the ground thought it was some sort of publicity stunt, but for what they weren’t sure.    

   The battle continued, and both participants grew tired. Sutherland still held firm, but his arm was cramping. He could feel his strength ebbing and wondered how much longer he could hold on. Then an idea came to him. He swung the plane hard throwing the woman off balance and causing her to tumble into her seat. In that few seconds it took her to recover, he switched hands, and battle started anew. Spotting the airport ahead, he made a straight line for it. Boston’s airport was a busy one, and he hoped other air traffic would see him coming and get out of his way. If it didn’t, then his efforts would have been for naught.

   Miraculously, he managed to land the plane in his contorted position, and as soon as the wheels touched the tarmac the woman stopped fighting, slumped in her seat, and accepted defeat.  Airport employees raced out in a car to meet them and gave Sutherland a hand in holding the woman until Boston police could arrive.

     Even though the woman had flown with Intercity Airlines before, nobody had ever bothered to ask her name, for such things were not required in 1936. She carried no identification, and when police questioned her all she would say was, “Just give me a gun.” Exasperated, they took her to a nearby hospital for evaluation where she was admitted as a “Jane Doe”. Her picture was posted in local papers hoping someone would recognize her, but follow-up articles for this story could not be located.

     As for Mr. Sutherland, he was hailed as a hero, and he no doubt decided to trust his instincts more in the future. What motivated the pretty young woman to try to end her life is unknown, but her actions made for what is perhaps the most unusual aerial battle to ever take place over Boston.      

 

 

 

A Novel Balloon Experiment – 1909

A Novel Balloon Experiment – 1909

     The following article appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner, (Bennington, Vermont) on July 28, 1909.  The name of the balloon mentioned is the “Pittsfield”, named for Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

    Pittsfield Aeronaut Uses Novel Experiment To Descend

     “Conway, Mass.  July 28 – Parachuting his balloon, Pittsfield, at a height of over two miles by loosening the appendix cord and allowing the lower part of the balloon to rise into the netting, Dr. S. S. Stowell of Pittsfield, in his first trip as pilot yesterday made a drop to earth.  The experiment was probably the first of its nature ever tried in this country.

     The balloon ascended from Pittsfield at 10:25 o’clock.  The passengers were John T. Manning of that city, and Mrs. Blanche Hutz, a nurse in Bellevue Hospital, New York.  Over Ashland and Buckland the aeronauts struck a vortex, which once before has troubled balloonists, and were swept rapidly upward to over two miles.

     At this height, with but one bag of ballast left, Dr. Stowell conceived the idea of parachuting his balloon and allowing it to take its own course to earth rather then use the valve cord and allow gas to escape.  The appendix cord was loosened and the Pittsfield, resolving itself into a monster toadstool, started slowly earthward.

     The balloon settled over Shelburne Falls and Conway and came to rest without a jolt in a field in Conway at 1 o’clock.”      

     Source: The Bennington Evening Banner, “Pittsfield Aeronaut Uses Novel  Experiment To Descend”, July 28, 1909

Vermont Balloon Ascension – 1858

Vermont Balloon Ascension – 1858

     On July 5, 1858, John La Mountain made a balloon ascension from Rutland, Vermont, and reportedly reached an altitude of five miles – a remarkable feat for the day.   

     The following is an excerpt from The Middlebury Register, of Middlebury, Vermont, dated July 4, 1858. 

     “Mr. La Mountain in his account of his balloon ascension from Rutland on the 5th estimates that he reached an altitude of five miles.  He was able to count 53 villages.  The Earth appeared concave and there was no perceptible difference between mountains and valleys.  The wet sand in his (ballast) bags was frozen solid.  The rarified atmosphere and intense cold caused painful and alarming sensations.”

     Mr. La Mountain was quoted as saying:

     “At this woeful scene I still retained presence of mind enough to be aware of my condition. I immediately pulled the valve-rope to discharge gas to descend.  The Balloon having been continually ascending for about forty minutes, was at a height of at least five miles.  In the course of a few minutes the Balloon began gradually to descend, and my suffering began to be somewhat relieved. ”   

     The trip lasted one hour and twenty-two minutes during which the balloon traveled forty miles before it landed in the town of Windham. 

     Source:

     The Middlebury Register, (Middlebury, VT.), “News Of The Week”. July 14, 1858 

Tips For Researching A New England Military Plane Crash

Tips For Researching A New England

Military Plane Crash

    

New England Mountains

New England Mountains

      The idea for this article came about because from time to time I’ve been  contacted by people looking for information about family members lost in military aviation accidents, or local historians and veteran’s organizations hoping to find more details about WWII era military crashes that occurred in their area.     

     There have been literally thousands of military aviation accidents all across the United States going back to the early days of flight, however this article will focus on researching those that occurred in New England.   

     During World War II, army and naval air fields were established in all six New England states to be utilized for coastal defense, training of new pilots, and way stations for bomber crews arriving cross-country bound for Europe.  With a war on it seemed inevitable that accidents would happen – and they did -almost on a daily basis, which is the reason why the majority of New England’s military aircraft accidents occurred during World War II, (1941-1945).  However, there were also accidents that occurred during the post-war years up to the 1970s.    

     The word “accident” is appropriate, for there are no known combat related air crashes that occurred in New England.  Accidents occurred for various reasons including bad weather, mechanical failure, structural failure, unforeseen ground conditions, or human error.    

This water-filled crater in the woods of Charlestown, R.I., is where a navy Hellcat fighter crashed on May 14, 1944.

This water-filled crater in the woods of Charlestown, R.I., is where a navy Hellcat fighter crashed on May 14, 1944.

     Southern New England in particular has numerous World War II era wreck sites, although most are unrecognizable as such today.  Unlike the mountain-top crash sites of northern New England where remote locations made it necessary to leave the wreckage where it fell, those in the south are generally not as obvious, for once the sites were “cleaned” by the military, Mother Nature began to reclaim the land.  And some sites have been lost all together due to modern development.     

    SECTION I

Getting Started

       The first place most people begin their research is with the Internet, but sometimes this leads to a dead end.  Now what?   Now you get to play detective, but where do you begin?  That all depends on how much information you have to start with.

     The following tips are offered as guidelines  to genealogists and historians although they may not apply in all cases.

   A genealogist researching a family member killed in a plane crash will likely have the person’s name and date of death, and probably a general location, such as the name of a town, or at least the state.   However, in other cases, a local historian may hear of a crash, “that happened sometime during World War II“, and is trying to learn more based vague recollections and scant information.  The historian will likely have a general location, but no names or date(s) to work with.  Therefore, each will have to begin their research in different ways.  

       The date of occurrence is necessary if one is looking for newspaper articles and official reports about the accident.  Unfortunately, if you don’t have the date, there’s no centralized government repository where such information is easily found.   

       To the genealogist; if you have a name to work with, but not the exact date or place of occurrence, try contacting the appropriate state agency responsible for keeping vital statistics, i.e. birth and death records.  This might be different for each state, so visiting a state’s government website should help in directing you to the proper office.  (Look under “vital statistics”.)   

     The state office/archives where vital statistics are kept should be able to provide the date and location of death, (city or town), as well as a copy of the death certificate if one is willing to pay for it. 

     Be aware that if the deceased was initially reported as “lost” or “missing”, and was never found, (Such as lost at sea.), the date of death might be listed as one-year-and-a-day after the date of the incident.  This is called a “presumption of death” which was generally issued 366 days after the fatal incident for widow’s benefits and estate settlement purposes.

    If the genealogist knows the name of the town in which the accident occurred, then they can contact the town hall directly, and the name of the deceased can be looked up in town death records, which will contain the date of occurrence and other helpful information.  Phone numbers for the town clerk’s office are usually posted on the town’s government website.   

     To the historian; if you don’t have any name(s) or dates to work with, as is often the case when getting third-hand information about a crash that occurred decades earlier, there are several other options to explore presuming you at least know the municipality in which the crash occurred. 

     The following are some suggestions to guide all researchers.

     1) Contact the local historical society. Even if the town doesn’t have one, a neighboring town might. If such is not the case, many towns have at least one “unofficial” town historian – someone who has taken it upon themselves to learn all they can about local history.  Finding that person could be as easy as calling the town hall, or speaking with the reference librarian at the local library.  

     2) Speak with the reference librarian at the local library.  Sometimes libraries have local history rooms, or at least history files that are available to researchers. These files can contain news clippings, photographs, and other helpful information.

     Ask the librarian about newspaper microfilm collections.  Many libraries have them, and some are quite extensive.  If the library doesn’t have one, ask the librarian if they know of another that might.  If the microfilm collection is indexed, then you can probably get the date of the crash from that, a well as copies of newspaper articles about the crash.  (More about newspaper articles later.)

     If the microfilm collection isn’t indexed, that’s alright.  Just knowing it’s there will be helpful later. 

     I was once using a microfilm viewer at a library when three youths came over to ask what kind of “computer” I was using.  For those too young to know, microfilm was a pre-Internet way of preserving and storing newspapers on small rolls of film.  The newspaper pages would be photographed in high resolution on transparent film to be viewed by researchers using special microfilm viewing machines.  Modern technology is gradually making these machines obsolete as more and more libraries digitize their collections.         

     3) Try contacting local veterans groups, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, or the American Legion Post. They may have a record of the incident, or perhaps photos or artifacts.  It’s also possible they held a memorial ceremony at some point.

     4) Speak with long-time residents.  You can try talking with long-time local residents to see what they might know or remember.  A senior center is a good place to start, but be warned, memory can be hazy when it comes to recalling incidents that occurred 50 to 70 years earlier.  

U.S. Army RB-34 U.S. Air Force Photo

U.S. Army RB-34
U.S. Air Force Photo

     In 2003 I researched a military crash that occurred in August of 1943.  Some people I spoke to were “positive” as to the type of aircraft involved.  One said it was a B-17, another, a B-25, still another, a B-26, and one was sure it was a P-38.  The downed plane later turned out to be an RB-34, the army’s version of the navy PV-1 Ventura.  

     As to the date of the crash, I was given several, ranging from 1939 to 1946, all of which were incorrect.      

     I further learned that the crash had taken on some local folklore.  It seems that after the volunteer fire department had extinguished the blaze, military officials arrived and made everyone leave the immediate area.  This was actually standard procedure done to protect the scene from souvenir hunters, as well as the public from any unexploded ordinance, or gruesome sights.  However, the local rumor mill at the time interpreted this to be some type of “cover up”, and as time went on rumor became “fact”.  It was said the plane had crashed because it was overloaded with bombs, and had been carrying top-secret military equipment, neither of which turned out to be true.         

     That’s not to say that those you speak with will provide useless information.  I found a woman who was 12-years-old at the time who saw the plane go into the hill.  She’d ridden her bicycle to the scene, and was able to recall quite vividly what she saw.   

     I also spoke with a former volunteer fireman who was too young for military service, but old enough to ride a fire truck who’d also been at the crash.

     If you’re lucky, you may find someone who happened to have a camera and took photos of the incident. 

     5) Visit the town hall.  Town halls and city halls have death records (under “vital statistics”) pertaining to anyone who has ever died within the municipality.  If you have the name of the pilot, or a crew member, someone in the town clerk’s office can look up the date of death for you.  If you don’t have a name, there are other ways to look up the information.

     Before going to the town hall, it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with the state’s “open records laws” pertaining to death records.  These can usually be downloaded from the state’s Secretary of State website. 

    There’s a difference between a “death certificate” and a “death record”, and you need to be clear about what you’re asking for.  Death certificates are official documents that people request certified copies of for various reasons; the probate of wills for example. (There is a fee for these.) “Death records” are generally kept in large, hard-bound, books with a canvas cover and leather spine.  These books will be marked “Death Records”, and will usually contain records for a designated number of years such as from 1920 – 1945.  I’ve found these books to be more or less universal from one town hall to the next, but in a couple of cases I’ve been to town halls that didn’t use them, and stored old records differently.    

      Researching the town’s death records without a name or date is difficult, but not impossible.  The “death record” books have an alphabetical name index used to look up the name of the deceased.  It tells the clerk which page in the book the record will be found.  However, names aside, in most cases all death records are entered in the book(s) in the sequential order in which they occurred, not by alphabetical order.  Therefore, if you know the year, or a specific time frame, using the book that contains the records from that year or time frame is the place to start.

     Here’s how it can be done.  Each death record entry lists a “cause of death”, i.e. heart attack, drowning, accident, etc.  Those involving a plane crash will state something to the effect of “massive trauma resulting from plane crash”, or “severe burns due to plane crash”.  Under “occupation” should be some reference to military service. Unless you’re dealing with a municipality located near an active or former military air base, chances are there will be very few military plane crash deaths listed. 

     Therefore, if you know the crash took place in a particular time frame, such as the summer of 1944, the clerk can skim through the pages for July and August looking at “cause of death” to find what you’re looking for.

     If you know the exact date of the incident, but don’t have any names, the incident could be looked up by the date alone because the death records are entered in the order of occurrence, and not by alphabetical order.  Therefore, looking up the records only requires opening the death record book to the page(s) that contain the entries for that date.  

     If more than one person was killed in the same plane crash, all names should be listed together in the book, either on the same page or the one following it, regardless of where they fall alphabetically on the name index.  An exception to this could be if one of the victims died days or weeks later due to their injuries. 

     Many New England towns were still “small towns” during the 1940s and 50s.  Therefore, there may not be very many death records to sort through to find what you’re looking for.  Unfortunately this is not true with larger municipalities.

    Some clerks may be under the impression that since it was a military plane crash, the deaths won’t be found in their records, but in the town hall records of the hometowns of where the servicemen came from.  In some cases this may be true as with “presumption of death” entries done for estate settlement purposes.  However, these are general cases where a body was never found.  Under most circumstances, any and all deaths that occur in a municipality are supposed to be recorded in that municipality where the death occurred. 

     Having said that, there could still be other exceptions.  For example, suppose a man is injured in Town A, and is transported to a hospital in Town B, where he dies.  Or he is pronounced “dead on arrival” at the hospital.  In either case, his death record is likely going to be found in Town B.     

     The information found in death records is helpful, for they not only give the exact date of the crash, they also contain the airman’s date of birth, marital status, and place of burial.  (More on that later.)

      6) Local police and fire departments. You could try seeking official reports or photographs from local fire and police departments, but generally such records no longer exist.  Most fire departments were volunteer organizations until the later half of the 20th century, and many small towns during the 1940s and 50s were policed by part-time officers or constables.  

      In many cases, municipal police and fire departments today are only required to keep records for seven years unless the case is still “active”, such as with an unsolved murder.        

     7) Aviation Museums. One can also contact regional aviation museums to see if they might have any information on the crash you’re investigating.  This is a long shot, but in one instance it paid off for me.   

Not all WWII aviation accidents involved fatalities.

Not all WWII aviation accidents involved fatalities.

     If the incident you’re investigating didn’t involve any fatalities then information about it will be harder to find.  Army and navy aircraft accidents were very common, especially during WWII.  Therefore, an accident that only involved the loss of an airplane may have escaped notice by the local media unless there were some unusual circumstances such as the plane landing on a house.  In cases where there were no fatalities involved, I’d suggest contacting websites that deal with military aviation accident reports.  (More on that later.)  

     Another idea is to try looking up squadron histories if the squadron number or designation is known.

 

SECTION II

So you have the date and place of occurrence, now what?

   In the woods 3  Once you have the date and location of the accident you can gather more information through sources that are mentioned in Section I.

   1) Newspaper microfilm collections at a library will hopefully provide details about the crash.  Unfortunately, in some cases they give extremely little information depending upon what else was going on with the war and locally at the time.  In other cases they weren’t reported at all.  This is more likely if the paper was a weekly instead of a daily.

     Newspaper articles may provide the type of aircraft involved, but  when the press wasn’t sure, sometimes the aircraft would be described as a “navy fighter plane”, or an “army bomber-type aircraft”, which isn’t much help to the researcher other than to give the branch of service it belonged to.

     Sometimes names of the deceased weren’t mentioned in the press because they were withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.  However, by knowing the date of occurrence, the names can be looked up in municipal death records.  

     In other instances, to save space, the reporter may have only used first and middle initials.  Again, full names can be determined through death records.  

    If you do locate an article about the crash, remember that follow-up articles may have appeared in the same paper over the next few days.  

    If other newspaper microfilm collections exist at other libraries, see if they reported different accounts of the crash.  You might be surprised to see how one newspaper covered the event in far more detail than another.   

     2) Getting back to municipal death records.  One piece of information they contain is the place of burial, which is generally in or near the person’s hometown.  Since many airmen weren’t from New England, the press may not have included much personal information about them, such as where they went to school, what organizations they belonged to, what they did prior to the war, etc. That information will likely be found in their hometown newspapers. 

     3) Getting back to reference librarians – or you could do this next part on your own. 

     The reference librarian can contact a library in the deceased’s home town and ask them to look in their microfilm collection for any articles pertaining to the person, and any follow-up articles about the funeral.  Such articles might contain a photo of the deceased.  

 

SECTION III

Obtaining A Copy Of The Official Investigation Report   

Wreckage from a navy aircraft in the woods of Connecticut.

Wreckage from a navy aircraft in the woods of Connecticut.

     Newspaper articles might only tell part of the story – the part that the military deemed appropriate due to wartime or military secrecy.  If you want to learn more then you may want to obtain a copy of the official crash investigation report.

     Every WWII military aircraft accident was investigated and a report of the official findings was filed.  Until about twenty years ago, those reports remained classified and unavailable to the press or public.  Today, reports up to the mid 1950s are available through the Freedom of Information Act, and through websites that sell microfilm copies of such reports.  Search under “Military Aviation Archeology”, “Aviation Archeology”, or “Military Aviation Accident Reports”.  (I’m not at liberty to endorse one website over another.)

     The cost of a report depends on the number of pages, and whether or not there are photos that go with it.  I’ve seen reports that have over 100 pages, and others that have as few as 2. 

     Information found in these reports may or may not contain information about the aircraft, copies of maintenance records, witness statements, the investigation committee’s findings as to the cause of the crash, recommendations pertaining to any discipline, and ways to prevent future occurrences.  Each circumstance is different.

 

SECTION IV

Establishing A Memorial

Memorial to those who lost their lives in the service of their country at Charlestown (RI) Aux. Landing Field

Memorial to those who lost their lives in the service of their country at Charlestown (RI) Aux. Landing Field

     After researching the crash, you may want to erect some type of memorial honoring the men who lost their lives so their sacrifice won’t be forgotten.  This is a noble cause, but there’s a lot to consider before getting started. 

     First there are some basic questions you need to ask yourself. 

     1) Would the memorial be placed at the site of the crash where only a few might see it, or in a public park, or other location where everyone can see it?  Be aware that private property owners may not want a memorial on their land for various reasons.  

     2) What permissions or municipal permits would need to be obtained? 

     3) How big should the memorial be, and what materials would be used?

     4) What is the projected cost, and how will the money be raised?

     5) Who will do the work?    

     6) Does the town already have a WWII memorial, and if so, can the names of those killed in the crash be added?

     With a project of this type y0u should solicit the help of people who can get things done on a municipal level. Contacting local veterans groups, civic organizations, and politicians can be a good place to start. 

     Newspapers and magazines can be helpful with publicity by writing stories about the project. 

     Good luck with your research.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact this website. 

 

 

 

West Lynn Flying Club – Lynn, Mass.

The West Lynn Flying Club Inc.

     The West Lynn Flying Club Inc. was a private non-profit organization established in November of 1946 with seven founding members , all of whom worked for General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts.  The club later formally incorporated in April of 1947.

     The founding members included: Rene Michaud, Preston J. Ultcht, John J. Groncki,  Zereh Martin, Howard Meserve, Ed Philpot, and George Kenny.    Mr. Ultcht was a former B-17 bomber pilot who flew 29 missions during WWII.  Michaud and Philpot were both experienced navy pilots.    

     Other members later included Francis Davenport, and Robert C. Fisher.  Dues were as low as 50 cents per week, and membership was open to anybody with an interest in flying.     

     The club owned its own airplane, a Boeing N2S-4 tw0-seat biplane built in 1944 that was formerly used by the U. S. Navy to train cadet pilots during World War II.  It was purchased as government surplus in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and then flown to Massachusetts.  

     The civil registration number for the aircraft was 38015.   

     At some point in time between 1949 and 1952 this aircraft was loaned or rented to an unknown pilot who subsequently wrecked it while attempting to land on a farm to ask directions.  Further details and the location of the accident are unknown.

     Information about this club was sent to New England Aviation History by the daughter of one of the club’s founding members.  She is seeking information relating to the above mentioned accident.  Anyone with any information is asked to contact New England Aviation History.   

      Sources:

     General Electric News Letter, “Local Flying Club Boasts Of Seven West Lynn Members”, January, 1948 

     Lynn Daily Evening Item, “GE Flying Enthusiasts Seek To Expand Club”, July 2, 1948. 

Bangor Airport, Maine

Bangor Airport,

Bangor, Maine

The airport opened as Godfrey Field in 1921.

Click on image to enlarge.

 

Old postcard view of Bangor Airport, Bangor, Maine.

Old postcard view of Bangor Airport, Bangor, Maine.

 

 

New Haven Airport, CT

New Haven Airport

New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut - 1931

New Haven, Connecticut – 1931

Early Post Card View Of New Haven Airport

Early Post Card View Of New Haven Airport

Woonsocket, R.I. Air Mail – 1953

Woonsocket, Rhode Island, First Airmail Flight – October 1, 1953

woonsocket-first-air-mail-october-1-1953 

Boston Radio Aero Show – 1928

Boston Radio Aero Show – 1928

Held at Mechanics Blvd. October 1-6, 1928

boston-radio-aero-show-1928

Charles Duryea’s Skycycle – 1893

Charles Duryea’s Skycycle – 1893

The Duryea "Skycycle" - 1893 Illustration - Phillipsburg Herald, April 13, 1893

The Duryea “Skycycle” – 1893 Illustration – Phillipsburg Herald, April 13, 1893

     Charles Edward Duryea (1861-1938) was an inventor in Springfield, Massachusetts, who was best known for building the first ever gasoline powered automobile -the Duryea – in 1898.  However, one of his lesser known inventions was his “Skycycle” – a human powered flying machine produced in 1893.

     The Skycycle consisted of a framework with canvas wings that measured about thirty feet from tip to tip.  A propeller mounted in the front was driven by a set of bicycle-type pedals operated by the pilot.  Steering was accomplished via a rudder mounted aft of the pilot, which could be turned by a set of handlebars.

     It was reported that the machine was “extremely simple” and “not costly to build”.  However, it is unknown if any of Duryea’s Skycycles were actually completed.

     Source:

     Phillipsburg Herald, (Philipsburg, Kansas), “The Skycycle”, “A Massachusetts Yankee Thinks He Can Soar Aloft”, April 13, 1893

Woonsocket Airport – R.I.

Woonsocket Airport – Rhode Island

     1920s-plane-in-cloudsThere doesn’t seem to be a lot of documentation about the former Woonsocket Airport that was once located on the north side of Diamond Hill Road in the northern part of the City of Woonsocket.   Today a large shopping plaza occupies the land where the airport once stood.

     Based on a sole article found in the Woonsocket Call, it is surmised that construction of the airport was begun in 1929, or early 1930. 

     The airport was reportedly sponsored by the Woonsocket Chamber of Commerce, and was still under ongoing development as of April of 1930.  The airport was operated by the newly formed Woonsocket Airways, the city’s first aviation company, which owned at least one airplane.  As of the end of April plans were underway to build a hangar large enough to house two or three airplanes.

     The Superintendent of Operations for Woonsocket Airways was George H. Mitchell, who was supervising the ongoing improvements at the airfield.

     The land occupied by the airport was owned by William L. Whipple, 77, a farmer who owned several hundred acres of land in north-eastern Woonsocket.  Mr. Whipple had been an aviation enthusiast for many years, and on April 27, 1930, went to the airport and took his first airplane ride.  When it was over he remarked, “That’s something to talk about when I get old.”

     Source:

     Woonsocket Call, “77-Year-Old Man Enjoys Plane Ride”, April 28, 1930

Rhode Island Airport Locations – 1932

Rhode Island Airport Locations – 1932

     Below is a list of active airports in the state of Rhode Island in 1932, according to a state highway map issued by the state.   All but two of them are now defunct.  Those still in use are #5, Rhode Island State Airport, (Today known as T. F. Green Airport), and #9, Newport Airport, in Middletown, R.I.  

     #4 was called the Providence Airport, but it was actually located in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

     Absent from this list is the Smithfield Airport, which was located on property now occupied by Bryant University, and RICON Airport, located in Coventry, Rhode Island, near the Connecticut boarder.  (RICON Airport is still in use.)      

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ri-hwy-map-1932

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932.  Bryant University now occupies this land.

The original hangar at the Smithfield R.I. Airport which opened in 1932. Bryant University now occupies this land.

RICON Airport original Hangar, Coventry, Rhode Island

RICON Airport original Hangar, Coventry, Rhode Island

1930 Map Of The Providence Airport in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

1930 Map Of The Providence Airport in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

Vintage Hillsgrove Airport Postcard. Today known as T.F. Green State Airport - Warwick, R.I.

Vintage Hillsgrove Airport Postcard.
Today known as T.F. Green State Airport – Warwick, R.I.

 

 

Eastern Aircraft Corporation – Pawtucket, R. I.

Eastern Aircraft Corporation

Pawtucket, Rhode Island 

     The Eastern Aircraft Corporation was located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in a building that is still standing as of this writing, at an address of 1 Campbell Street.  The building is located several blocks from the former site of the What Cheer Airport, which was located between Manton Street, Newport Avenue, and Beverage Hill Avenue.   

     In August of 1929, Eastern Aircraft’s president, Raymond C. Van Arsdale,  announced that the company would begin immediate production of Messerschmidt airplanes in partnership with the Bavarian Aircraft Corporation in Germany. 

     Many aircraft of this era were still being produced with doped-canvas “skins”, but the Messerschmidts were to be all-metal, and would be produced in three models: a three-passenger cabin plane, a seven-passenger aircraft, and a small training airplane.  Each was to be produced under the direct supervision of German engineers who would be sent from the Bavarian plant to oversee production. 

     Although the aircraft were being produced for a German market, they would still have to meet United States Department of Commerce aeronautical specifications. 

    The announcement came less than three months before the U.S. stock market crash of October 29, 1929, which pushed the United States into the Great Depression.  Many businesses went bankrupt as a result, Eastern Aircraft being one of them.  It is therefore unknown if any aircraft were ever completed/built in Pawtucket.

     Sources:

     The Woonsocket Call, (R.I.), “Pawtucket Firm To Manufacture German Planes”, August 5, 1929         

     New Britain Times, (Ct.)”Pawtucket Concern To Make German Planes”, August 5, 1929    

Bourdon Aircraft Company

Bourdon Aircraft Company

Warwick, Rhode Island

 

    1920s-plane-in-clouds The Bourdon Aircraft Company was incorporated in Rhode Island on February 6, 1928, by Allan P. Bourdon. The company initially began production in the former Gallaudet Aircraft factory in the Chepiwanoxet part of Warwick, but moved shortly afterwards to a former textile mill in the Hillsgrove portion of the city.

     Bourdon Aircraft was known for production of the two-passenger “Kittyhawk” bi-plane, said to “Fly like a hawk, and land like a kitten.” Powered by a 7-cylinder Siemans-Halske motor, it was 22 ft. 6 in. long, and had a 28 ft. wingspan. The aircraft was designed by Bourdon’s engineer, Franklin Kurt.

     The name “Kittyhawk” was bestowed on the aircraft because of the Wright Brothers flight at Kittyhawk, North Carolina, in 1903.

     The company finished it first airplane in May of 1928.

     On May 18, Allan Bourdon flew his Kittyhawk from Buttonwoods Airport in Warwick to Boston for its first long distance flight, which took a total of 32 minutes to complete.  After being inspected by Assistant Secretary MacCracken of the U.S. Department of Commerce Aviation Division, the plane returned to Buttonwoods.

     By January of 1929, the Bourdon Aircraft Company had produced eight Kittyhawk airplanes.  It was reported that the company intended to begin producing one airplane a week beginning in March of that year, some of which would be equipped with pontoons for water take-offs and landings. Unfortunately the production goal did not materialize, and a total of only thirteen Kittyhawks were built in Rhode Island.    

     On April 3, 1929, it was announced that the U. S. Department of Commerce had granted the Bourdon Aircraft Company certificate number 134, signifying that their aircraft had met the standards of the D.O.C. regarding their ability to perform well in many kinds of flying conditions.  

     On October 16, 1929, it was announced that the Bourdon Aircraft Company would be merging with the Viking Flying Boat Company of New Haven, Connecticut, and by the end of the month production would be moved to New Haven.  The announcement came just thirteen days before the great stock market crash of 1929.

     In 1931, the Viking Flying Boat Company was acquired by Stearman-Varney Inc. which continued aircraft production in New Haven until 1936.

Sources:

The Providence Journal, “Bourdon Biplane Flies To Boston”, May 19, 1928

The Providence Journal, “Builder Of Planes Hits R. I. Apathy”, January 22, 1929

The Providence Journal, “Kitty Hawk Airplane Wins Official Sanction”, April 4, 1929

The Providence Journal, “Bourdon Aircraft Company Merged; To Leave State”, October 17, 1929.

(Magazine) Aeronautical Industry – Vol. 8, page 58, “Air Transportation”, “Bourdon Kittyhawk Designed For Radial Engine, Standardizes On Siemens Yankee”, by J. E. Bullard, August 3, 1929

(Book) American Flying Boats And Amphibious Aircraft; An Illustrated History, By E. R. Johnson, McFarland & Co. Inc. Publishers, Copyright 2009

Providence Magazine Cover – 1930

Providence Magazine Cover – 1930

     As the cover states, the Providence Magazine was published monthly by the Providence Chamber of Commerce.  In March of 1930, the state of Rhode Island was in the process of developing Hillsgrove Airfield in Warwick into becoming the first state-owned airport in the country.   The magazine cover depicts the anticipated 90 minute passenger flights from Rhode Island to New York City. 

     Today, Hillsgrove Airport is known as T. F. Green Airport.    

providence-magazine-march-1930

 

Rhode Island Aviation Heritage Association

Rhode Island Aviation Heritage Association

ri-aviation-heritage-assoc

     The Rhode Island Aviation Heritage Association was formed in 1989, and established the Quonset Air Museum in a former navy aircraft hanger at the former Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.   The hangar was formerly occupied by General Dynamics Corporation/Electric Boat Division before it was turned over to the R.I.A.H.A. for use as a museum. 

     The R.I.A.H.A. is a sub-committee of the Rhode Island Heritage Commission dedicated to preserving Rhode Island aviation history.   

     The association was open to anyone with an interest in aviation history.

2nd-annual-awards-1992

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What Cheer Airport – Pawtucket, R.I.

What Cheer Airport – Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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airplane     What Cheer Airport was one of Rhode Island’s early airfields that was in operation from as early as 1928 to 1934.  It began as a small grass airfield located on a few acres of land between Manton Street, Newport Avenue, and Beverage Hill Avenue in Pawtucket, close to the East Providence city line, but it eventually grew to encompass over 300 acres and extended into East Providence as far south as Ferris Avenue.  

     The name “What Cheer” comes from the legendary greeting of “What Cheer, Netop?” which the Narragansett Indians are said to have given Roger Williams, (Rhode Island’s founder), upon his arrival in 1636 at what would become Providence.  (“Netop” is the Narragansett word for friend.) The words “What Cheer” are also found on the Providence city seal.

   The land on which the airfield sat was owned by Nicholas Bertozzi, and was initially used by the Curtis Flying Service. On May 21, 1928, Bertozzi, along with Leo J. Leeburn, and Attorney Raymond J. McMahon, were granted a charter by Secretary of State Ernest L. Sprague to incorporate What Cheer Airways. The corporation began with $10,000 in preferred stock, and 500 shares of common stock. The Charter enabled What Cheer Airways expand the airfield and establish passenger flights, as well as institute a flight school and airplane dealership. The planned expansion would grow to encompass 85 acres, and would include the erection of six airplane hangers, and the construction of two runways, one about 2,150 feet long, and the other about 2,500 feet long.   

Pawtucket Times
October 11, 1928

On September 15, 1928, veteran pilot and instructor Douglas Harris took over as chief pilot and instructor for the company. Interestingly, Harris bore a remarkable resemblance to national hero Charles Lindbergh. In fact, Harris and Lindbergh were born on the same day, and Harris owned a Curtis Jenny that had once belonged to Lindbergh.  

     By the late 1920s the state legislature had decided that there should be a state owned airport for Rhode Island. If it came to pass, it would be the first state owned airport in the United States. This airport, wherever it might be located, would become the state’s primary airport regarding passenger service and commerce.      

     At the time there were about ten or so airports in Rhode Island, some more established than others, and each vied for consideration. In today’s world, with modern (and noisy) jet traffic, proposing to put a major airport in any community would likely meet with resistance, but this was an era before jets, when the occasional drone of an aircraft propeller was cause for one to look skyward and think of Charles Lindbergh. As such, the City of Pawtucket was anxious to have the state decide in its favor for What Cheer Airport, and formed an aviation committee within the Pawtucket Chamber of Commerce.

     To help gain attention, in October of 1928, What Cheer Airport hosted what was advertised as Rhode Island’s “first military air meet”, and “the most spectacular military air meet in New England’s history”. Pilots of the Rhode Island National Guard, as well as military flyers from New York, Boston, Hartford, and Virginia, arrived in various types of aircraft. One plane of particular interest was a Fairchild Monoplane which had wings that could fold “like a bird” to make it easier to store in a hangar. A total of 40 military planes were in attendance.

     However, many civilian aircraft were also in attendance, one being a large, 14 passenger all-metal, Ford tri-motor, with a wing span of 78 feet, valued at $65,000.    

     One civilian of note was famous pioneer aviator Harry M. Jones, who arrived from Mane in his Stinson-Detroiter.      

     Special features of the air meet included air races and stunt flying, parachute jumps, and a mock air battles.

     It was during this air meet that What Cheer Airport was officially dedicated by Governor Chase on Oct. 14, 1928. As part of the ceremony, the Governor released a number of “Good Luck” balloons, one of which had a small horseshoe attached. The finder would be entitled to a free plane ride.  

   The event was highly successful, attracting 50,000 people and 15,000 automobiles to the area, which reportedly created the worst traffic jams in the city’s history.

     By the spring of 1929, the state was getting close to making a decision as to where the state’s airport should be located, and in May the Pawtucket Chamber of Commerce released a report extolling the virtues for choosing What Cheer. Among the positives stated were:  

     1) What Cheer’s convenient location to the Providence metropolitan area and the “bulk of the population of Rhode Island”.

     2) The great number of people who already frequent the airport.

     3) The field now consisted of 292 acres, most of which was level and needed little or no grading.

     4) The area had a great deal of skilled labor, including tradesmen capable of working in construction as well as the growing aircraft industry.

     5) The airport already had nearby rail facilities for handling freight and passengers.

     6) The soil had excellent drainage. (Something other potential sites did not.)

     7) There were no wire hazards – meaning that there were no telephone poles to obstruct takeoffs and landings.

     8) The airport was in proximity to golf courses, farm land, and Slater Memorial Park, any of which could serve as emergency landing fields.

     9) The airport was only 5.2 miles from the Providence Post Office in downtown Providence, about 13 minutes away.

     10) The airport would be easily accessible for those living in the Blackstone Valley region.

     11) The field already possessed a six-plane hangar and administration building.

     12) The airport was serviced by nearby trolley lines.

     13) There was still open land around the airport which would allow for future expansion.

     Unfortunately for Pawtucket, the state chose Hillsgrove Airfield in Warwick, which is today the state’s primary airport known as T. F. Green. Hillsgrove Airport was dedicated on July 2, 1929, and a $300,000 bond issue was passed for construction to begin.

     Despite not being selected by the state, there were those who held out hope that What Cheer might at least compete with Hillsgrove for on August 9 it was announced in that What Cheer Airport had gained another 27 acres, bringing the total land area to 319 acres. The acquisition, it was reported, would now allow for “landings and take-offs from any part of the field and in any kind of flying weather.”    

     Advocates for What Cheer Airport then proposed a plan where the airport would be municipally owned by the cities of Pawtucket and East Providence, since the airport was now located in both jurisdictions.    

     In April of 1930 another air meet was held at What Cheer featuring stunt flyers and parachute jumpers. The program also promised a first for Rhode Island – an aerial wedding between Miss Mabel P. Denver of Seekonk, Massachusetts, and Charles E. Cherry, of Pawtucket. The nuptials were to be performed aboard a Ford tri-motor aircraft by the town clerk of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, H. E. Hill. Theirs was the first wedding in Rhode Island to take place in an airplane while in flight.    

     On May 4, 1930, it was suddenly announced by the Curtis-Wright Flying Service, the lessee of the field, that they were suspending their operations at What Cheer Airport for an “indefinite” period of time. The specific reasons were not stated.

     Meanwhile, the Pawtucket Chamber of Commerce pursued plans for the field to become municipally owned. Nicholas Bertozzi, the owner of the airport, and President of What Cheer Airways, said he would hold the property open for at least two years to allow the city(s) time to make a purchase. Shortly afterward the airport came under the new management of the Rhode Island Flying Service, the vice president of which was well known New England aviator Joshua Crane, Jr.

   On June 28, 1930, Rhode Island aviation history moved forward when the first glider flight ever made in the state was accomplished at What Cheer Airport. The pilot was Joshua Crane, Jr., and the glider was made by Waco aircraft. It was launched into the air via a 500 foot rope towed by an automobile. Mr. Crane circled the field once at an altitude of 250 feet before landing where he started, and made a second flight a short time later.    

     The following month the Goodyear blimp “Mayflower” visited What Cheer Airport from its regular station at Colonel Edward H. R. Green’s Airport at Round Hill in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The blimp had a seating capacity of four passengers and a pilot, and made numerous trips about the area giving flights to 115 people.   On one flight, airport manager Arthur T. Ormaby was allowed to pilot the ship and commented that it handled smoother than an airplane.  

     It was also in July of 1930 that members of the Providence Glider Club met at the airport to watch Thorsby P. Slack demonstrate a Waco glider. After being towed into a 10 mph breeze Slack rose to an altitude of 600 feet and made a complete circuit of the field lasting two minutes and ten seconds thereby setting what was thought to be a new glider record for Rhode Island.       

     On October 4, 1931, it was announced that Joshua Crane, Jr., now President of Dennison Airport Incorporated, of Quincy, Massachusetts, and some unnamed associates, had taken over operations at What Cheer Airport after acquiring the lease formerly held by the Curtis-Wright Flying Service. The chief pilot for the new enterprise was to be Kurt Langborg, who had also worked as chief pilot for the now defunct Rhode Island Flying Service.  

     In the summer of 1932, the New York Times reported that a farmer living near the airport wanted to take flying lessons, and in lieu of cash offered a milk cow as payment. Airport manager Joshua Crane Jr. accepted the offer, and agreed that that the farmer could have daily flight lessons for six weeks.

     The plan for What Cheer to become a municipally owned airport never came to fruition. However, in August of 1933, the possibility arose that What Cheer Airport might yet be the state’s primary airport. On August 7, Governor Theodore F. Green announced that he was willing to consider a plan submitted by the Pawtucket Businessmen’s Association to make their city the hub of Rhode Island air commerce. Governor Green had just returned from a 6,000 mile trip where he’d visited other airports and determined that all of them were in better condition than Hillsgrove Airport. Furthermore, the projected costs of new runways at Hillsgrove were estimated to be $350,000; an astronomical sum for 1933, especially during the Great Depression. It was reported that half a million dollars had already been spent on Hillsgrove, and the Governor didn’t want to “continue to throw good money after bad.” Yet this proposal put forth by the businessmen failed.        

     History has shown that Hillsgrove remained the state’s primary airport, and as stated earlier in this article, is today known as T.F. Green Airport. The property occupied by What Cheer Airport was sold August 1, 1934, to the Narragansett Racing Association which converted it for horse racing.  

Sources:      

The Pawtucket Times, “Flying School Planned Here; Airways Company Chartered, May 21, 1928

The Providence Journal, “What Cheer Airways Gets State Charter”, May 22, 1928

The Pawtucket Times, “Board Of Review Grants Permanent Permit For Airport, June 4, 1928

The Providence Sunday Journal, “Lindbergh’s Double Pilot In Pawtucket”, September 16, 1928

The Providence Journal, “Hawks Are Coming To National Guard Meet To Be Held At What Cheer Airport In Pawtucket The Coming Week”, October 7, 1928

The Providence Journal, “Air Meet At What Cheer Airport, Pawtucket, Proves A Mecca For Big Saturday Crowd Despite The Rain”, October 14, 1928

The Providence Journal, “Stunting Aircraft Thrill 50,000 At Pawtucket Meet”, October 15, 1928

New York Times, “Pawtucket Dedicates Airport”, October 15, 1928

The Providence Journal, “Pawtucket Urges What Cheer Site”, May 14, 1929

The Providence Journal, “Pawtucket Chamber Presents Arguments For selection Of What Cheer Field As Site For State Airport”, May 16, 1929

The Providence Journal, “Pawtucket Airport Will Be Enlarged”, August 9, 1929

The Providence Journal, “Airport Purchase To Be Considered”, April 6, 1930

The Providence Journal, “Wedding Feature Of Air Meet Today”, April 20, 1930

The Providence Journal, “What Cheer Airport At Pawtucket Is Closed”, May 4, 1930

The Providence Journal, “First R. I. Glider Flight Is Success”, June 29, 1930

The Providence Journal, “Rhode Islanders Investigate Blimp”, July 27, 1930

The Providence Journal, “R.I. Glider Record Set By T. P. Slack”, July 30, 1930

The Providence Journal, “Bay Staters Take Over What Cheer Airport”, October 4, 1931

New York Times, “Rhode Island Farmer Trades Cow For Flying Instruction”, July 26, 1932

The Providence Journal, “Green Ready To Consider What Cheer Airport Plan”, August 8, 1933.  

The Pawtucket Times, “Politics Grounded What Cheer,” August 13, 1991

Vermont State Fair Advertisement – 1892

Vermont State Fair Advertisement – 1892

     The Vermont State Fair held at Billings park in White River junction in 1892 featured a balloon ascension and “parachute drop on Thursday and Friday.”  This advertisement was in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian, September 1, 1892, Page 5.

Click on image to enlarge.

vermont-fair-ad-1892

 

Roy Knabenshue’s Airship – 1907

Roy Knebenshue’s Airship

Brockton, Massachusetts – 1907

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A 1907 postcard view of Roy Knabenshue's airship

A 1907 postcard view of Roy Knabenshue’s airship

Brockton Fair Postcard Roy Knabenshue

Brockton Fair Postcard
Roy Knabenshue

Jumping From A Balloon In The 19th Century

Jumping From A Balloon In 19th Century

 

     There was a time when balloon ascensions were popular attractions at county fairs and other venues all across the United States.  To draw larger crowds, some aeronauts took to making daring parachute jumps, or “drops” from their balloons, generally from altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 feet, although there were some who jumped from much greater heights.  The parachutes were usually of the aeronaut’s own design, made of linen or silk, and attached to the outside of the balloon, and not in a pack strapped to the back of the aeronaut.   

     When the aeronaut left the balloon, he (or she) would hold on to a ring at the bottom of the parachute, or sit upon a trapeze suspended beneath the parachute, and maintain a hold until landing.  However, there were some who would perform acrobatic feats with the trapeze during the descent.  As one might expect from such an arrangement, not all parachute “drops” ended well.

     The following illustrations from the late 1880s depict how such feats were accomplished.

Balloon ascending with parachute attached to the side.

Balloon ascending with parachute attached to the side.

     The top of the parachute was attached to the balloon in such a way that when the aeronaut dropped, his weight would cause it to release.  

 

Aeronaut Preparing to Jump With Parachute.

Aeronaut Preparing to Jump With Parachute.

     For obvious reasons, leaping from a balloon under these circumstances required one to be in top physical condition.   Upon leaving the balloon, the aeronaut would free fall for 100 feet or more before the parachute (hopefully) opened with a jerk.  Therefore it was necessary to maintain a strong grip lest he be yanked free by the jolt.  The grip then had to be maintained for at least two minutes or more while making the descent.  If landing on earth, he had to be agile enough to “tuck and roll”, and if on water, a good swimmer.

Safe Landing

Safe Landing

Performing Acrobatics

Performing Acrobatics

Sometimes Parachutes Would Fail

Sometimes Parachutes Would Fail

 

      Captain Thomas Baldwin, a well known aeronaut, balloonist, and airman of the late 1800s and early 1900s, described to a newspaper reporter what it feels like to make a parachute drop from a balloon.  The following excerpt is from the December 15, 1887 edition of the Democratic Northwest, a now defunct Ohio newspaper. 

    “The first hundred feet are the worst.  The parachute does not fill at once, and so it is like falling sheer through that much space.  And that is another reason why the drop has to be made a little carefully; otherwise I might get turned over, and though, of course, if I hold on ’twill come out all right, yet the wrench on my arms would be violent, and the thing would shake more.  It shakes quite enough, I assure you, although I have improved a little on it in that respect.  You can fancy what a fall of a hundred feet might be, though it is pretty hard to imagine it if you have never been through the thing.  The sensation is not altogether pleasant.  It is a giddy sinking through the air.  The condensation of the atmosphere under the parachute, which is shaped like an umbrella so as to catch the air more readily, brings me up suddenly.  It is almost like a jerk, and to people looking at me I seem to stop for a moment.  After that the decent is more gradual, though it is quite fast enough for ordinary purposes.  The rate of speed is about 1,200 feet a minute.  I have given the point of resistance which the parachute offers with a certain weight and when it is of a certain diameter a good deal of study.  The sensation is pleasant enough in summer.  Floating down through the air in that way is cool.  It is something like coming down a rapidly running elevator.  But your legs are free, and you feel your body with nothing around it.  The oscillations begin, however, and you are swayed from side to side like a pendulum.”          

Louis H. Capazza   

Louis Capazza's Parachute-Balloon, 1892

Louis Capazza’s Parachute-Balloon, 1892

       In 1892, Louis H. Capezza, (1862-1928), developed what he called a “parachute-balloon” in which the parachute served as the upper netting for the balloon until ready to deploy.  (See illustration below.) If the balloon suddenly burst, or developed a leak, the aeronaut would be saved by an automatic deployment of the parachute.  The balloon could also be manually opened via a rip cord operated by the pilot.

     Mr. Capazza also developed the concept of utilizing a parachute as an “air brake”.  Sometimes, for various reasons, a balloon would rise too fast, or continue to rise higher than the aeronaut intended.  Capazza reasoned that by placing a folded parachute beneath the balloon that could be unfurled in such a situation, the rapid ascension could be slowed or stopped.       

     Updated November 11, 2019

A 1906 illustration showing a performer being shot from a cannon suspended beneath a balloon.

     Sources:

     Democratic Northwest, (Napoleon, Ohio), “A Mighty Leap”, December 15, 1887

     Pittsburg Dispatch, (Pittsburg, PA.), “A Parachute Balloon”, November 27, 1892, page 22

     The Middleburgh Post, (Middleburgh, PA.), “To Stop A Balloon”, November 5, 1896

     Kansas City Journal, (Kansas City, Mo.) March 9, 1897, Page 8 

     The Cook County Herald, (Grand Marais, Minn.) “Leap From The Clouds”, November 30, 1901

     Wikipedia –  Louis H. Capazza

     The Interior Journal, (Stanford, KY.) July 6, 1906

 

The Memphis Belle In Boston – 1943

The Memphis Belle In Boston – 1943

     On June 28, 1943, the famous World War II, B-17, Memphis Belle, escorted by a squadron of Army fighter aircraft, arrived at East Boston Airport.  The “Belle” and her crew had only recently returned to the United States on June 8th after completing their combat tour in Europe.  The stop in Boston was part of a 31-city war bond and recruitment tour.       

     Hundreds reportedly came to see the famous B-17 and meet the crew, as well as their mascot, “Stuka”, a young Scotch Terrier. 

      The 10 man crew was greeted by Massachusetts Governor Leverett Saltonstall, Major General Sherman Miles of the 1st Service Command, as well as other ranking military personnel.   After brief ceremonies, the crew partook in a parade from the airport to Boston Common where they were met by Boston’s mayor Maurice J. Tobin.  The marching band played “Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer”, which was said to have been inspired by a mission flown by the Memphis Belle in which it returned to base with portions of the right wing and tail so badly damaged that they required extensive repair.  

     Later in the day army planes performed an aerobatic show at the airport and the “Belle” was placed on display for public viewing.  Afterwards the crew were invited by the New England Aviation Committee to be their dinners guests at the Harvard Club.  

     The Memphis Belle was credited with dropping 60 tons of bombs and shooting down eight enemy fighters, and inflicting damage to at least a dozen others.     

     Source: Lewiston Evening Journal, “Memphis Belle Arrives At East Boston”, June 28, 1943

East Boston Airport – 1922

East Boston Airport – 1922

Boston, Massachusetts

Vintage Post Card View Of East Boston Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of East Boston Airport

     The East Boston Airport later grew to become Logan International Airport.

     The following newspaper article appeared in The New York Herald on May 16, 1922, Page 8.  

     Airport For Massachusetts

     Through the action of Governor Cox of Massachusetts in signing the bill providing for an airport in East Boston that Commonwealth becomes the first state in the Union to join with the Federal Government in establishing an airplane landing in conformity with the recommendations of the President.  Once again Massachusetts shows the way to other states in creating an institution which must eventually be imitated all over the country.

     Last March Mayor Curley of Boston wrote Governor Cox asking his help in obtaining the enactment of the bill, adding that of the $35,000 needed for the purpose Boston would have to pay about 40 percent, and that the city was prepared to assume that obligation.  Then he made two statements which showed that he was thoroughly aware of the future importance of aircraft.  One was that if the Federal Government adopted the ship subsidy it would inevitably tend to the development of a great merchant marine, which merchant marine, in the event of war, can best be protected through the service of aircraft.  He also pointed out that one inevitable result of the signing of the Four Power Treaty would be an “intense activity of the leading Powers of the world in aircraft development.”

     These are shrewd and far seeing observations, for a result of the failure of the Conference on the Limitation of Armaments to restrict aircraft building is the likelihood of just such activity as the Mayor of Boston pointed out.  In many parts of the country this possibility either has been overlooked or has not been considered worthy of much attention.  It is to the credit of Massachusetts and the city officials of Boston that they not only have foreseen this possibility, but had had the wisdom to act on the need created by the situation regarding aircraft. (End of article)    

East Boston Airport Accidents

                                      

      The following is a list of some early accidents/crashes which occurred at East Boston Airport.  For further information about any of them, refer to the “Aviation Accidents” – “Massachusetts” section of this website.  This is by no means a complete list of every accident that occurred at the airport, and others will be added as they become known.

     July 24, 1923: An army plane crashed on takeoff. 

     May 2, 1925: An army plane spun into the mud flats off runway.

     Dec. 19, 1925: A U.S. Army Curtis JN-4 crashed on landing.

     Dec. 19, 1928: A U.S. Army O2C biplane crashed in Boston Harbor.

     July 3, 1929: An army observation aircraft flipped on takeoff by gust of cross wind.

     July 8, 1929: Civilian airliner crashed making emergency landing.

     Aug. 27, 1929: Cessna aircraft crashed on approach.

     March 17, 1930: Army plane crashed in Boston Harbor.

     May 18, 1930: A Curtis monoplane crashed in water.   

     June 5, 1930: Fort Tri-motor passenger plane crashed on takeoff.  

     Sept. 27, 1930: Landing gear collapsed on army plane while landing.

     Feb. 26, & 27, 1934: Two U.S. Mail planes crashed into snow banks on landing.

     May 30, 1936: Army plane crashed into harbor.

     Dec. 22, 1937: “Santa Clause” parachuted over airport, landed in water, drowned.

     August 18, 1941: Army plane crashed into harbor.

    Sept. 15, 1941: Army P-40 aircraft collided with another aircraft.

    June 22, 1942: Army P-40 aircraft went into harbor at end of runway.

      

      

      

 

 

Coos And Essex Fair, N.H. Advertisement – 1912

Coos And Essex Fair, New Hampshire Advertisement – 1912

Click on image to enlarge.

Essex County Herald (Guildhall, VT.) August 30, 1912

Essex County Herald

(Guildhall, VT.)

August 30, 1912

 

Cambridge Vermont Fair Advertisement – 1909

Cambridge Vermont Fair Advertisement – 1909

Click on images to enlarge

The Bennington Evening Banner August 24, 1909

The Bennington Evening Banner

August 24, 1909

Close up of advertisement The Bennington Evening Banner August 24, 1909

Close up of advertisement

The Bennington Evening Banner

August 24, 1909

Strobel Airship - 1909

Strobel Airship – 1909

A Plan To Make Bobsleds Fly – 1910

A Plan To Make Bobsleds Fly – 1910

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Bennington Evening Banner on November 22, 1910.  (Williams College is in Williamstown, Massachusetts.)

    Would Make Bobsleds Fly

Williams Students Will Fix Aeroplanes To Sides Of Long Crafts

     Boston, Nov. 22 – Leo Stevens the aeronaut, is enthusiastic over a plan of H. P. Shearman, president of the Williams College Aeronautical Society, to attach wings to bobsleds and so teach students to fly.  

     There are some beautiful coasts several miles in length in the Berkshire Hills.  Mr. Shearman’s idea it to attach an aeroplane with flexible wings – a typical biplane minus the engine – to a bobsled, from which the planes can be controlled by the usual levers.

     “We shall take the sled to the top of a long hill and coast down,” said Shearman.  “Any one who has ever coasted in the Berkshires knows how fast we are likely to travel.  As soon as we are traveling about a mile a minute we shall tilt up the planes and the sled will leave the ground.  Then by manipulating the planes the sled can be kept a foot or so above the snow, just skimming the ground, until the bottom of the hill is reached.”

     “In this way the fellows in our society can learn how to handle the planes, and gain practical experience without undergoing the risk of operating a real aeroplane with an engine to propel it.”

1912 Vermont State Fair Advertisements

1912 Vermont State Fair Advertisements

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The Bennington Evening Banner September 13, 1912

The Bennington Evening Banner

September 13, 1912

Middlebury Register September 6, 1912

Middlebury Register

September 6, 1912

Morok Aeroplane – Vermont State Fair – 1912

Morok Aeroplane – Vermont State Fair – 1912

The Bennington Evening Banner September 13, 1912

The Bennington Evening Banner
September 13, 1912

     In 1912 it was advertised in several Vermont newspapers that the “Morok Aeroplane”, flown by “Morok himself”, would appear at the Vermont State Fair in White River Junction, September 17 through the 20th.   

     “Morok” was Charles F. Morok, of 914 Eastern Parkway, New York City, also known as Lord Charles F. Morok, but this was only his professional name.  His was born Frank Van den Meersshe, or Meersche, or Merrsche, in Antwerp, Belgum, about 1877. (His name has been found to be spelled three different ways in newspapers and magazines.)

     Before entering the field of aviation in 1909, Mr. Morok was known as a dare-devil bicyclist and automobile stunt driver.

      In 1909 Mr. Morok reportedly flew over Rutland, Vermont, at an altitude of 3,000 feet.  

Middlebury Register September 6, 1912

Middlebury Register
September 6, 1912

     Mr. Morok owned an aircraft manufacturing company in Manhattan known as the Morok Aviation Company, (also referred to in the press as the Lord Morok Aeroplane Company), of which John W. Barry was the Director, and A. M. Moses the Treasurer.   

     Although there is some confusion on this issue, it seems the company may have produced aircraft of both the monoplane and biplane type.  The number of planes produced is unclear.    

    As stated, Charles Morok and his aeroplane were scheduled to appear at the Vermont State Fair beginning September 17th.  He’d also been scheduled to appear at the Caledonia County Fair in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, from September 10 through the 13th.   unfortunately, he never made it to either event.  On July 7th he contracted Typhoid Fever, and fought the disease until August 25th when he passed away at the age of 35.  He was survived by his wife, Natahlie, and is buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery in New York City.     

      Furthermore, an accident involving a Morok airplane occurred at an flying exhibition in Colonial Beach, Virginia, on August 21, 1912.  It’s unknown if this was the plane that was scheduled to be flown at the Vermont State Fair, or a different one, as Mr. Morok was ill with Typhoid Fever at this time.  The aircraft struck a fence and was completely wrecked, and the pilot, Joseph Richter, was injured.    

     Charles Morok was also scheduled to represent Belgium at the International Aviation Race at Chicago, scheduled for September 9th, 1912.

     Sources:

     Middlebury Register, Vermont State Fair Advertisement, September 6, 1912

     The Bennington Evening Banner, Vermont State Fair Advertisement, September 13, 1912

     Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “Typhoid Kills Airman”, August 26, 1912

     www.earlyaviators.com

     Alexandria Gazette, (Virginia), “Biplane Wrecked”, August 21, 1912, Page 4  

     Aero And Hydro (Magazine) 1912, Volume 4, Page 522

     Further reading: New York Times, “Morok’s Aeroplane Interrupts Toilet”, December 27, 1910 

New England Balloon Ascensions – 1909

New England Balloon Ascensions – 1909 

   balloon During the year 1909, 87 balloon ascensions were made in new England, 81 of which were made from Massachusetts, and 6 from Vermont.  The flights were made using 10 balloons and 15 pilots.

     A total of 137 people participated in these flights, 18 of them were women.

     The total air miles flown was 3, 774 miles.  The longest trip of the year was made July 11, 1909, by a balloon with 5 people aboard that flew from North Adams, Massachusetts, to Topsham, Maine.      

     Source:

     (This article was run in numerous newspapers, but with different headlines.)

     The San Francisco Call, “Eastern Aeronauts Make Good Aerial Records During Year”, January 25, 1910

First U.S. Navy Dirigible – 1916

First U. S. Navy Dirigible – 1916

Artist rendering of the first dirigible produced for the U.S. Navy.

Artist rendering of the first dirigible produced for the U.S. Navy.

     On January 22, 1916, The Manufacturers Exhibition opened in New Haven, Connecticut.  One display that drew great interest was a model of a dirigible airship that had been constructed by the Connecticut Aircraft Company of New Haven; the first dirigible ever built for the United States Navy.    

     At the time of the exhibit, the airship was in a hangar at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in New Hampshire, undergoing some final preparations before it would sail to Pensacola, Florida, to under go trials and testing.

     The initial order for the dirigible was placed May 14, 1915.  It was reported at that time that the ship would be constructed in New York, assembled in New Haven, Connecticut, and shipped for trials to the Pensacola, Florida, Naval Aeronautic Station, all under the supervision and guidance of the Connecticut Aircraft Company.     

     The model displayed at the exhibition was designed to be towed by a battleship traveling 25 miles per hour against a 15 mph wind to be utilized by lookouts, and spotters for directing ship’s fire during battle conditions.   Traditional balloons had proved to be problematic in this roll due to their lack of stability under these conditions which often resulted in seasickness for the observers.

     The completed dirigible was described as being be 175 feet long, 50 feet tall, and 35 feet in diameter. It would carry a crew of eight, and cost $45,636. 

     The balloon was built with inner compartments that divided the front from the back, either of which could be pumped full with regular air to displace the hydrogen gas so as to make one end of the ship heavier or lighter to aid in ascending or descending.    

     Government specifications required that the dirigible be capable of rising at the rate of 8 feet per second. 

     Fabric for the balloon was manufactured at the United States Rubber Company.   

     On March 13, 1917, with the United States now involved in World War I, contracts totaling $649,250 were awarded to four manufacturers to produce 16 additional dirigibles for the U.S. Navy. 

     The awards were as follows:

     Three dirigibles to be built by the Curtis Aeroplane Company in Buffalo, N.Y., for $122,250.

     Two dirigibles to be built by the Connecticut Aircraft Company of New Haven, CT., for $84,000.

     Nine dirigibles to be built by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, for $360,000.

     Two dirigibles to be built by the B. F. Goodrich company in Akron, Ohio, for $88,000.  

     During its tenure in business, the Connecticut Aircraft Company build 177 airships and balloons of various kinds.  In 1921 the company was acquired by a Delaware corporation known as the Aircraft-Construction Corporation, and continued to produce dirigible airships under that name. 

    Click here to view more articles pertaining to the Connecticut Aircraft Company. 

     Sources:

     The Sun, (NY) “First Dirigible For The U.S. Navy Will Be Constructed In New York”, May 16, 1915 

     Tulsa Daily World, (Okla.) “U. S. Navy’s New Air Ship Fleet”, August 8, 1915 

     The Sun, (N.Y.) “Model Of First Dirigible Built For U. S. Is Shown”, January 23, 1916   

     The Chickasha Daily Express, (Okla.) April 1, 1916

     The East Oregonian, (Ore.) “U.S. Contracts For Sixteen Dirigibles”, March 14, 1917, (Daily Evening Edition, page 5.)

     The Bridgeport Times, (CT.) “Connecticut Aircraft Plane Will Be Operated By New Delaware Corporation”, September 1, 1921 

Harold Palmer’s Flying Machine – 1909

Harold Palmer’s Flying Machine – 1909

    Very little is known about Harold Palmer, other than he was the son of Ruben Tyler Palmer Jr. of 373 Pequot Avenue, New London, Connecticut.  

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Day, (Of New London, CT.), on November 29, 1909

     Harold Palmer Ready To Try His Flying Machine 

     “New London may have a young Wright or Curtis in its population, if a test programed for some day this week – possibly Tuesday – is successful.  The aviator is Harold Palmer of Pequot Avenue, this city, and the test, scheduled for some day this week, is to be a test of the capabilities of a flying machine which young Palmer has assembled after months of study and work.

     The airship was taken out on a wagon to the Niantic River, Waterford, a week ago Sunday as it was desired to have a sheet of water like the Niantic River over which to fly.  The ship was deposited on the John Brown place and ways were constructed.  From these ways the ship will be launched.

     The ascent will have to be quite abrupt as to get from the lot in which it is situated to the river it will be necessary to fly over telephone wires at quite a height.  The Niantic River was selected as the scene  of the trial as in event of the machine failing to fly and falling, the possibility of serious accident is minimized if water instead of land is beneath the airship and its occupant.

     Mr. Palmer has been interested in the subject of airships for some years.  Two or three years ago he started building an airship.  He was dissuaded by his father who purchased an automobile for the young man on the promise of his abandoning the plan of building a flying machine.

     He again took up the task and for months has been working at Hammond’s Ice House off Ocean Avenue. 

     All of the residents of the section of the country near the Niantic River are very much excited over the prospect of seeing an airship in flight or at least an attempt at flight.  They have faith, like the inventor, in the machine, and expect to see it soar skyward when the test is made.

     This airship is not the result of a few days heedless work, but represents many of the best ideas in aerial construction.  If it really flies Mr. Palmer and his friends will be much elated.

     Mr. Palmer is the son of Ruben Tyler Palmer, Jr., of Pequot Avenue.  He is in New York City and will return tonight.  He will then go to the Niantic River to prepare for the flight which, as can well be imagined, requires nerve.  Since his ship has been at the Niantic River Mr. Palmer has been staying at the home of Wilson N. Carroll, to be near at hand.”   

     Unfortunately, it was discovered that the engine installed in Mr. Palmer’s aircraft was too heavy, and not powerful to achieve flight, and it was announced that further testing would take place in the spring of 1910. 

     No further information has been found as of this posting.

     Sources:

     The Day, “Harold Palmer Ready To Try His Flying Machine”, November 29, 1909      

     The Day, “Some Sentences By The Judge”, (A local history column of long ago news events.), January 9, 1960

Professor Donaldson’s Unexpected Voyage To Connecticut – 1873

Professor Donaldson’s Unexpected Voyage To Connecticut – 1873

    prof-donaldson-july-10-1919 Professor Washington Harrison Donaldson, (1840-1875) was a Balloonist from reading, Pennsylvania, known for making numerous ascensions during his career.  What was perhaps his most infamous ascension occurred on October 7, 1873, when he left New York on what was to be a transatlantic flight to England, but was forced down in New England instead.  What makes this flight by Donaldson historic is that it was the first known attempt by an aeronaut to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air.

     Since the first balloon flight in France in 1793, it had been every aeronaut’s ambition to be the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air, yet each knew that such a trip in a balloon was impossible, for once aloft a balloon was at the mercy of prevailing winds.  Then in 1843, an aeronaut named Professor John Wise came to the conclusion that such a trip was feasible if the balloon could reach a certain altitude where he believed there was a constant flow of air blowing from west to east.  If a balloon could reach that current of air, he speculated, it could easily cross the ocean.  Professor Wise petitioned Congress for money to develop his idea and to build a balloon, but he was turned down.   

     Professor Donaldson made his first balloon ascension from Reading, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 1871.  Within a year he’d established his reputation as an aeronaut and began to develop plans to build a balloon with which to attempt a trans-Atlantic trip to England utilizing the air currents Professor Wise believed existed.

     Initially Donaldson approached Boston municipal authorities asking for funds with which to build his balloon, and offered to begin his historic trip from that city, but was turned down.  Undaunted, he went to New York, and received funding from the Daily Graphic newspaper.  Thus, Donaldson’s balloon was christened, “The Daily Graphic”.   

     Donaldson’s balloon was massive, holding 300,000 square feed of gas, beneath which hung a life boat for use in the event of a water landing that was stocked with enough provisions to last forty days. 

     The balloon took off from the Capitolino Grounds in Brooklyn, New York, at 9:19 a.m. on the morning of October 7th.   Accompanying Professor Donaldson on his trans-Atlantic journey were Alfred Ford, and George Ashton Lunt. 

     A description of the ascent was reported in a local newspaper as follows: “The balloon arose with immense velocity.  The drag rope depending from the concentrating ring had been stretched out along the ground, and as the great air ship soared skyward it ripped the drag rope through the grass with a motion that can only be compared to an infuriated whale dragging a harpoon rope.  The crowd cheered lustily, the aeronauts responding by waving their hats and blowing a fog horn.”

     When the balloon reached about 5,000 feet prevailing winds began pushing it eastward, and then to the northeast carrying them over Westchester County, New York, and then over Connecticut.  At about 1:15 p.m. they passed over a mountain in Litchfield County Connecticut and found themselves above a valley surrounded by thick clouds, heavy rain, and gusty winds.  The storm was a violent one with strong winds spinning and buffeting the craft.  Then the balloon was caught in an updraft taking it high into the sky before it suddenly began falling back towards earth at great speed.  It descended to tree- top level, and was pulled across the tree tops about 30 feet off the ground.  At this point the men decided to abandon the balloon and jump.  Donaldson and Ford leapt at the same moment, but Lunt was delayed.  The sudden loss of weight caused the balloon to suddenly shoot skyward again taking Lunt with it.  Before long it disappeared back into the storm clouds. 

     Donaldson and Ford alighted on the farm of Charles Lewis in North Canaan, Connecticut, relatively unhurt.  At this point there was nothing they cold do for Lunt.   

     In his statement to the press Lunt later recalled his experience:  “We were attacked by a tremendous squall of wind and rain at fifteen minutes past one o’clock, and were driven near the earth with frightful velocity.  Everything was thrown overboard without avail, and as we were dashed to the earth Donaldson and Ford sprang out, and the balloon shot into the air, bearing me with it, and was speedily in the storm-cloud again, and being whirled about in the most alarming manner.  I shouted to Donaldson for directions but could hear no reply, and was left to my own resources,  The bag was shaking above me with awful force, and I could see nothing, so thick was the cloud.  I seized the valve cord and attempted to open it.  Could not open it.  The cord became entangled with the neck.  Suddenly tree tops shot up through the fog, and in an instant the balloon was whirling through branches.  I climbed out of the boat to a place above the ring, and as the balloon rushed into a thicket of trees I swung myself out and dropped among the branches.

     The boat scraped over me and detached my hands.  I dropped to earth, surprised to find myself unhurt.  I started to walk back in the supposed right direction, and met four men running after me.  I offered them a large reward to capture the balloon, then out of sight.  They have gone in pursuit in the locality of Canaan, Connecticut. I was driven to the station by Dr. William Adams, where Ford and Donaldson arrived soon after.”

     The balloon was later recovered in a severely battered condition about a mile from the Lewis farm .  

     Professor Donaldson was later lost in a balloon ascension from Chicago over Lake Michigan in 1875.  Neither he nor his balloon were recovered.  

     To learn more about Professor Donaldson’s balloon flights, see the 1875 book “History of Donaldson’s Balloon Ascensions”, (With illustrations.)

     Updated May 5, 2017

     An interesting newspaper article relating to the missing Professor Donaldson appeared in The Morning Herald, (Wilmington, Del.) on December 22, 1876. 

The Morning Herald

December 22, 1876

     Sources:

     New York Daily Tribune, “Voyaging In The Sky”, July 6, 1859 

     The Rutland Daily Globe, “The Ocean Balloon”, October 9, 1873

     Yorkville Enquirer, (George A. Lunt’s statement), October 16, 1873       

     Wikipedia – Washington Harrison Donaldson  

     Book, “History of Donaldson’s Balloon Ascensions”, Complied by M. L. Amick M.D., Cincinnati News Co., 1875

 

John Murphy’s Aeroplane, Bridgeport, CT. – 1911

John Murphy’s Aeroplane, Bridgeport, Connecticut – 1911

     Little information is known about this project. 

     In June of 1911 it was announced in the Norwich Bulletin that John Murphy, of 279 Brook Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut, was in the process of building an “aeroplane” at the factory of Topping & Kerr, at 44 Union Square.

     The aircraft was described as “huge” and when completed would be capable of carrying four people.  The number of occupants was significant because “aeroplanes” of this era generally carried only one or two persons.

     The aircraft was said to contain a number of “unique features” all of which had been patented in the United States, and other countries where patient treaties are recognized.   It was felt that the new aircraft, which was to be powered by two 75-horse-power engines, would beat existing records for speed, size, safety, and endurance. 

     Funding for the project was arranged by Congressman James H. McDermott of Chicago. 

     In 1911 there was a standing offer of $50,000 in prize money from newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst that would be given to the first aviator to make a transcontinental flight across America in less than thirty days from start to finish.  It didn’t matter if the pilot flew from east to west, or west to east.  Mr. Murphy hoped to use his aircraft to fly from New York to San Francisco to claim the money, which was a massive sum in 1911.  

     On July 16, 1911, Mr. Murphy brought sections of his Murphy-McDermott, Curtis style, aeroplane to what became known as the “Aeroplane Field” on Milford Turnpike in the town of Milford, Connecticut, for further testing and assembly.  (Some parts had yet to be manufactured and delivered.)  Numerous spectators made their way the area to watch.  Several tents had been erected to house he and his assistants, and another to serve as a hangar.  Although many showed up to see what was going on, no flight tests were made.

     On August 12, 1911, it was announced that a large force of workmen would begin to assemble what was now termed the McDermott-Murphy Aeroplane at the aviation field in Milford.  The public was welcome to come and observe and inspect the machine, and workmen were advised to answer any questions about the assembly process.

     Instructions to get to the field were posted in the newspaper as follows: “…leave the trolley car at Beard’s Corner and take Beach Road.  Signs point to the aviation field which is very easy to find.” 

     The outcome of Mr. Murphy’s project is unknown, but more research is needed.  However, he wasn’t the first to make a transcontinental flight across America.  That honor belongs to Carlbraith Perry Rodgers, who made the trip from September 17, 1911, to November 5, 1911.  

     Sources:

     Norwich Bulletin, “Big Aeroplane” – “Being Constructed In Bridgeport Backed By Unlimited Capital”, June 20, 1911, Page 4 

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “Crowds Watch Aero tests In Milford”, July 17, 1911

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “Assembling Of Big Aeroplane Starts Monday”, August 12, 1911.

     Wikipedia-Carlbraith Perry Rodgers

Mr. Gracier’s Aeroplane, Darien, CT. – 1911

Mr. Gracier’s Aeroplane, Darien, CT. – 1911

     The following brief news snippet was found in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, dated March 8, 1911.  No further details are known as of this posting.

     Noroton Heights is part of the town of Darien, Connecticut.

Building A Biplane 

     “Mr. Gracier, chauffeur for Anson Phelps Stokes is building a biplane flying machine in Noroton Heights.  The work will probably be completed before spring is over.  The machine is a 25-foot biplane resembling a Wright model and is being constructed entirely by Mr. Gracier.  It is to have a high powered motor.  Mr. Gracier expects to make his trail flights in Noroton Heights.”

     Source: The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “Building A Biplane”, March 8, 1911, page 7

Dickerman’s Flying Machine – 1897

Dickerman’s Flying Machine – 1897

     The following story appeared in The Abbeville Press And Banner, a defunct newspaper from Abbeville, South Carolina, (1869 – 1924).  It reportedly happened to a farmer named Dickerman from Woodbridge, Connecticut.  The farmer’s first name was not stated, and validity of this tale is left to the discretion of the reader.  

     Besides being a farmer, Mr. Dickerman was also an inventor of air ships.  “A few years ago,” the article read in part, “his attempt to navigate a machine he had built to fly resulted in injuries to the inventor that laid him up for six weeks with a broken limb.” 

     Yet apparently Mr. Dickerman was undaunted by his mishap and decided to try again. 

     In May of 1897, Dickerman allegedly bought a “wagon body and an electric battery storage system”.  The batteries were to power an electric motor, which would power an air compressor, that was supposed to shoot a powerful steady stream of compressed air into a canvas umbrella rigged above the wagon.  The flow of compressed air would supposedly keep the entire contraption suspended in mid-air – at least as long as the batteries held out.  The compressed air would also drive two side wheels made of discarded windmill blades which would serve to propel the flying machine forward.  

     The article explained; “Dickerman bought up all the windmill arms he could find and attached them to the outside of the wagon body, which he had propped up on the top of his barn.  Cog wheels connected to the shaft of each with a rod that was to be turned by means of the electric motor.”

     It was stated that Mr. Dickerman planned to fly his invention all the way to Cuba which he estimated would take less than a day, but he’d provisioned his wagon with enough food stores to last a week.  Among his provisions were a can-opener and a feather pillow.

     The reason for Mr. Dickerman’s Cuba destination was to assist that country in its war for independence – a war which had begun in 1895.  (This conflict later became the Spanish-American War for the United States with the sinking of the Battleship Maine in 1898.)     

     To get his invention ready for its inaugural flight Mr. Dickerman, with the help of a hired-hand identified only as “Mike”, and “half a dozen of Dickerman’s cronies”, somehow got the flying machine  atop the roof of his barn.  Then Mr. Dickerman climbed in and sat in a rocking chair he’d installed so that he’d be comfortable during his voyage, and then started the motor.  After giving the signal, “Mike” and the “cronies” gave the craft a mighty shove and Dickerman’s air ship sailed off the edge of the roof with predictable results. 

      The article ended with, “Dickerman is at present under the doctor’s care.  His faith in his invention still lives, and he says he will yet fly.” 

     Authors note: No accounts of this alleged incident appeared in Woodbridge area newspapers. 

     Source:

     The Abbeville Press And Banner, (Abeville, South Carolina), “Modern Darius Green” – “A Foolish Connecticut Farmer And His Flying Machine” April 21, 1897 

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Daniel Mackney’s Flying Machine – 1911

     Daniel Mackney’s Flying Machine – 1911

     The following brief article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, on March 7, 1911.  The man in the story, Daniel Mackney, lived on Colonial Ave. in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Boy Of 19 Has Novel Plan For Flying Machine 

     “Daniel Mackney, 19, who lives on Colonial Avenue, believes he has solved the problem of aerial navigation, and he will seek an opportunity to present his sketches and possibly a small model of his aeroplane to the Aero Club of Connecticut at its next meeting.

     Mr. Mackney’s plan calls for a machine with four planes driven by a propeller of 12 angles.  The lifting power is to come from air forced by the engine until it impacts against the planes from the underside.  The sketch also shows a novel form of brake, useful for holding the plane in position before it is ready to start, thus dispensing with the services of the four or five men now used to hold some machines back until things are ready for the flight.” 

 

The Mystery Of Candlewood Mountain – 1897

The Mystery Of Candlewood Mountain – 1897

     Candlewood Mountain is located in the town of New Milford, Connecticut, and is 971 feet tall.  

     The following newspaper article appeared in the Kansas City Journal, (Kansas City, Mo.), on November 19, 1897, Page 6.  It speaks of a three-year-old mystery associated with Candlewood Mountain, but doesn’t elaborate as to what the mystery was.  Presumably, the mystery had something to do with a bird-like flying machine allegedly shot at by a hunter.  Is this story based in fact, or fantasy?  The reader can decide.

TREED A FLYING MACHINE

Connecticut Hunter Runs Across Unexpected Game – Mystery Of Bewitched Mountain Explained 

    “The Mystery of Candlewood Mountain, which has puzzled the residents of New Milford, Conn. for more than three years has been solved.

     Some said the mountain was bewitched.  During these three years Fredrick T. Buck, of New Milford, has periodically disappeared.  Somehow people began to associate him with the mystery of Candlewood Mountain.  Sometimes Buck would appear in surrounding towns with a companion who talked and looked like a foreigner.  They would come into town with a team and make purchase of provisions, also wire, rope, canvas, chains, cog wheels, bars of steel, whalebone, electric supplies, gas stoves, and umbrellas.

     Two weeks ago Walter A. Logan of New Milford, who hunts with a telescope rifle instead of a shotgun, broke his telescope.  He sent it to a Bridgeport optician to be repaired.  By some misunderstanding, the optician affixed a lens five times stronger than the original one.

     Yesterday Logan was part way up Candlewood Mountain after partridge and quail.  Through his telescope he picked out some game, but when he fired he missed.  He kept on up the mountain and turned his telescope in all directions.  Suddenly he saw a monster flapping its wings.

     “Now,” said Logan, “I guess I can hit that.  It’s big enough.”

     So he pulled the trigger and expected to see the aerial monster show signs of pain.  Instead, it kept on flapping its wings.  He kept up a running fire for some time.   At last he saw through his telescope that the animated monster was held down by chains.

     Logan climbed on up and came upon a hut and shed nearby, in which were a grindstone and various mechanical tools.  Not far from the shed were several trees sawed off, and to the stumps were attached chains.  These fastenings led up to the flapping affair, which proved to be a flying machine.  Buck was standing on the ground, and in the machine was the foreigner.

     Buck was dismayed by Logan’s appearance.  He offered him all sorts of inducements to keep quiet.  Logan, however, could not keep the secret, and as soon as he got back to New Milford told his wife.  In less than an hour half of New Milford heard the news.”     

     One would think that such a tale would have been carried in numerous newspapers at the time, but this does not appear to be the case.  Furthermore, it could be surmised that if the story was published in a Kansas newspaper, it certainly would have been carried in local newspapers in the New Milford, Connecticut, area.  The New Milford Public Library has a newspaper microfilm collection which includes newspapers from 1897, yet no mention of this incident could be found.  The New Milford Historical Society doesn’t have anything about the incident in their archives either.  

     Considering the facts as presented in the newspaper article, certain questions arise.  For example, why was the “monster flapping its wings” being held earthbound by chains?  And why didn’t the “pilot” land immediately when the shooting started?  Furthermore, upon hearing about such a machine, it seems logical that half the citizens of New Milford would have made their way up the mountain to see this remarkable sight. 

    And finally, although there is no known connection, this story of Candlewood Mountain was published several weeks after a famous Connecticut inventor, Gustave Whitehead, gave a public exhibition of his flying machine in New Jersey.  Whitehead’s machine was called “The Condor”, and some-what resembled a bird.  Some newspapers even published illustrations of Whitehead’s invention.

     Newspaper reports of Whitehead’s exhibition include:

     New York Times, “New Airship Ready For Flight” – “Modeled After A Condor Called A Sure Thing”, October 6, 1897

     The World, “Will Try His Airship” -“Whitehead, An Old Maker Of Such Craft, Is The Inventor”, October 6, 1897

     New York Press, “Whitehead’s Flying Condor” – “Ambitious Designer Says He Will Imitate The Flight Of The Great Bird In The Air”, October 6, 1897

     New York Herald, “Whitehead’s Airship”, October 6, 1897

     Quincy Morning Whig, “Hopes To Fly Like A Condor”, October 7, 1897

     Other sources:  www.Gustave-Whitehead.com

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Captain John Taggart’s Flying Machine – 1850

Captain John Taggart’s Flying Machine – 1850

Advertisement from the
New York Daily Tribune
October 29, 1850

      Very little is known about John Taggart other than he was a “flying machine” inventor from Charlestown, Massachusetts, in the mid 1800s.  How he came to the title of Captain is also unknown.  Was he a former military man, or was it an honorary title bestowed upon him the way other aeronauts were often referred to as “professor”?

     One newspaper account that was reprinted in dozens of papers, described the “flying machine” as follows: “The flying machine consists of a car, to the front of which is attached a pair of wings, somewhat like the screws used by propellers, and a float or balloon fastened to the car in the ordinary way, at an elevation of six or eight feet.  The wings, which may be moved in any direction so as to assist in the ascent or descent of the machine, are put in motion by turning a small axle running through the center of the car.  The machine may be guided in any direction by means of a rudder, the slightest variation of which it obeys with wonderful precision.

     The float or balloon, which is pear-shaped, is thirty-three feet nine inches in height, having a diameter of some twelve feet, and the whole weight of the machine, when ready for ascension, is three hundred and fifty pounds; in addition to which it will carry with ease over one thousand pounds.”   

     Captain Taggart’s flying machine made its inaugural flight from the town common in Lowell, Massachusetts, on July 4, 1850, before a large crowd which had gathered to watch the ascension.  On the first attempt to take off, the balloon only rose 15 to 20 feet before it suddenly dropped back to earth.  The loss or lack of buoyancy was blamed on an improper inflation of the balloon, which had allowed steam to mix with the gas, causing water vapor to condense inside.

     Once the problem was corrected, a second attempt was made, but this time Mr. Taggart elevated the wings above the car to give it better lift.  The adjustment worked, and a successful take-off was accomplished at 4 p.m.  From Lowell, Taggart reportedly flew over the towns of Dracut, Tewksbury, Haverhill, Reading, Andover, Danvers, Ipswich, Georgetown, Lawrence, Methuen, “and others”.   

     On the way back to Lowell he had mechanical difficulties with some gearing which forced him to land prematurely.  The entire flight, it was said, took one-and-a-half hours and covered about 75 miles.  

     Mr. Taggart brought his invention to New York City where he displayed it at the Dunlap Hotel at 135 Fulton Street.      

     On October 30, 1859, Mr. Taggart was scheduled to give a demonstration of his flying machine, where he would ascend from a bridge that spanned a canal at the Thatched Cottage Garden in Jersey City, New Jersey.   Five thousand seats had been set out for the event, at a price of 50 cents each.  Those wishing to stand only had to pay 25 cents. 

     Taggart’s first attempt at lift-off resulted in the machine dropping into the canal.   It was quickly recovered and prepared for another try however, misfortune continued.   As more gas was added to the balloon to increase buoyancy, it began to tug at the ropes held by assistants charged with keeping the flying machine earth bound until the proper time.  As the pull on the ropes increased, the men suddenly began to let go fearing they would be carried away.  As one might expect, the balloon/flying machine shot skyward with nobody aboard to control it.  It continued to rise until air currents began sending it eastward and it disappeared from view. 

     Fortunately, the crowds weren’t upset with the unexpected development, for they had still witnessed the machine take flight.    

     The unmanned balloon/flying machine traveled across Manhattan Island, and then over Long Island, where it came down later that evening in the town of Huntington, near the home of Jonathan Giddersleeve, and got hung up on a fence.  Mr. Giddersleeve and others attempted to retrieve it by cutting a small hole in the bottom of the balloon to release the gas not realizing it was flammable.  The fumes drifted and were suddenly ignited by a nearby lantern which set off a violent explosion that burned Giddersleeve and his son, and threw others to the ground.  The resulting fire destroyed Taggert’s flying machine.         

      Sources:

     Sunbury American, (Sunbury, Pa.) “Capt. Taggart’s Patent Flying Machine”, July 13, 1850

     The Daily Union, (Washington, DC) “Flying Machine”, October 12, 1850

     The North Carolinian, (Fayetteville, NC) “Flying Machine”, October 19, 1850 

     New York Daily Tribune, Advertisement for Taggart’s ascension from Jersey City, NJ, October 29, 1850

     Southern Sentinel, (Iberville, La.) November 9, 1850

     Vermont Watchman, (Montpelier, Vt.) “The Flying Machine”, November 14, 1850

1912 Kingston, R.I. Fair Advertisement

          1912 Kingston, Rhode Island, Fair Advertisement

Click on image to enlarge.

Norwich Bulletin, (Ct.) September 12, 1912

Norwich Bulletin, (Ct.)
September 12, 1912

 

     The fair featured Massachusetts aviator Ruth Bancroft Law, (1887- 1970), licensed pilot #188 by the Aero Club of America.   At the time of this exhibition, Miss Law was a newly licensed pilot, having soloed just the month before. 

     Miss Law achieved fame on November 19, 1916, when she successfully flew non-stop from Chicago to Hornell, New York, a distance of 590 miles, and thereby set a new aviation long-distance record.  The flight took eight hours and 55 minutes.  The previous long-distance record had been set only 16 days earlier when Victor Carlstrom flew 453 miles from Chicago to Erie, Pennsylvania.

     In 1913, Miss Law announced her plans to attempt a trans-Atlantic crossing from Newfoundland to the Irish coast, and planned to bring her brother along on the flight.  The flight was planned for July of that year, but it didn’t take place.             

     Ruth Law (Oliver) is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn, Massachusetts.  To see photos of her go to www.findagrave.com, memorial #39047459  

     Much has been written about Miss Law and her career that can be found on other websites.

Grand Forks Herald, (N.D.) July 20, 1917

Grand Forks Herald, (N.D.)
July 20, 1917

 

     Sources:

     Norwich Bulletin, Kingston Fair Advertisement, September 12, 1912

     www.findagrave.com

     Topeka State Journal, “Fly Over The Sea”, May 1, 1913

     The Citizen, (Berea, Ky.) “Long-Distance Mark Broken”, November 23, 1916, pg. 8.  

     Grand Forks Herald, (No. Dak.) French Oils advertisement featuring Ruth Bancroft Law,  July 20, 1917.

 

 

Professor Charles F. Ritchel’s Flying Machine – 1878

Professor Charles F. Ritchel’s Flying Machine – 1878

     Charles Francis Ritchel was born in Portland, Maine, on December 22, 1844, and died in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on January 21, 1911.  (At times his last name has been misspelled in the press as “Ritchell”, (two “ls”), and as “Richel”.)

     Professor Ritchel was a talented inventor with many patients to his credit.  Around 1870 he became interested in developing a flying machine that could travel the sky in any direction despite wind currents.  In Ritchel’s day, the only way to “fly” was in a balloon, but balloons were at the mercy of prevailing winds, updrafts, and down drafts, and in places like New England the possibility of being blown out to sea was certainly a concern.

     In November of 1876 Ritchel moved from Corry, Pennsylvania, to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to begin development of his flying machine. 

    By March of 1878 his first airship was nearing completion.  (It is said he eventually built five.) The final work was being done in the large hallway of the Riverside Hotel in East Bridgeport, and the project had reportedly caught the attention of famous circus owner and showman, P.T. Barnum. 

     Ritchel’s flying machine was of a dirigible type, with propellers that controlled upward and downward motion, and allowed for steering in the air.  The machine had no motors, and motion of the propellers was achieved by the pilot operating a series of cranks and levers utilizing his own muscle power.  The gas cylinder or envelope was described as being made of black silk, 24 feet long, and 12 feet in diameter, holding 3,000 square feet of gas.     

     By the spring of 1878 he’d completed construction, and on May 8th, gave a successful indoor exhibition of his new invention in one of the Centennial Exposition buildings in Philadelphia.    

      On May 25, 1878, a Maryland newspaper, The Democratic Advocate, had this to say: “After Edison’s speaking phonograph, what then?  Why Professor Ritchel’s wonderful flying machine, in Philadelphia, which sails gracefully through the Exhibition building, up, down, or whichever way you will, applauded by a large crowd of visitors.  A little while and the air ship will glide gracefully through the atmosphere at the rate of sixty miles an hour. We may then strike a bee line over mountains, rivers and oceans, for any desirable point, leaving such lumbering things as railroads and steamers, with the “slow coach” of the period before steam and railroads put them out of use.”       

     After Philadelphia, Ritchel exhibited his flying machine at a hall in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Among those invited to attend were members of the Franklin Institute, and others of the scientific community.   

     The following newspaper account relating to the Bridgeport exhibition is from The Charlotte Democrat, dated June 14, 1878.

   New Flying Machine 

      “Unlike many aerial machines, this one is not shaped like a bird, nor has it any wings.  It consists of a large bag of cylindrical form inflated with hydrogen, and a car provided with attachment designed to control the elevation and descent of the bag and to direct its course.  The bag is 24 feet long and 12 feet in diameter, and requires 3,000 feet of gas for its inflation. The rising and steering apparatus underneath has a framework made of brass tubing, and is provided with a seat for the passenger.  Directly in front of the seat is a crank which he turns to produce the power that puts in motion two small fans that can be operated singly or together.  The elevating fan has five blades, set spirally, and can be made to rotate at the rate of 3,000 revolutions per minute.  This fan furnishes, or is intended to furnish, the lifting power which constitutes the novelty and value of the invention, and by reversing the motion depresses the air ship on the same principle as it raises it.  At the end of the framework of the car, some 10 or 12 feet distant from the passenger, is another similar fan, which works at an angle with the air ship, and is designed to turn it any direction desired.  It may be stated that both fans work in the air on the same principle that the Fowler steering and propelling apparatus works in the water.  The exhibition was given in a large hall, a boy operating the cranks.  The boy commenced to turn the crank, the fan whizzed fiercely, and the bag rose three or four feet from the floor.  It refused to go any higher, however, but after ascending slightly sank back toward the floor at each trial.  Then the steering fan was set in motion, with about the same degree of success. The attendants ascribing the partial failure of the experiments to the boy who engineered the machine, another boy was substituted. He succeeded considerably better than the first, elevating the bag to the ceiling several times, and had turned it about half way around with the steering fan when two of the blades broke.  The experiment led to the opinion that, with some changes in the fan, the machine might be made to perform as intended.  As is well known, one great difficulty in balloon navigation is that the aeronaut is dependent for his elevation on the buoyancy of the balloon alone; another is that its course is dependent on the direction of the wind.  Mr. Ritchell thinks that his apparatus can be made to overcome both these difficulties. – Iron Age.”       

     It’s likely that the Bridgeport exhibition described above occurred early in the month of June, or even late May, given the publication date of  June 14, 1878 in a southern newspaper.   

     Apparently any problems with the propellers were corrected, for on June 29, 1878, the Scientific American reported that Ritchel’s invention had made a successful open-air trail flight in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 12th.  The Scientific American reported in part: “The first open air exhibition of Professor C. F. Ritchel’s flying machine was conducted at Hartford, Conn., on Wednesday afternoon, June 12.” (1878)    

     A large crowd had watched as the air ship ascended from a ball field near the Colt Armory and attain an altitude of 250 feet before sailing off over the Connecticut River.  It was reported that the pilot demonstrated that he could control the height and direction of the aircraft at will.   

     One account of the historic flight was recounted in the Marshall County Republican, on July 18, 1878.  

     The article stated in part:

     “When he ascended there was but little wind blowing, and the machine appeared under perfect control, but gradually a breeze sprang up, and it was deemed safest to make a speedy return, as there were indications in the sky of a gathering storm.  The machine turned and made its way back in the teeth of the wind until it was directly over the ball ground it had ascended from and there alighted only a few feet from the place of its departure.”

     As a point of fact, Professor Ritchel’s flying machine made two flights at Hartford – the second on the following day, June 13th.  

     The Marshall County Republican article continued:

     “On the second trial, some time was spent in getting the weight and lifting power so neatly balanced as to show that the machine had a lifting power of its own.  When this had been effected to Prof. Ritchel’s satisfaction, the apparatus rested quietly upon the grass, but could be lifted or set back with a light pressure of a finger.  When the word was given to “Go!” the operator, Quinlan, weighing 96 pounds, began turning the wheel, the horizontal fan revolved with a noise like a buzz saw, and the machine darted up almost vertically to a height of about two hundred feet.  There a strong, steady wind setting toward the southwest was encountered, and the machine was swept broadside on to the spectators. Then the operator was seen throwing his vertical fan into gear, and by it said the aerial ship turned around, pointing its head in whatever direction he chose to have it.  All this was the work of a few seconds.  Although Quinlan could move the apparatus about, he could not make any headway against the strong wind. “

     (“The operator, Quinlan”, referred to in the above passage was Mark Quinlan, who reportedly weighed less than 100 pounds.)  

     The wind pushed the machine towards the town of New Haven and observers lost sight of it after it went over a hill.  After struggling in the wind for about an hour, Quinlan landed in Newington, Connecticut, and waited until the winds died down before taking off again and returning to Hartford at 10 p.m. 

     From Hartford, the professor brought his machine to Boston where on July 4, 1878, he flew it for one hour and twenty minutes in a wind that was blowing 18 to 20 miles per hour.  A few days later on July 13th, an illustration of Ritchel in his flying machine appeared on the cover of Harpers Weekly magazine. 

    In September of 1878 Ritchell again brought his invention to Boston, and this time exhibited it inside the Tremont Temple.  A reporter wrote the following as he described the scene: “A strong light in front of a large reflector in the gallery made the hall lighter that I had ever seen it, and threw upon the wall the shadow of the machine, making a most uncanny picture.” 

      The flying machine was described in the newspapers as being “a frame of brass tubes and nickel plated pipes and rods, shaped something like a boat, and is hung to a tube which is supported beneath a huge cylindrical bag, twenty-five feet long, and some ten or twelve (feet) in diameter.”  It also contained a series of gears, shifts, and clutches, which made it “as pretty as a watch.” 

     “The machine is certainly a success,” the article stated, “but if it were not it would still be worth looking at and admiring for its beauty, and for the singular ingenuity displayed in planning and building it.”

     The gas bag was said to be made of rubber coated “zephyr cloth” capable of holding 2,200 square feet of hydrogen gas.  This contradicted earlier reports that the dirigible held 3,000 square feet of gas, but this may have been a different, or improved gas bag. 

     The machine could navigate the air by two sets of multi-blade fans, one positioned under the pilot’s seat to raise or lower the craft, and the second at the front of the aircraft to propel it forward or backwards or steer in one direction or another. 

     The fans were reportedly made of white Holly, each blade having about 50 square inches of surface, and capable of making 2,000 to 2,800 revolutions per minute.  The fans were powered by the operator manually turning hand-cranks and steering with his feet, without the aid of any mechanical engine. 

     As to speed performance, the article stated, “The best speed yet attained is ten miles in thirty minutes with the wind, but in a calm, seven miles an hour is as much as can be doe comfortable. Direct progress cannot be made against a wind more than seven miles an hour, but by tacking he had made four miles in less than two hours.” 

     The total weight of the machine, not counting the operator, was said to be 115 pounds.         

     The following year Professor Ritchell apparently constructed another flying machine as evidenced by the following newspaper article that appeared in the Helena Weekly Herald, on July 24, 1879. (Originally published in the New Haven Paladium)

     A New Flying Machine

     “Professor C. F. Ritchell of Bridgeport is constructing a flying machine which he is to use at Coney Island.  The India-rubber gas cylinder is being made at the Naugatuck glove shop.  This is slightly elliptical in shape, is forty-five feet three inches length, and about forty-three feet in circumference.  The cylinder is to be inflated with hydrogen gas and will have a sustaining capacity adequate to support the machinery necessary to operate the car, and two med additional , lacking about one pound weight.  The whole structure is thus almost upon a poise.  Still it will not rise except by operating the paddles or “rings” necessary for that purpose.  Its propelling agencies are so nicely constructed that the car may be raised or lowered, moved forward or backward, propelled in a circle, at the will of the operator. It is a very ingenious affair throughout and throws other machines of the sort into the background.”

     What is significant about Professor Ritchel’s invention is that it worked, and his flying machine demonstration in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 12, 1878, was said to be the first successful dirigible flight ever achieved in the state.  However, within a few years Professor Ritchel’s accomplishment was apparently forgotten, for a small news item that appeared in The Sun, (a New York newspaper) in 1909 stated the following: “Capt. Thomas S. Baldwin, an aeronaut, furnished Norwich with a new sensation this afternoon when he flew five miles in his dirigible balloon.  It was the first dirigible that ever flew over the state of Connecticut.” 

     Professor Charles F. Ritchel is buried in Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum, Plot 46A, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  

     Sources:

     Scientific American, June 29, 1878, page 405      

     Helena Weekly Herald, (Helena, Mont.) “A New Flying Machine”, July 24, 1879

     The Anderson Intelligencer, (South Carolina), “Navigation In The Air”, March 28, 1878

     The Democratic Advocate, (Westminster, Md.), (No headline) May 25, 1878.  

     The Charlotte Democrat, (Charlotte, N.C.) “New Flying Machine”, June 14, 1878

     The Canton Advocate, ( Canton S.D.) “A Flying Machine”, June 18, 1878

     Marshall County Republican, (Plymouth, Ind.) “A Successful Flying Machine”, July 18, 1878

     The Home Journal, (Winchester, Tenn.) general items, August 1, 1878

     The Vancouver Independent, (Vancouver, Washington) “The New Flying Machine”, September 12, 1878

     The Sun, (N.Y.) “Taft On Freedom’s Growth” (His visit to Norwich), July 6, 1909, page 2

     Book- “High Frontier: A History Of Aeronautics In Pennsylvania”, by William F. Trimble, University Of Pittsburgh Press, Copyright 1982  

     Wikipedia – Prof. Charles F. Ritchel

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial # 147446540

Rufus Porter’s “Aeroport” Airship – 1853

Rufus Porter’s “Aeroport” Airship – 1853

Click on images to enlarge.

Rufus Porter's "Power Balloon" From a September 20, 1908 newspaper illustration of The Evening Star, of Washington, D.C.

Rufus Porter’s “Power Balloon”
From a September 20, 1908 newspaper illustration of The Evening Star, of Washington, D.C.

     Rufus Porter was a 19th century New England inventor, publisher, and artist, who some might say was a man well ahead of his time when it came to aeronautical thinking.   

     Born May 1, 1792, in West Boxford, Massachusetts, Porter received little in the way of formal education, but he possessed a brilliant and creative mind.    

     As an artist he painted mural scenes on the walls of many New England homes, and some of these murals survive today. 

     One of his publications included the New York Mechanic, which was described in the Vermont Telegraph in 1841 as being, “The Advocate of Industry and Enterprise, and Journal of Mechanical and other Scientific Improvements.”  It was published weekly at 7 Ann St., New York City.  Others included the American Mechanic, and Scientific American, two magazines aimed at those interested in the latest technology of the day.     

     Mr. Porter was very interested in all things mechanical, and is credited with many inventions, but perhaps his most intriguing was his “Aeroport”, a steam-powered airship that he began to develop in the early 1830s.   The “Aeroport” has also been referred to by other names such as “Aerial Steamer”, “Aero-locomotive”, and “Power Balloon”, but the press commonly referred to it as an “Aeroport”.     

An Early Balloon

An Early Balloon

     The field of aviation was relatively new in Porter’s day.  The first manned balloon ascension had taken place in France in 1783, and the first balloon flight in America had followed ten years later in 1793, about eight months after Porter was born.  Forty years later balloon technology  hadn’t changed much, and once aloft, aeronauts were still at the mercy of the prevailing winds with no means to control the craft’s direction other than up or down.  Porter wanted to change that by designing a flying machine that could land and take off with ease, and be under the control of a pilot who could direct the ship in any desired direction despite wind currents. 

     Another drawback of balloons of the day was that they could only carry one or two persons, but Porter envisioned an air ship that could transport many people at once, much like a modern-day airliner.  His futuristic thinking was ridiculed by those who thought such aerial navigation impossible, yet others found it intriguing, for there had once been a time when sailing across the world’s oceans was thought to be impossible.         

     Porter’s proposed airship was to be 160 feet long, and designed to carry passengers in an enclosed compartment called the “saloon” slung beneath the gas-envelope.  It was to be powered by steam engines which would spin huge propellers that would push it through the air at speeds faster than any known ships or trains.  And for safety sake, the engines and boiler were to be installed in such a way that they could be immediately dropped away should an emergency arise.  

     Over the years Porter built several working models of his proposed airship, which he used to demonstrate the fesability of his project.  The first of these models was completed in 1833, when Porter was in his early 40s.

     In 1849 Rufus Porter authored a publication titled Aerial Navigation: The Practicability Of Traveling Plesantly And Safely From New York To California In Three Days, Fully Demonstrated.   In it, he explained how such a feat could be accomplished with his proposed air ship that he envisioned capable of carrying between fifty to one-hundred passengers at speeds up to 100 miles per hour, making a round trip from New York to California’s “Gold Region” in only seven days.  This was a remarkable claim in an era when the fastest ships took weeks to make the journey.

     In 1850 Porter went to New York and Boston to exhibit a working model of his invention. One newspaper reported, “Mr. Porter’s ‘flying machine did all that it promised on Wednesday evening.  It rose above the audience and went around the hall exactly as he said it would, and the spectators gave three cheers for the successful experiment.”  

     The model was then demonstrated at the Merchant’s Exchange in New York where it circled the rotunda eleven times.

       In 1851 Porter established the Aerial Navigation Company which offered investors the chance to purchase shares in his “Aeroport” which he was convinced would be extremely profitable once completed and put into operation.       

Rufus Porter's Dirigible Airship of 1850 Note the word "Aeroport" on the side of the ship. Illustration from The New York Sun November 23, 1913

Rufus Porter’s Dirigible Airship of 1850
Note the word “Aeroport” on the side of the ship.
Illustration from The New York Sun
November 23, 1913

     In March of 1852 he wrote an open letter to the public looking for investors which was published in the Daily American Telegraph in Washington, D.C., where he had established his residence.  Porter offered potential investors the chance to turn a five-dollar investment into a cash income $20 per week for twenty years.  That translates into a potential return of $20, 800 – a huge sum of money even today.

     The letter stated as follows:

     “The Flying Ship – A chance to secure a cash income of $10 to $20 per week for twenty years, by the investment of five dollars in advance.

     It is extensively known that the undersigned has by the theory and practical experiments so fully demonstrated the practicability of aerial navigation that all who have duly examined the subject are convinced; and no person, even of those whose interests are adverse to its success, can offer a word of rational argument against it.  Several model machines have been constructed, and each of them has operated successfully; and one of them , sixteen feet long, carried a small steam engine, by the power of which the machine was propelled, and, being guided by its own helm, traveled rapidly through the air, even against a breeze of wind, in direct lines or circles, according to the adjustment of its helm.  This machine was witnessed and applauded by hundreds in New York and Boston, and notices thereof were published in several newspapers of those cities at the time.  Since those experiments were made, the inventor has made additional improvements, whereby the invention is now perfected.  And it appears certain that a safe and durable aerial ship, (or aeroport,) capable of carrying one hundred and fifty passengers at a speed of ninety miles an hour, with more perfect safety than either steamboats or railroad cars, may be constructed for $15,000, and that the expense of running it will not exceed $25 per day.  This Aeroport will make the trip to California or to Europe in two days, and will be patronized with abundance of business (more that 50,000 persons are now ready to engage passages) at $200 per passage, which will amount to $30,000 per trip, each way; or $60,000 per week, besides $4,000 for carrying mails.  If this aeroport is owned in shares of $5 each, a single share will produce an income of $20 per week. 

     It is ascertained, by a minute and careful estimate, that an aeroport 150 feet long and capable of carrying five persons at a speed of sixty miles per hour, may be constructed for $1,500.  Now, having been disappointed of the funds requisite to put this invention in operation on a scale of practical utility, I propose that if three hundred persons will subscribe five dollars each, payable when the whole amount of $1,500 shall have been subscribed, I will forthwith construct this pioneer aeroport, (which may be done in six weeks;) and when this is put in operation, I can readily command the requisite funds for constructing a large aeroport, as above mentioned.  And I will so arrange that each subscriber, on the payment of the said sum of five dollars, shall be furnished with a regular title-deed, which shall entitle th eholder thereof to one three-hundredth part of this first aeroport, and also to one three-hundredth part of the first large aeroprt that shall be constructed, and of all benefits and emoluments that may be derived therefrom for twenty years; the said aeroport to be kept in repair without expense to the shareholders.  Subscribers will not be restricted to single shares, but each may hold as many as he is disposed to subscribe for at first; and will receive dividends accordingly, which, according to the forgoing estimate, will be $20 per week on each share, payable weekly or monthly.  Subscribers may send their names to my address by mail (prepaid) and the same will be duly entered on the subscription book, (which already contains about fifty names of subscribers in this city,) and notice will be sent (prepaid) to each when the three hundred shares shall have been taken; and the money may be sent either to me or to the firm of Selden, Withers & Co., (well known bankers of this city,) who will, on the receiptthereof, forward to each subscriber a title-deed, as above stipulated, and will act as treasurers for the shareholders, and transfer the money to me as the progress of the work requires.  Each subscriber will be furnished semi-monthly with a printed news-letter, reporting the progress of the work.

     Editors or publishers of newspapers who will give the forgoing prospectus an insertion within three weeks, and send a copy thereof to the undersigned, shall be entitled to one share in the large aeroport, and be furnished with a title-deed or five dollars in cash forthwith.”

     Rufus Porter, Washington, March 16, 1852

     “P.S. – It is confidently believed that by this invention unexplored regions may be examined, and the light of civilization and Christianity may be disseminated through benighted lands with faculty; and that the world will honor the names of those who now subscribe to aid the introduction of an invention calculated to confer immense benefits upon the entire human race.”       

     Not long afterwards Mr. Porter began building his “Aeroport” .  Unfortunately, throughout the entire construction process, Porter was plagued by bad luck, skeptcisim, ridicule, obstruction, and even vandalism.             

     On August 12, 1852, the Jeffersonian Republican of Stroudsburg, Penn. reported the following: “Rufus Porter, who is building a flying ship at Washington, in his semi monthly report to the stockholders, says: – “The fibrous material for the float and the saloon has all been varnished, and the sewing and making up the float are now in progress, and we may have it ready for inflation in two weeks.  The frame work of the saloon, and the longitudinal rods for the float, are ready to be set up.  The engine and boilers are only waiting for the furnace”

        By the beginning of 1853 Mr. Porter’s airship was still under construction.  On January 1st, of that year, another Washington, D.C. newspaper, the Weekly National Intelligencier, had this to say;

       “When Mr. Porter issued his prospectus or proposition to construct machinery for aerial navigation, and offered shares therein for cash in advance, it was supposed or suspected by most people – probably nine-tenths of those who read the prospectus – to be a mere trick to raise money, but without any serious intention to proceed in the construction of said machine or aeroport.  But the proposition having received the confidence of a sufficient number to obtain the sum required in said prospectus, Mr. Porter did proceed in good faith in the work of constructing the said aeroport, and notwithstanding that he encountered a series of adversities which much retarded the work, and nearly doubled the estimated expense thereof, he had brought the aeroport nearly to completion when interrupted by the inclemency of winter weather.  An unlucky oversight, which required a laborious portion of the work to be wrought over again, only prevented the completion of the aeroport in November.  He now believes that his aeroport may be put to full operation in two or three weeks of mild, calm, pleasant weather.  But, in consequence of delay and the expense of the safe-keeping of the machinery, (some part which being 160 feet long, is rather difficult of storage,) he finds it expiedient to sell a larger number of shares than he had heretofore intended to do; and in consideration of the forward state of the work, and having thus far discovered nothing to shake his confidence in the ultimate success thereof, he reasonably expects the public to entertain more confidence, and attach more value to the said shares than at or prior to the commencement.”

     The rest of the article went on to reiterate what Mr. Porter had said in his letter dated March 16, 1852.         

Advertisement From The Daily Evening Star March 25, 1853 Note the cost of admission was 50 cents

Advertisement From
The Daily Evening Star
March 25, 1853
Note the cost of admission was 50 cents

     To help raise more funding, Mr. Porter exhibited a 22-foot-long and 8-foot-wide working model of his “aeroport” airship at venues where people willing to pay a small admission price could see it.  The total weight of the model was said to be only 15 pounds.

     One place in particular where the model was exhibited on more than one occasion was Carusi’s Saloon in Washington, D.C.  

     On April 13, 1853, the Daily Evening Star reported, “The performance at Carusi’s saloon last evening was highly satisfactory, and elicited frequent applause from the excited audience.”    

     Evidently the demonstrations of his working model failed to achieve the desired effect to entice more investors, for the following month Mr. Porter penned another letter which appeared in the Daily Evening Star on May 12, 1853, which he titled:   “Outrageous Apathy And Inconsistency”.

     The letter read:    

From The Republic newspaper Washington, D. C. April 1, 1853 Note the price of admission was now 25 cents.

From The Republic newspaper Washington, D. C.
April 1, 1853
Note the price of admission was now 25 cents.

 

 

     “What a world of fools; or rather, what a nation of skeptics and moral cowards.  Look at the facts.  More than ten years ago I published , described, illustrated, and demonstrated the practicability of a convenient mode of traveling safely and rapidly through the air, in any required direction; and subsequently have not only refuted all arguments against it, but demonstrated its practicability by the frequently repeated exhibition of an operating aerial steamer (aeroport or flying ship) on a small scale, and proved beyond all cavil, that this mode of traveling would be incomparatively more safe, as well as more pleasant and expeditious, than nay mode in present use; and that the cost of an aeroport of such size and proportions as to be capable of carrying two hundred passengers safely, at a good speed of one hundred miles per hour, would be less than that of an ordinary steam ferry boat; and that the earnings of this aeroport would pay more than two hundred percent per week on its cost; and that no accident or emergency could possibly occur to subject the passengers to more danger than that of a hotel residence.  Yet with these facts before them, and while people are being burned, drowned, smashed and ground up by hundreds, by collisions, overturning and plunging railroad trains, and the burning of steamboats; and while thousands are exposing their lives by land journies across the thousand miles of desert and wilderness, or submitting to the hardship and dangers of a six months voyage around Cape Horn, such a total apathy, or mental disease of skepticism, and the fear of vulgar sneers pervades the community that not one man of wealth can be found in these United States, willing to furnish the requisite funds for introducing this incomparable and greatly needed improvement.

     When application has been made to Congress, the subject meets with ridicule; or, if referred to appropriate committees, the members refuse to examine its merits. 

     When the most interesting appeals have been made public through the press, and a liberal interest (worth $500,) in the invention , has been offered to every editor who would give the proposition an insertion, only one in fifty of those whom the offer was made , deigned to notice it; and of these, three subsequently demanded cash payment for the insertion.

     So goes the world, or rather, the nation; and so it will go, perhaps, till the more reasonable English or French capitalists shall have put this same aeroport in operation in Europe; when all Yankeedom will eagerly adopt the invention, and wonder that it had not been introduced before.”

     R. Porter       

     One can understand Mr. Porter’s frustration.  As a man of foresight, he knew that air travel was the way of the future, and history has proven him correct, but he didn’t understand why people were reluctant to invest in his project, or why the United States government had denied his request for funding when other nations like France and England were actively seeking was to develop air travel.  

     So why were people reluctant to invest?  One possibility could have been the promise of a potential return of $20,800 on a mere $5 investment.  If Mr. Porter’s figures are correct, and there’s no reason to doubt them, a person would be a fool not to invest, but perhaps potential investors couldn’t believe it, thinking it was too good to be true. 

     Another possibility is that while we take high-speed aerial navigation for granted in the 21st century, in 1853 it was akin to science fiction, so one can understand why some may have thought Mr. Porter’s invention would be nothing more than a passing fancy.  Such was the thinking with other inventions throughout the ages, like the telephone, for example.         

1845 Train Illustration

1845 Train Illustration

     And perhaps there were those who weren’t anxious to see airships replace trains and ocean going vessels as a primary means of long distance travel, especially when Mr. Porter was claiming his invention would be able to cross continents and oceans in mere days – something trains and ships were incapable of.    

       Yet Mr. Porter persevered, and in early July of 1853 he announced that he hoped his “Aeroport” would be ready for trials by October 1st. If successful, he planned to fly it to the World’s Fair in New York City.  At the time he made the announcement he was still reportedly $300 short of his financial goal.

      On July 26, 1853, a Washington, D.C. newspaper reported, “We have heretofore stated that Mr. Rufus Porter proposes to construct an aeroport with which to visit the Crystal Palace; he and others being confident that he can accomplish his purpose.  Notwithstanding the doubts which prevail upon the subject, and the opinions expressed as to the practicability, he is now engaged in the construction of his flying ship.  The City Councils, several weeks ago, as we were yesterday informed by a member of the lower board, refused to grant him the use of a vacant lot somewhere in the slashes, on which he could erect a pavilion to protect his mechanical operations; but this has not weakened his determination to persevere in his long-considered plans.  To say the least, the municipal authorities can take no offence should the proprietor withhold from them the complementary invitation of a saloon passage!” 

     And so it went.  A year-and-a-half later on January 5, 1855, the Washington Sentinel commented, “Mr. Rufus Porter, with the industry of a beaver, is still working on his “float and saloon”, in this city.”   Unfortunately the project never came to fruition.  In the ensuing years others followed in Porter’s foot steps.  Some made progress, others failed, but it was Rufus Porter who’d laid the groundwork for future dirigible development.   This fact was recognized in The Sun, a New York newspaper, in the autumn of 1913, twenty-nine years after Rufus Porter died.  The article said in part; “Perhaps you don’t know who Rufus Porter was, and if that be the case, you, as a patriotic American will be interested in learning that he has some right to be described as the father of the dirigible airship.”  

     Rufus Porter died at the age of 92 in West Haven, Connecticut, on August 13, 1884, and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in West Haven.   

     To learn more about Rufus Porter, one should visit the Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton, Maine, or the museum’s website at:  http://rufusportermuseum.org/  

      Sources:

     Vermont Telegraph, “New York Mechanic” May 5, 1841.  

     Daily American Telegraph, (Washington, D. C. ) “The Flying Ship”, Rufus Porter’s appeal to investors through his letter to the editor., April 3, 1852 

     Jeffersonian Republican, (no headline) August 12, 1852 

     The Daily Comet, (Baton Rouge, La.) “The Flying Ship” October 8, 1852

     Weekly National Intelligencer, (Washington, D.C.) “The Flying Ship”, January 1, 1853

     Grand River Times, “(Grand Haven, Michigan), (no headline) February 23, 1853

     Daily Evening Star, “The Aeroport, Or Flying Ship” – Carusi’s Saloon advertisement, March 25, 1853

     The Republic, (Washington D. C. ) Carusi’s Saloon – The Flying Ship, or Aeroport”, April 1, 1853    

     Weekly National Intelligencer, (Washington, D.C.) ,”The Flying Ship”, April 2, 1853

     Daily Evening Star, “Communicated – The Flying Ship”, April 13, 1853

     Daily Evening Star, (Washington, D.C. ) “Outrageous Apathy and Inconsistency”, May 12, 1853 

     Daily Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.) (no headline – Porter announces Aeroport will be ready for test flights on October 1st.) July 11, 1853

     The Daily Republic, (Washington, D.C.) “Aerial Flights” July 12, 1853

     The Daily Republic, (Washington D.C.) “Aerial Traveling”, July 26, 1853

     Washington Sentinel, Rufus Porter’s letter to the editor, November 27, 1853

     Washington Sentinel, under “Local and Personal”, headline “The Flying Ship” October 28, 1854

     Washington Sentinel, (Washington, D.C.) “Floating Castles”, January 5, 1855 

     Tri-Weekly Asturian, “Miscellaneous Items”, September 16, 1873

     Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.) “Nest of Flyers Here – Washington Home Of Greatest Attempts To navigate Air”, September 20, 1908

     New York Sun, (Image) “Rufus Porter’s Airship Of 1850”, November 23, 1913, 3rd Section, Page 12.

     New York Sun, “Yankee’s Dirigible Airship Of Sixty Years Ago”, November 23, 1913, 3rd Section, Page 12.

     Rufus Porter Museum, Bridgton, Maine.   

     Wikipedia – Rufus Porter

Samuel Cabot’s Aviation Propeller – 1896

Samuel Cabot’s Aviation Propeller – 1896

     The following article appeared in The Madisonian, (a now defunct Virginia City, Montana, newspaper), on August 29, 1896. 

     New Flying Machine

     Boston Man Has Some Ideas He Is ready To Apply To One

     Samuel Cabot, the Boston flying machine inventor, who is just starting to Europe to study flying machines, has invented and tested a propeller to be used in aerial navigation.

     The propeller, made something like the propeller of a steamship, is operated by foot power and revolves at a high rate of speed. Mr. Cabot tested the machine by attaching it to a couple of bicycles which he fastened together.  Then the pedals of the bicycles were removed and those of the propeller put on.

     When the big fan began to turn, away went the bicycle, and the farther it went the higher became the rate of speed, until at last it was bowling along at the rate of ten miles an hour.

     Mr. Cabot thinks he has solved one of the problems of man flight.  Now, if he can get a machine that will stay up in the air, he calculates that he can drive it along with his invention.

Prof. C. C. Bonette – Early Vermont Aeronaut

Professor C. C. Bonette – Early Vermont Aeronaut

balloon

     Professor C. C. Bonette was born in Victory, Vermont, on November 24, 1872, and died in Concord, Vermont, March 28, 1947.  Newspaper accounts almost always referenced him by his initials, but his full name was Clarence Clement Bonette. (At times his last name has also been spelled Bonett and Bonnette by the press.)

     Prof. Bonette began his aeronautical career in the 1890s by giving parachute/balloon exhibitions at fairs and expositions around New England.  His performances involved going aloft in his hot air balloon and then dropping from a pre-determined altitude using a parachute.  In later years he devised a spring-loaded “cannon” which hung from beneath the balloon.  When the balloon had risen to the proper altitude, Bonette would appear to be fired from the cannon before parachuting safely to the ground.  The stunt was actually an illusion created by fire works and confetti to make it appear that the cannon had fired, but in reality no gun powder was used.    

     According to an interview given by Bonette to Alton H. Blackington in 1943, the professor made his first parachute drop at a fair in Plymouth, New Hampshire, in 1893, after the featured aerialist took sick minutes before the scheduled performance, and Bonnete volunteered to act as a replacement.     

     His second and third drops were made at the first meeting of the St. Johnsbury Gentlemen’s Driving Club held at the fairgrounds in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, in October of 1893.   (The club was for those who liked to race horses.)    

     Being an aeronaut was not without its hazards, and it would seem that Professor Bonette had more than his share of close calls.  The following are a few examples.

     While performing at the South Ryegate (Vermont) Fair during the third week of September, 1895, Bonette experienced a problem with his parachute line becoming entangled with one holding a sand bag used for ballast while he floated high in the air.  He decided to cut the parachute loose thinking it would pull the tangled line free, but it didn’t.  The Vermont Phoenix newspaper had this to say about the incident: “C. C. Bonette, the aeronaut, came very close near making his last ascension at St. Johnsbury recently, when 5,000 feet in the air, he found that the balloon and parachute had by some means become connected by a string, but by great effort he succeeded in freeing himself just in time to save his life.”   Fortunately Bonette was not injured.   

     Two months later, on November 14, 1895, it was reported in the News And Citizen (a Morrisville, VT. newspaper) that Professor Bonette had just completed a successful season as an aeronaut having made 28 balloon ascensions since July 1, with only one accident.  That accident occurred while he was performing in Pittsfield, Maine, when his balloon began to collapse while he was 300 feet in the air.  Thinking quick, he dropped with his parachute, which opened in the nick of time to save his life, although he still made a “hard landing” and received injuries which took a week to recover from. 

     In June of 1899 Bonette’s balloon developed a leak while 200 feet in the air while he was performing at Ridgewood Park in Brooklyn, N.Y.  Bonette dropped using a parachute which didn’t sufficiently open in time.  He crashed into the top of an apple tree and suffered severe bruising, but no broken bones.    

     The following September, while performing at the Rochester Fair in Rochester, New Hampshire, Bonette suffered another accident.  While preparing to take off in a balloon from which he intended to make a parachute drop, he told his assistants, “Goodbye boys, I’ll see you later, but how much later I don’t know.”  When the balloon was released, it rose quickly, but suddenly developed a small tear which allowed the hot air to begin escaping.  The professor cut loose with his parachute, but it didn’t fully inflate until he was almost to the ground.  He struck the earth hard, and his head and shoulders came in contact with a post sticking up two feet from the ground. 

     A few weeks later it was reported in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian that Bonette, “has nearly recovered from his parachute injury, and will soon begin training for his aerial work this winter in Keith’s circuit.  He will resume his aeronaut specialties next summer and has begun construction of a new balloon.”     

Advertisement for the Caledonia Co. Fair St. Johnsbury, Vermont Sept. 15 - 17 , 1903

Advertisement for the Caledonia Co. Fair

St. Johnsbury, Vermont

Sept. 15 – 17 , 1903

     While performing at St. Albans, Vermont, during the last week of August, 1901, Bonette’s balloon rose to an altitude of 3,000 feet and then hung suspended over Lake Champlain, forcing him to make his scheduled parachute drop while still over the water.  He splashed down about a quarter mile from shore and was quickly rescued by nearby boaters who’d anticipated the outcome.

     In August of 1902 the Bare Evening Telegram reported that Professor Bonette, “had several narrow escapes lately, the last one Saturday when he was blown 3 miles out on Long Island Sound and came near drowning before boats could reach him.”   He’d been performing at Southport, Connecticut, at the time. 

     On October 10, 1907, Bonette’s balloon burst open while he was 200 feet in the air while performing at Claremont, New Hampshire.  He jumped with his parachute while still 100 feet above the crowd, but it didn’t fully open and he was seriously injured.  He was taken unconscious to Claremont Hospital, but later recovered to resume his career.

     The following year on October 1, 1908, Bonette was in Brattleboro, Vermont, preparing to give a performance when his clothing suddenly caught fire as he was inflating the balloon.  Bonette knew to stop-drop-and-roll, while bystanders threw blankets over him thus smothering the flames.  Although badly burned around his face, neck, shoulders, back, and legs, the professor didn’t want to disappoint the crowd, and did his scheduled parachute drop anyway.  Upon landing he was taken to Memorial Hospital for treatment.   

      On May 11, 1912, Bonette was seriously injured at Lynn, Massachusetts, when his parachute failed to open properly as he dropped from 10,000 feet.  He slammed down on the roof of a home on Bay View Avenue and then slid off and hit the ground.  The impact broke several bones.   

     Over the course of his long career Professor Bonette was credited with over 4,785 balloon ascensions/parachute drops.  Even when everything went well he seemed to temp Fate such as the times he would leave the ground suspended only by his teeth holding on to the parachute.  One such incident, reported in the St. Johnsbury Caladonian, occurred in 1903: “Prof. C. C. Bonette made one of his usual sensational ascensions by leaving the ground suspended by his teeth.  The parachute drop was successful for Bonette landed safely in the open field on Fairbanks meadow, near the campus.”  

     Professor Bonette is credited for building the first “aeroplane” to be constructed in the State of Vermont.  It was a Curtis-type biplane 24 feet in length, equipped with a 40-60 hp. engine specially built for the aircraft.  He began building it during the winter of 1909-10, and being the first airplane constructed in the state, he named it “Vermont No. 1”.   The entire aircraft, including the weight of the Professor, was reported to be a mere 600 pounds.     

1911 advertisement for the Granite City Trotting Park where Professor Bonette was to make his first flight in Vermont with his new "aeroplane".

1911 advertisement for the Granite City Trotting Park where Professor Bonette was to make his first flight in Vermont with his new “aeroplane”.

     In July of 1910 Bonette announced his aircraft was nearly complete and he planned to fly it soon.  Unfortunately, although the professor may have been the first to construct an aircraft in Vermont, he wasn’t credited for being the first to fly one.  That honor went to John Willard who flew at the Caledonia Co. Fair in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on September 15, 1910.  

     A brief but interesting news item from the St. Johnsbury Caledonian dated October 19, 1910, stated, “Prof. Bonette made a flight Friday with his aeroplane and when nearly ready to alight one of the guy wires broke, letting him down and breaking the machine badly.”  Unfortunately, no further details pertaining to the date or location of the mishap were given, but the incident may have occurred at the St. Johnsbury fair grounds, for again, according to another article in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian on November 2, Bonette again tried to take off in his airplane before the Gentleman’s Driving Club in St. Johnsbury, but the engine wouldn’t start.  He speculated that it was because it may have been damaged internally in the hard landing, and thought he may have to send it back to the factory for repair.      

     A May 25, 1911 advertisement for the Granite City Trotting Park stated; “Mr. C. C. Bonette of St. Johnsbury, who for the past eighteen years has been making ascensions with parachute jumps , has this season equipped himself with an up-to-date flying machine of the bi-plane type, and will make his first Vermont flight at Barre, on May 3oth.”     

     Unfortunately the flight didn’t take place.  On June 1, 1911, the Burlington Weekly Free Press reported that the flight was cancelled due to rough ground at the starting point which caused one of the plane’s running wheels to break.   

     Professor Bonette was married to Minnie Wilson Bonette, who was seriously injured in a fall from a balloon at Malone, New York, on September 27, 1897.  Although confined to a wheelchair, she still accompanied her husband to his performances until she passed away in 1922.   The professor lived until 1947, and is buried next to his wife in the Sutton Village Cemetery, in Sutton, Vermont.  

    To see a photograph of Professor Bonette, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial # 130371752.    

     Sources:

     St. Johnsbury Caladonian, “Fast Time At The Races – The Balloon Ascensions”, October 19, 1893.

     Vermont Phoenix, no headline October 4, 1895, page 8.

     News And Citizen, (Morrisville, VT.), no headline, November 14, 1895, Page 4.

     New York Daily Tribune, “She Jumped Too Soon”, October 1, 1897, page 7.

     The United Opinion, (Bradford, VT.) “News Items” June 23, 1899, Page 4.

     News And Citizen, “Balloon Parted”, September 27, 1899

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, no headline, November 22, 1899, page 8

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, “Aeronaut Bonette Gets Wet”, September 4, 1901, page 4.  

     Barre Evening Telegram, no headline, August 27, 1902

     News And Citizen, no headline, July 30, 1902, Page 3.

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, Caladonia Co. Fair advertisement, September 9, 1903, page 3.

     St. Johnsbury Caladonian, “The County Fair”, September 16, 1903, page 4.

     Bangor Daily Commercial, (Bangor, ME.) “Aeronaut Falls 100 Feet”, October 11, 1907

     The Bennington Evening Banner, (Bennington, VT.), “C. C. Bonette Burned”, October 2, 1908 

     Herald And News, (West Randolph, VT.) “Two Vermont Airships”, July 7, 1910, page 3.

     Orleans County Monitor, (Barton, VT.) “Vermont’s First Aeroplane”, September 7, 1910, Page 7.

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, “Aviator Flew Over Vermont Hills”, September 21, 1910, page 7

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, “Bonnett Didn’t Fly”, November 2, 1910, page 8

     Barre Daily Times, Crantie City Trotting Park advertisement, May 25, 1911, page 4.

     Burlington Weekly Free Press, “First Races At Barre”, June 1, 1911

     The Barre Daily Times, “Prof. C. C. Bonnette Hurt In 10,000 Foot Drop”, May 13, 1912

     Interview With Clarence Bonnette In 1943, by Alton H. Blackington, Yankee Magazine, April, 1965.  

     www.earlyaviators.com

     www.findagrave.com

Inter-continental Aviation Meet – 1910

Inter-continental Aviation Meet – September 3, 1910

 

     The following newspaper article, dated September 3, 1910,  appeared in the Arizona Republican (Phoenix, Arizona).  Atlantic, Massachusetts, is a village in the town of Quincy, Massachusetts, near Boston.  Apparently there was at least once crash at the meet. 

An Inter-Continental Aviation Meet

————

The Initial Performance at Atlantic, Massachusetts

     Atlantic, Mass. Sept. 3 – Daring aviators of two continents met at the new Harvard aviation field at Atlantic today on the opening of the Harvard-Boston aero meet which will be continued through the next ten days.

     In a three-mile breeze, Wright’s new model biplane, with the front control removed and placed at the rear, was taken out by Ralph Johnstone. Walter Brookins, in the standard Wright machine, followed, and then came Charles F. Willard in a Curtiss biplane.  Claude Graham White, in his Farnam biplane, and Clifford B. Harmon also flew.  One of the wheels of Harmon’s biplane sank into the soft dirt on the getaway, making the machine unsteady , and from a height of forty feet it fell into a marsh and was wrecked.  Harmon escaped injury.

     A drizzling rain fell during all of the afternoon, and the crowds were leaving when Graham White came out a second time in his Bleriot for what proved to be a sensational flight.  In a three-lap flight, Mr. White did a five and a quarter miles in six minutes, five seconds, the best speed of the day.

     Curtiss came out at 6:30 p.m. for some practice flights in his own racing machine  closing the day’s events.        

 

Ernest Petin’s Connecticut Balloon Ascensions – 1852

Ernest Petin’s Connecticut Balloon Ascensions – 1852

 

     Ernest Petin, (1812-1897), was a French aeronaut from Paris who experimented with various means of flight.  He came to America arriving in Boston in 1852, and furthered his research in Connecticut.   Like many aeronauts of his day, he hoped to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon.

     The following news item appeared in The New York Herald on February 12, 1852:

     “M. Petin, the celebrated inventor of the theory of the aerial navigation, sailed from Havre for Boston, in the American ship Emperor, on the 14th instant, taking with him to the Unites States his three balloons, engines and machinery.

     It will be remembered that M. Petin was struggling with the Minister of the Interior and the Perfect of Police, to obtain their permission to produce his invention before the public.  This demand was finally rejected by the authorities, and the French aeronaut soon arrived at the decision to emigrate to America.  Perhaps before the end of the year, he will return to Europe, in his machine, across the Atlantic sea.”      

     It’s unknown when Mr. Petin made his first balloon ascension in the United States, but an advertisement in the New York Herald stated that Petin would make a “Grand Balloon Ascension” in one of his three large balloons at the Union Course on Long Island, New York, on May 21, 1852.  What is known is that Mr. Petin came to America because French authorities refused to allow him to exhibit his balloons.  (See article below.)

New York Herald
February 12, 1852
Click on image to enlarge.

     On July 4, 1852, large crowds had gathered at Bridgeport, Connecticut, to watch Mr. Petin make an advertised balloon ascension.  Unfortunately, as preparations were being made strong winds pulled the balloon loose from its moorings and sent it crashing into the eaves of a nearby home where the fabric was torn apart.  Petin suffered minor injuries.  

     On July 23, 1852, Mr. Petin made a balloon ascension from Bridgeport, Connecticut, with two companions with great results.  The Hartford Weekly Times pointed out that this was not the same balloon Petin was injured in on July 4th, which was described as “inferior” to the balloon utilized on the 24th.  

     The article gave no details of the July 4th accident, but research has uncovered a small news items that may shed some light.  On June 26, 1852, about eight days before the accident, a Virginia newspaper, The Daily Dispatch, reported the following: “Mons. Petin, the inventor of a new aerial machine, has announced his intention to make a balloon ascension on horseback during the celebration of the 4th of July.”   

     A Pennsylvania newspaper, The Weekly Lancaster Gazette, carried the same basic statement, however added that the event was to take place in New York.    

     In August of 1852, Petin made another balloon ascension from Bridgeport, Connecticut, in a balloon measuring 25 feet long and 70 feet in diameter, with a boat attached underneath.  With him were Gustave Regnard of France, and a Mr. Wood of Bridgeport.    

     64 men reportedly held the ropes securing the balloon until the signal to release was given.  The craft quickly rose to an altitude of 10,000 feet and began drifting towards Long Island Sound.  While passing over the Sound it rose to 22,000 feet where the temperature was recorded at 9 degrees below zero. 

     The cold was intense, and one of the men, it was not stated who, was “benumbed”, and “fell into a profound sleep”.  With great difficulty, Petin managed to open the release valve and descend rapidly to 13,000 feet.

     The balloon landed without incident at Riverhead, New York, a village on Long Island, New York.      

     On September 6, 1852, Petin and three companions made another ascension from Bridgeport in what was said to be the largest balloon ever used in the United States.  It measured 100 feet tall and 72 feet around, and contained 3,500 cubic feet of gas. 

     It rose to an altitude of 23,500 feet as it was carried over Long Island Sound, and then Long Island itself before coming down in the Atlantic Ocean six miles from shore.  Petin and his companions were rescued by members of the Coast Guard Lifesaving Station in Bridgehampton, Long Island.     

     On October 14, 1852, Petin made yet another ascension from Bridgeport which ended with similar results as the previous trip made a month earlier.  This time the balloon hit the water two miles from shore off South Hampton, Long Island, and once again Petin and his companions were rescued by the Coast Guard.  

Click here for more info :Atlantic Ocean – October, 14, 1852

     The following year Mr. Petin began making ascensions in New Orleans, La.

     Sources:

     The New York Herald, (Morning Edition), (No Headline) February 12, 1852

     The Daily Dispatch, (Richmond, Va.) “Balloon Ascension On Horseback”, June 26, 1852

     The Weekly Lancaster Gazette, July 1, 1852

     New Orleans Daily Crescent, “A Collapse” , July 15, 1852 

     Hartford Weekly Times, (CT.)  “Balloon Ascension”, July 24, 1852

     Jeffersonian Republican, (Stroudsburg, Pa.), “Great Balloon Ascension”, August 19, 1852

     A History of the Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Part II, by Samuel Orcutt, Fairfield Co. Historical Society, Bridgeport, Ct. C. 1886

     Weekly National Intelligencer, (Washington, DC), “Narrow Escape Of Ballonists”, October 16, 1852 

Grooms, Balloons, And Aerial Honeymoons

     Originally published in The Smithfield Times, (Rhode Island), June, 2016.  Some of the early aerial weddings mentioned in this article took place in New England. 

Grooms, Balloons, and Aerial Honeymoons

 By Jim Ignasher

Updated January 27, 2017

    Balloon wedding july 4 1884 There’s an old joke about a woman who told her suitor that no man on earth was good enough for her to marry. Undaunted, the hopeful groom suggested that instead of getting married “on earth”, they get married in a balloon.  

     Various renditions of this quip have appeared in old newspapers, and at the dawn of the 20th century it was considered not only humorous, but timely as well, for balloon weddings were, (Dare I say it?) on the rise – so to speak.

     For as long as people have been getting married there’ve been those wanting to take their vows in non-traditional settings, and by the later half of the 1800s balloon technology had “risen” (Pun intended.) to the point where something new in the way of unique circumstances could be offered – aerial weddings. The following stories have been culled from various newspaper articles.

     Famous showman and circus owner P. T. Barnum is generally credited with orchestrating the first aerial wedding in history which occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 19, 1874, when Charles Colton and Mary Walsh were married in a balloon one mile above the earth. The event created quite a sensation at the time. However, there’s evidence to indicate that this marriage in the clouds may not have been the first.

     Seven years earlier Mr. J. W. Smithson, of Philadelphia, and Miss Maggie E. Fornshell, of Wooster, Ohio, were reportedly married in a balloon over Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 6, 1867. The Evansville Journal characterized the nuptials as being, “Emphatically a wedding in the upper circles.”

     John Kinney, the owner of the balloon, saw the potential business opportunities in aerial nuptials, and announced shortly afterwards his plans for constructing a new balloon specifically for weddings which was to be christened the Maggie Fornshell.

     Another early balloon wedding may have taken place in San Francisco, in November of 1873. It was announced in the Pioche Daily Record that Professor A. A. Lay had obtained a marriage license for himself and one Miss Mary Smith so they could be married in a balloon 900 feet above San Francisco’s city gardens by Justice of the Peace C. F. Townsend. It was reported that once the vows had been exchanged the balloon would be brought down for the reception.        

         What may have been the first wedding involving a balloon took place in New York City, on November 8, 1865. The event was advertised by promoters as the “Balloon Nuptial Ceremonies”, and thousands bought tickets to see the “show”. John N. Boynton, of Syracuse, New York, was to be married in a balloon while it sailed aloft to Miss Mary West Jenkins of St. Louis, Missouri, but instead the vows were exchanged before they climbed into the gondola. Had they only stood inside the basket and risen even three feet from the ground they could have made wedding history, and scooped P.T. Barnum by nine years.  

    Barnum was an advertising genius, so it’s no surprise that after his sponsored airborne wedding of 1874, balloon marriages “took off” (Pun intended.) as more happy couples took their love to “new heights” – sometimes with mixed results.

     The 19th century was a time when people flocked to events involving balloon ascensions much to the delight of those who rang cash registers at country fairs and other locations where balloons were exhibited. Advertised balloon marriages drew even larger crowds due to the increased novelty. But getting married in a swaying balloon in an era when manned flight was still relatively new was not for the faint of heart, or those who suffered from a fear of heights. An interesting case of “cold feet” took place at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, in 1884, when the bride and groom failed to arrive for their appointed wedding, leaving promoters with the prospect of refunding thousands of dollars to the waiting crowds.

     Yet, as they say, “the show must go on,” so the balloon’s owner and his lovely assistant posed as the happy couple and were married under assumed names. Four years later the owner found himself in court, for evidently the fake marriage had legally binding implications. The “marriage” was dissolved by the judge.

     Then there was the couple from Providence, Rhode Island, who in 1902 were married in a balloon to win a bet. Thomas L. Bennett was already engaged to Edith Ring when a friend bet him twenty-five dollars that he wouldn’t get married in a balloon. The couple accepted the challenge and was married one mile above the Tioga, Pennsylvania, fairgrounds.  

     In 1888, Edward T. Davis and Margaret A. Buckley were married in a balloon before 30,000 people at Narragansett Park, in Providence. After the vows were exchanged the balloon sailed off toward Massachusetts where it encountered a storm and went down in a swamp. Fortunately all aboard were rescued safely.

     A Chattanooga, Tennessee, couple got married in a balloon on June 28, 1897. Shortly after the vows were exchanged, they found themselves drifting over the Tennessee River, where the bride became frightened and jumped from a height of one-hundred feet into the water. The Groom waited until the Balloon had risen to 1,000 feet before jumping with a parachute. Neither was injured.

     About a week later on July 6, 1897, The Rock Island Argus had this to say about the incident: “A Chattanooga girl who was married in a balloon jumped out of the balloon into the river at the conclusion of the ceremony, and when she was fished out reproached the bridegroom for leaving her.”

   In another case, what began as a balloon flight ended as a marriage.  On July 17, 1909, Dr. Sidney S. Stowell met Miss Blanch Edith Hulse for the first time at the Pittsfield (Mass.) Aero Park, and dared her to make a flight with him in his balloon.  The pretty woman accepted, and before long the couple was sailing two miles above the earth.  By the time they landed at Shelbourne Falls, Massachusetts, about fifty miles away, love had blossomed.  They were married a year-and-a-half later.   

     Another 1909 balloon wedding connected to the Pittsfield Aero Park was the marriage between Roger N. Burnham, a Boston sculptor, and Miss Eleanor H. Waring, a writer from Brookline, Mass.   They were married in Falmouth, Massachusetts, before heading to Pittsfield to begin their honeymoon journey in the large balloon, “Pittsfield”, piloted by William van Sleet.  

    One problem with aerial weddings was the fact that the exchange of vows could only be heard by those aboard the balloon, leaving guests on the ground more or less unfulfilled as spectators. In the summer of 1909 one couple solved this difficulty by incorporating modern wireless technology. The event took place high above Seattle, where the young couple said their vows via wireless radio The ceremony was conducted by a minister who stood on the ground next to the radio operator surrounded by the wedding party. Once they were pronounced man and wife, the groom landed the balloon amidst cheers and congratulations.  

     In 1913, a balloon ascension was advertised for the county fair in Rutland, Vermont, and promoters offered twenty-five dollars for a couple willing to be married in the balloon while it was in flight. The offer led a local religious leader to preach against “mercenary marriages”.  

     In September of 1914 a new comedic play titled, ”An Aerial Honeymoon” opened in Providence, Rhode Island, to rave reviews. One review which appeared in the Norwich Bulletin said in part, “The comely girls who formed the chorus are well selected for their musical ability as well as their appearance, and the music is catchy.”

     The invention of the “aeroplane” offered another way to get married aloft, but initially being wedded in one was difficult, for very few were capable of carrying four people; the bride and groom, pilot, and minister. However, this didn’t stop couples from being married while sitting in an aeroplane that was firmly on the ground, which still made them eligible to say they were married “aboard” an aeroplane. Newspaper articles as early as 1911 mention couples being married “in” or “aboard” aeroplanes, therefore it’s difficult to determine exactly when the first wedding aboard an airplane in flight took place.    

     By the 1920s airplane technology had come a long way. In 1922 a New York couple was married in a plane over Mineola, Long Island. Afterwards they honeymooned in New England.  

    BOY50069 What is reportedly the “first marriage in an airplane on record in the State of Vermont” took place on August 26, 1927, over the Milton Airdrome. As their airplane circled 2,800 feet overhead, Kenneth Dickerman and Sadie Branch were married by the Reverend S. Rowe who broadcast to the couple from the ground via radio. As the couple exchanged their vows, the pilot cut the engine and allowed the plane to glide downward so wedding guests and spectators could clearly hear the broadcast words.  

     What was described by one newspaper as a “marriage epidemic” took place at the opening of the Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, Airport in August of 1928.  In planning the dedication of the new airport it was advertised that any couple who arrived on that date with a marriage license and willing to be married in an airplane, would receive $100, which was considered a handsome sum in those days.  Unfortunately for the promoters, one-hundred couples responded expressing interest, with at least thirty confirming their plans.  It was then decided that only the first couple to arrive would receive the prize money, but the rest would still be taken aloft and married in an airplane.        

     About two years later on April 20, 1930, Rhode Island saw its first airplane wedding. Mabel P. Denver of Seekonk, Massachusetts, and Charles E. Cherry of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, were married in a tri-motor aircraft as it soared above What Cheer Airport in Pawtucket during an air meet.      

   Then there was the New Hampshire couple who met by accident – literally – when the groom, a pilot, was injured in a plane crash at Concord Airport. At the hospital he met and fell in love with his nurse. They were married August 28, 1936, and took off in an airplane to begin their “aerial honeymoon”.

     Getting back to P.T. Barnum’s sponsored wedding of 1874; some may have suspected it was nothing more than a publicity stunt. After all, Barnum was known for stunts and hoaxes, and the newlyweds were employees of the circus. In fact, in July of 1875 some newspapers were reporting that the marriage lasted but three weeks however, such is not the case. A 1901 newspaper account from the Lewiston Evening Journal proves the marriage was not only legitimate, but a success.  

     In that article, Charles Colton, then known as Sergeant Colton of the New York City Police Department, recalled how the wedding might not have occurred had it not been for his wife Mary’s initiative. Both had hoped to marry, but financial circumstances were forcing them to wait. Then Mary suggested they be married in a balloon. They approached Mr. Barnum who liked the idea, and gave them a substantial dowry with which to begin married life together.

     People are still being married in balloons and airplanes today, and pay big money to do so, although the novelty is hardly newsworthy any more. Yet the world is still waiting for the first wedding in outer space.    

Sources:

(MS.) The Daily Clarion, “The Latest Sensation In New York Was A Projected Marriage In A Balloon”, November 21, 1865

(MO.) The Holt County Sentinel, “The Balloon Marriage”, December 1, 1865

(OH.) Urbana Union, “The Balloon Wedding”, July 24, 1867

(ID.) The Evansville Journal, “News Briefs, July 29, 1867

(NV.) Pioche Daily Record, “The Great Balloon Marriage”, October 31, 1873

(ID.) The Indiana State Sentinel, “Among The Clouds – The Balloon Wedding”, October 27, 1874

(AZ.) The Arizona Sentinel, (No Headline – Under Briefs) July 17, 1875

(KY.) The Evening Bulletin, “Don’t Want It To Hold Good”, April 16, 1888

(VT.) Essex County Herald, “Honeymoon In The Clouds”, October 5, 1888

(OH.) Marietta Daily Leader, “Married In A Balloon”, June 29, 1897

(IL.) The Rock Island Argus, “Abbreviated Telegrams”, July 6, 1897

(ME.) Lewiston Evening Journal, “The Original Balloon Wedding”, November 29, 1901

(AZ.) Arizona Republican, “Married In A Balloon”, September 2, 1902

(VA.) The Richmond Planet, “Easy Way Out”, June 23, 1906

(NE.) The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune”, Married In A Balloon”, August 13, 1909

(NY) New York Times, “Their Honeymoon In A Big Balloon”, June 19, 1909 

(OR.) East Oregonian, Balloon Trip The Cause”, January 5, 1911, evening edition, page 5.   

(Ill.) Rock Island Argus, “To Wed In An Aeroplane”, August 23, 1911

(KS.) The Topeka State Journal, “To Wed In The Air”, July 13, 1912

(VT.) The Barre Daily Times, (No Headline) July 22, 1913

(CT.) Norwich Bulletin, “Byrne Brothers In ‘Aerial Honeymoon’”, September 14, 1914

(N.Y.) The New York Herald, “Aerial Bridal Pair Honeymoon By Plane”, April 26, 1922

(CT.) New Britain Herald, “Marriage Epidemic To Open New Aviation Field”, August 24, 1928

(R.I.) The Providence Journal, Wedding Feature Of Air Meet Today”, April 20, 1930

(R.I.) Woonsocket Call, “Couple Married In Plane Flying Over Town Of Milton, VT.” August 26, 1927

(N.H.) Nashua Telegraph, “Aerial Honeymoon For Concord Couple”, August 29, 1936

 

William Riley’s Life Boat Balloons – 1896

William Riley’s Life Boat Balloons – 1896

     In 1896, Connecticut inventor William Willshire Riley, (1815-1897), demonstrated a novel idea for saving the lives of those who found themselves aboard sinking ships – life boats equipped with balloons.  The balloons gave the boats better buoyancy, could act as a sail to push the boat along, and also make the boat easier to see from a distance, thus offering a better chance at rescue.

     Mr. Riley received the patent for his idea on February 3, 1891. 

     In the late summer and early autumn of 1896, Riley demonstrated that his idea worked as he conducted tests on the Connecticut River near Middletown.  Even when the boat was completely filled with water, passengers, and crew, the balloon provided enough lift to keep it afloat. 

     The Riley life boat was reported to be 16 feet long, equipped with cylinders containing compressed gas to inflate the balloon, which was connected to the top of an adjustable hollow mast.  The gas could also be pumped from the balloon and back into the cylinders if necessary.  It was also demonstrated that the gas could be ignited and used as a beacon to attract rescue at night. 

     In the 19th century, many sailing ships were wrecked within sight of shore, and it was up to the U.S. Life Saving Service to rescue the helpless crews.  Rescue operations were often conducted in stormy weather and rough seas.  One method used by the Life Saving Service was to fire a small cannon which launched a rope to the stricken vessel.  Unfortunately this wasn’t always successful if the wind was blowing shoreward.  Mr. Riley showed that his boat could be launched from a sinking vessel and carry a rope to shore with it. 

     It was thought that Mr. Riley’s invention would be in common use within a short time. 

     Mr. Riley passed away on April 8, 1897, and is buried with is wife at Old Center Cemetery in Cromwell, Connecticut.  To see a photograph of his grave and learn more, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial #13743474.         

     Sources:

     Iron County Register, (Mo.) “Balloons To Save Life”, November 5, 1896 – Originally published in the New York Herald.    

     www.findagrave.com

 

Lasting Effects Of A Late Winter Storm -1943

Originally Published in The Smithfield Times, (R.I.) – May, 2016

Lasting Effects Of A Late Winter Storm

By Jim Ignasher

     It was March 30, 1943, the world was at war, and although the calendar declared it to be spring, snow began falling over New England as a weather system blew in from upstate New York.  Although it had been expected, it was underestimated, and left war casualties, sadness, and two unsolved mysteries in its wake.  

     This is a story that won’t be found in history books; a forgotten footnote eclipsed by grander world events that I discovered when a tiny news item about a missing navy airplane caught my eye as I sifted through microfilm at a local library.  Intrigued, I dug further, and learned that the missing plane was only a small part to a much larger story.   

    Even before the snowy weather set in, lowering thick clouds indicated what was coming, and by mid-morning had dropped to 4,000 feet.  But there was a war on, and pilot training necessarily included flight instruction in all types of conditions. As such, events for that day began to unfold at 10:45 a.m. over Bozrah, Connecticut, a town just west of Norwich, where a formation of four British naval aircraft out of Quonset Point were on a routine training flight.  One of those planes was piloted by 19-year-old Midshipman, Raymond Clarke of Nottingham, England, and his instructor, 21-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Donald F. Dillon of New Zealand.  While over Bozrah, their plane developed engine trouble possibly due to carburetor icing.  Flying beneath the low clouds, they were too low to bail out, and subsequently crashed in a wooded area where the resulting explosion killed both men.

U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4)  U.S. Navy Photo

U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4)
U.S. Navy Photo

  While authorities investigated the wreck in Bozrah, the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger steamed towards Boston off the coast of Massachusetts, on its way to the Boston Navy Yard for re-fitting.  Prior to its arrival, the ship‘s complement of thirty aircraft were being sent inland; their ultimate destination Quonset Point, R.I.   

     Ranger’s planes began taking off at 3:25 p.m., but what nobody aboard realized was that the weather system had moved across the area faster than anticipated, and once the aircraft neared shore they found themselves in thick overcast that began 200 feet off the ground and extended upwards to 7,000 feet. As visibility dropped to zero, the weather began affecting radio communications, and inevitably the aircraft became scattered.  

     It’s likely that at first the men weren’t too concerned, for all were experienced combat pilots.  Yet Lt. Lukes M. Boykin knew there was something wrong with his aircraft when he tried to lock the air control lever in the “alternate” position and it wouldn’t stay there.  Placing the control in this position was necessary to prevent ice forming in the carburetor, so he held it in place with his right hand and flew with his left.  Despite his efforts, the engine began running rough, and then lost all power, forcing him to ditch in the icy water off Swampscott, Massachusetts. As the plane began to sink, Boykin and his radioman H.H. Reed, scrambled into an inflatable life raft, and were rescued a short time later by a Coast Guard boat from nearby Winter Island.

   Meanwhile Lt. Theodore A. Grell, was experiencing engine trouble with his airplane while passing over a rural section of northern Fall River, Massachusetts.  As the plane quickly lost altitude he knew a crash was inevitable, and bailed out even though he was now below a safe altitude to do so.  His chute had only half opened when he crashed into the top of an apple tree which miraculously broke his fall.  His plane crashed and exploded about a half-mile away. 

     As he lay there seriously injured in the falling snow, he was probably amazed to be alive.  Before long local residents came to his aid, covering him with blankets until an ambulance took him to Truesdale Hospital.  

     As Lt. Grell was on his way to the hospital, three other Ranger pilots were also in trouble.  Lt. (Jg.) Charles V. August, Lt. Keene G. Hammond, and Lt. (Jg.) Dee Jones, had managed to stay together, but came to the realization that they were lost.  With no visual reference points, they had inadvertently veered off course and were now heading over western Massachusetts towards upstate New York. 

     At about ten miles west of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., they found themselves running low on fuel over the small town of New Paltz, and began circling for a place to land. With no airport in sight, the pilots were forced to try for a rough landing in an open field.  Lt. Hammond came in first and made a “pancake” landing with his wheels up causing minor damage to the plane, but was uninjured.   

    The next to land was Lt. August who managed the same feat.

     Lt. Jones wasn’t as lucky.  Upon landing his plane caught in the snow and nosed over onto its back trapping him inside.  Although he was relatively unhurt, he was in a very precarious position should any fuel ignite 

     The landings were noticed by two civil defense aircraft spotters stationed in an observation tower, who dutifully notified authorities.  As townspeople rushed to the scene, Lt. Hammond called for shovels and efforts to free Lt. Jones were begun.  Once he was extricated, the people opened their hearts and homes to the airmen, offering them a nights lodging, which they graciously declined, for their duty was to remain with their aircraft. 

     The New Paltz Independent, quoted one local resident who described the event as “the biggest thing since the Huguenots landed!”    

U.S. Navy Wildcat like the one Lt. Jg. Cassidy vanished in March 30, 1943. U.S. Navy Photo

U.S. Navy Wildcat like the one Lt. Jg. Cassidy vanished in March 30, 1943.
U.S. Navy Photo

     Yet another Ranger pilot, Lt. Arthur J. Cassidy, of Cranston, Rhode Island, was also in trouble.  He was last seen in his Wildcat fighter over Attleboro, Massachusetts, and by the end of the day he was declared “missing”. 

    As the search for Lt. Cassidy was begun, remnants of foul weather lingered into the following day.  On the afternoon of the 31st, army 1st Lt. Daniel H. Thorson took off from Mitchell Field, Long Island, in a P-40 fighter plane bound for Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.  When he failed to arrive, he too was declared “missing”. 

     Later that same afternoon, a flight of four navy Wildcats belonging to Fighter Squadron 24, left Quonset Point for Floyd Bennett Field on Long Island. (These aircraft were not part of the Ranger compliment.)

     The flight left in two sections, each section containing two planes each. The first section, consisting of Ensign Robert G. Carlson, and Ensign Herr, dropped to an altitude of fifty feet as they crossed Long Island Sound, presumably to get under the low cloud ceiling for better visibility.  Suddenly Ensign Carlson’s aircraft banked sharply and disappeared.  (His body was later recovered on a Long Island beach.)  Ensign Herr continued onward and landed safely at Quonset Point.   

     The second section consisting of Lieutenant Ernest C. Houck, and Ensign Leonard E. Byrer, also met with tragedy.  Ensign Byrer was killed instantly when he crashed near the Bell Port Coast Guard Station on Long Island.  His body was recovered and sent home to Terre Haute, Indiana, for burial.  Lieutenant Houck simply disappeared and was never seen again.        

     On April 2, the Ranger left Boston for Argentina, and once safely out of port she began to recover her planes.  The storm had made for rough seas, which led to further accidents.  Lieutenants George C. Simmons, and Allen H. Thurwachter, damaged their planes with “hard-deck” landings, but both survived.

   As the Ranger resumed the war, the search for Lt. Cassidy was ending its third day. Both he and his Wildcat fighter (# 11740) had seemingly vanished while over land without a trace.

     Naval authorities appealed for help through the media, and many witnesses came forward claiming to have seen a plane in trouble, but whether it was actually Lt. Cassidy’s is open to interpretation. 

     Despite a wide spread air and ground search that eventually extended into northern Rhode Island, no trace of Cassidy or his plane was ever found.   

Curtis P-40 Aircraft U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     Meanwhile in Connecticut, the Army was conducting its own search for Lt. Thorson’s missing P-40, with negative results.  It wasn’t until April 24th that two Yale Forestry School students conducting a timber survey discovered the wreck of Thorson’s plane on Blackberry Ridge in Norfolk, Connecticut.

     Investigators were quick to surmise what happened. The cloud ceiling for March 31st had been 1400 feet, and the crash site was at an elevation of 1571 feet.  Lt. Thorson probably never saw the mountain. 

     As the war effort increased, these localized incidents were quickly forgotten, and the late winter storm became a distant memory.  

     Some of the pilots mentioned in this story were destined for bigger things.  Others wouldn’t survive the war.

     Lt. Lukes Boykin, who splashed down off Swampscott, was later promoted to Commanding Officer of Fighting Squadron 4 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex.

    Lt. Theodore Grell, who went down over Fall River, survived his injuries, but this wasn’t his first brush with death.  He’d previously survived being shot down over North Africa in 1942 during Operation Torch. He survived the war, and retired from the navy as a captain.

   Lt. (Jg.) Charles V. August, who landed in New Paltz, N.Y., had also survived being shot down during Operation Torch. Research indicates that after the war he moved to California.  

     Lt. Keene G. Hammond, another New Paltz pilot, was later promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and became commanding officer of Fighting Squadron 4 before Lt. Boykin took over.  Lt. Cmdr. Hammond was killed when he was shot down January 6, 1945, eight miles south-west of Vigan, Luzon. 

     Lt. (Jg.) Dee Jones, the third New Paltz pilot, was also a combat veteran of Operation Torch. He was killed May 4, 1943, when his plane crashed during gunnery training. 

     Lt. George C. Simmons who crash landed on Ranger April 2nd, later took part in the sinking of a German freighter in October, 1943. He made it safely back to the carrier with his aircraft shot full of holes.

     Lt. Allen H. Thurwachter who also crash-landed on Ranger’s deck April 2nd, died a few months later on October 19, 1943, while participating in search and rescue operations for two missing navy airplanes that left Martha’s Vineyard for a training flight. His radioman/gunner, ARM1c Bradley E. Hunter was also killed. 

     The bodies of Midshipman Raymond Clarke and Sub-Lieutenant  Donald Dillion, both killed in Bozrah, were buried with full military honors in Newport, R.I.

Lt. Daniel H. Thorson U.S. Army Air Corps Photo

Lt. Daniel H. Thorson
U.S. Army Air Corps Photo

    The body of Lt. Daniel Thorson, killed when his P-40 crashed in Norfolk, Ct., was sent home to Great Falls, Montana, for burial.  In 2003, the citizens of Norfolk, remembered the 24-year-old’s sacrifice and erected a memorial at the crash site.        

     The enduring questions left in the aftermath of this storm are what became of Lieutenants’ Houck and Cassidy.  Houck was presumed to have gone down in Long Island Sound, but Cassidy had disappeared while over land.  Why then, was he never found?  One possibility is that he went down in a remote area, perhaps rural western Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, or even upstate New York, and his plane disintegrated on impact.  Another theory is that he went down over water, possibly in a lake, or a reservoir.  Perhaps, someday, the mystery will be solved.    

    Hope of solving that mystery arose in July of 1958, when a New Bedford fishing boat snagged its nets on the wreckage of a World War II navy fighter off Martha’s Vineyard. Divers hired to inspect the boat’s propellers also dove on the wreck and found human remains inside.  A newspaper story about the find stated in part; “The Quonset public information office said it has had one inquiry from a man who said a member of his family was lost during World War II, supposedly on a flight to Quonset from his carrier.”  Follow up research was unable to uncover more information other than the fact the aircraft recovered was a navy Hellcat, and not a Wildcat of the type flown by Lt. Cassidy. 

     What makes the case of Lt. Cassidy even more tragic is the fact that he was married only thirty days before he disappeared, and was looking forward to spending some time with his new bride at their home in Cranston.  She lived the rest of her life never knowing what happened to him.    

     This Memorial Day, please take the time to thank a veteran. 

 

Sources:

U.S. Navy crash report briefs

#43-6398, dated March 30, 1943

#43-6399, dated March 30, 1943

#43-6410, dated March 30, 1943

#43-6411, dated March 30, 1943

#43-6424, dated April 2, 1943

#43-6425, dated April 2, 1943

Attleboro Sun, “Plane Reported Missing In North Attleboro”, April 1, 1943, Pg. 1

Attleboro Sun, “Blimp In Search For Lost Plane”, April 2, 1941.

Attleboro Sun, “No Word Of Missing Plane”, April 3, 1943, Pg. 1

Boston Herald, “Two Planes Crash In State”, March 31, 1943, Pg.1

Boston Herald, “1 Killed, 2 Pilots Missing Near Floyd Bennet Field,

Cranston Herald, “Cranston Flier Reported Missing”, April 8, 1943

Fall River Herald, “Navy Plane Feared Lost”, April 1, 1943

Fall River Herald, “Navy Plane Crashes In Apple Orchard Here”, March 31, 1943

Fall River Herald, “Plane Falls; Pilot Drops In Parachute”, March 31, 1943

Lynn Telegram, “Plane Falls Into Sea Off Swampscott Shore”, March 31, 1943, pg.1

Lynn Telegram News, “Rescue Pair In Navy Plane After Crash”, March 31, 1943, Pg.11

New Paltz Independent, “Three ‘Wildcats’ Lost In Fog Make Emergency Landing On The Paltz Flats Thursday”, April 1, 1943

New York Times, “Navy Flier Dies In Crash”, April 2, 1943, Pg. 13

Newsday, “Recover Body Of Mitchell Field Pilot”, April 16, 1943

Norwich Bulletin, “Two Fliers Lose Lives In Crash Of Plane At Gilman”, March 31, 1943,

Norwich Bulletin, “One Naval Pilot Killed And Two Others Missing”, April 2, 1943, Pg.1

Pawtucket Times, “Navy Plane Sought In North Attleboro”, April 1, 1943

Pawtucket Times, “Plane Crashes Kill 2 Fliers”, March 31, 1943

Pawtucket Times, “3 Navy Craft Forced Down In Scattered Accidents”, March 31, 1943

Pawtucket Times, “Dead Navy Fliers Are Identified”, March 31, 1943, Pg.1

Providence Journal, “Fliers Identified”, April 1, 1943, Pg. 22

Providence Journal, ”Plane Reported Missing By Navy”, April 1, 1943, Pg. 27

Providence Journal, “Two Aviators Missing”, April 2, 1943, Pg. 20

Providence Journal, “Remains Of Unknown Plane, Pilot Found”, July 9, 1958

Providence Journal, “Identification Of Pilot Sought”, July 12, 1958, Pg.2

Woonsocket Call, “Navy Plane Lost In Bay State Area”, April 1, 1943

Milwaukee Sentinel, “1 Dies, 2 Lost On Flights”, October 22, 1943.

Town of Bozrah, Ct., death records.

Website, www.airgroup4.com

“Missing In Action And Prisoners Of War”

“Air Group 4 ‘Casablanca To Tokyo’ The Ranger Air Group Over Casablanca”

“Fighting Squadron Four Introductory History”

“A Tribute To Lt. Cmdr. Keen G. Hammond, Skipper Of VF-4”

“Lt. L. M. Boykin Commanding Officer, Fighting Squadron Four”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comment On The Future Of Air Travel – 1906

Comment On The Future Of Air Travel – 1906

     While aviation accidents and fatalities connected to balloon travel had already occurred at the time this was published, the first airplane fatality was still in the future.  The first person to perish in a powered airplane accident was Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge on September 17, 1908. 

Click on image to enlarge.

The Rising Sun Kansas City, Mo. August 30, 1906

The Rising Sun
Kansas City, Mo.
August 30, 1906

Aero Club Of New England Balloon Fares – 1909

Aero Club Of New England Balloon Fares – 1909

Click on image to enlarge.

From the Corvallis Daily Gazette, May 25, 1909

From the Corvallis Daily Gazette, May 25, 1909

 

Worcester, Mass. Airship Postcard – 1910

Worcester, Massachusetts Airship Postcard – 1910 

Click on image to enlarge. 

Capt Baldwin

 

The So-Called Brunswick Naval Air Station “Jinx” – 1978

     The So-Called Brunswick Naval Air Station “Jinx”

Brunswick, Maine

     Is there such a thing as a “jinx”?  Apparently some assigned to the Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine wondered if it could be so as evidenced by an Associated Press story that ran in many newspapers in the autumn of 1978.     

     “There’s a feeling that the wing has been hexed, jinxed, or is under some supernatural spell,” Rear Admiral Ralph Hedges told the press, “and it’s almost impossible to fight because we don’t know why our planes have crashed.” 

     The admiral was referring to three recent fatal aviation crashes that had resulted in the deaths of 28 men from the Brunswick Naval Air Station.   All three accidents involved Lockheed P-3 Orions, a top-secret, four-engine, anti-submarine patrol aircraft of the day.

December 11, 1977    

U. S. Navy Photo

     The first accident occurred on December 11, 1977, when a P-3 Orion, (Bu. No. 153428) assigned to Patrol Squadron 11, left Brunswick NAS for a ship surveillance mission in the Canary Islands off the coast of northwest Africa.  It was there that the plane crashed and exploded into the side of a mountain while flying in foggy conditions and all thirteen crewmen aboard were killed.  The plane hit with such force that the debris field was scattered for 2,000 feet. 

     Those crewmen were identified as:

     Lt. (Jg.) James Charles Ingles

     Lt. (Jg.) Kirk Broadman Williams, 25.  He’s buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Elmira, New York.  (www.findagrave Memorial #99381886)

     Lt. (Jg.) Michael Jay Rowe, 28.  He’s buried in Fort Smith National Cemetery in Fort Smith, Arkansas. To see a photograph of Lt. Rowe, see www.findagrave.com, memorial #1139678.

     Lt. (Jg.) Francis Xavier McKeone 

     Lt. (Jg.) John Robert Williamson III, 25.  He’s buried in Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida. (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #1331145.)

     AO2 Marvin Lee Brown, 26. He’s buried in Key West Cemetery in Key West, Florida. (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #18191246)     

     Chief Petty Officer Wayne David Westland

     Petty Officer 1c Michael Barry James, 22. There is some confusion as to his place of burial.  To see a photograph of PO1 James in uniform, see www.findagrave.com,  Memorial # 44756157, and 44226295. 

     Petty Officer 2c Wayne Thomas Kiess, 25.  He’s buried in Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona.  (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #38587290)

     Petty Officer 3c Bobbie Dale Payne

     Petty Officer 1c Fred Woodall. Jr., 32. He’s buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Rockwood, Tenn. (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #35013611)

     Petty Officer 2c Gerald Lee Nesbitt

     Petty Officer 2c Claude Marshal Cantrell, Jr., 31. He’s buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Cartersville, Georgia.  (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #8968837)

April 26, 1978

     The second accident occurred about four months later on April 26, 1978, when another P-3 Orion, (Bu. No. 152724), of Patrol Squadron 23 out of Brunswick NAS crashed in the Atlantic Ocean about 20 miles northeast of the Azores.  All seven men aboard were lost. 

     The bodies of four of the missing crewmen were later recovered.

     The dead were identified as:

     Lt. David G. Schwerstein

     Lt. Michael Edward Hayes.  There is a memorial marker for him in Arlington National Cemetery. ( www.findagrave.com, Memorial #22254464)

    Lt. (jg.) Michael John Dziubak, 25.  There is a memorial marker for him in Kingston Memorial Cemetery in Lawnville, Tenn.  (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #82371278)

     AD1 Robert W. Hasselbacher

     AD1 Randolph Edward Affield, 26.  There is a memorial marker for him in Nebish Township Cemetery in Nebish, Minnesota. (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #105229276)

     AO3 Robert Joseph Elmore, 29, of Rock Island, Ill. There is a memorial marker for him in Rock Island National Cemetery.  (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #61518069)

     AT3 Weslie Donald Putnam, of San Jose, California.      

     September 22, 1978

     The next accident took place on September 22, 1978, when a third P-3 Orion, (Bu. No. 152757), from Brunswick NAS, suddenly exploded in mid-air over the town of Poland, Maine, killing all eight men aboard.  The debris fell from the sky over a wide area, in some cases narrowly missing some homes. 

     The Orion had taken off from Brunswick NAS just minutes before bound for Trenton, Ontario, Canada, to take part in an air show as a display aircraft. The aircraft was assigned to Patrol Squadron 8.   

     One witness to the accident told a reporter, “When the plane blew up, there was a big mess of debris and pieces flying all different directions.  It was just an incredible big boom and a huge ball of fire, and then there was fire flying around everywhere.”  

     Another witness who was piloting a private plane about fifteen miles away told reporters, “All of a sudden I saw a big flash in the sky.”

     The Navy later reported that over 75 witnesses were eventually interviewed. 

     Initial reports were that the Orion had been involved in a mid-air collision with another aircraft, and some reported seeing parachutes in the air shortly after the explosion, but these reports turned out to be in error.  

     The cause was later determined to be “whirl mode” of the #1 engine.  “Whirl mode” is a low frequency vibration in the engine mounts that can cause the engine to separate from the air frame.  In this case, the #1 engine separated taking 11 feet of wing with it, which sheared off a portion of the rear stabilizer.   

     The crew were identified as:

     Lt. Cmdr. Francis William Dupont, Jr., 36, a veteran of the Vietnam War.  He’s buried in St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Rome, New York. (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #16581045)

     Lt. (Jg.) Donald Edward Merz, 27.  He’s buriend in St. Teresa Cemetery in Summit, New Jersey.  (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #92979679) 

     Lt. (Jg.) George D. Nuttelman

     Lt. (Jg.) Ernest A. Smith

     AW2 James Allen Piepkorn, 21.  He’s buried in McCall Cemetery in McCall, Idaho. (www.findagrave.com, Memorial #58839202.)

     AWAN Paul G. Schulz, of Santa Rosa, California.

     AD3 Robert Lewis Phillips, Jr., 25.  He’s buried in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, in Rochester, Penn. (www.findagrave.com, memorial #126103090)

     ADC Larry Miller

     It was these three incidents within the span of nine months that fueled the rumors of a jinx. Fortunately there were no further accidents involving p-3 Orion aircraft from Brunswick NAS until many years later.   

March 15, 1973

     Before these three latest accidents, the only other fatal accident involving a P-3 Orion from Brunswick NAS occurred five years earlier on March 15, 1973.

     On that date, a P-3 Orion, (Bu. No. 152749), left Brunswick for a routine training flight and crashed in the Atlantic Ocean about 40 miles off the Maine coast, killing all five crewmen aboard.

     They were identified as:

     Lt. Cmdr. John E. Boyer, 36, of Lewiston Penn.

     Lt. Grover R. Caloway, 27, of McGehee, Ark.

     Chief Machinist Mate Jeremiah K. Sullivan, Jr., 32, of York, Penn.

     AW2 Reginald Lee Walker, 25, of Bristol, Indiana.

     AD1 Wayne C. Clendenning, 34, of Vanceboro, Maine.

     In early April of 1978, two of the missing crewmen were recovered by the Navy salvage ship USS Edenton.  They were not identified in the press.

     To see more on this accident, click here

     Sources:

     www.vpnavy.com

     Aviation Safety Network

     Bangor Daily News, “Two Bodies Recovered From Navy Plane Crash”, April 16, 1973

     Florence Times Tri-Cities Daily, “Workers Comb Debris Of U.S. Navy Plane”, December 12, 1977

     Ellensburg Daily Record, Navy Plane Crash Kills All”, December 12, 1977  

     Bangor Daily News, “Missing Plane Debris Found”, April 28, 1978

     Spokane Daily Chronicle, “U.S. Navy Plane Down With 7”, April 27, 1978

     The Eugene Register-Guard, “7 Crewmen Lost In Navy Plane Crash”, April 27, 1978

     Portland Press Herald, “Fiery Crash Of Navy P-3 Takes 8 Lives”, unknown date.

     Portland Press Herald, “Witnesses Saw Huge Fireball In Sky”, unknown date

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Navy Plane Crashes; 4 Bodies Found, 4 In crew Are Missing”, September 23, 1978, page A-3 

     (Lexington, N.C.) The Dispatch, “No Second Plane In Fatal Crash”, September 23, 1978

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Second Plane Sought After Crash In Maine”, September 24, 1978, page B-14

     Westerly Sun, (RI), “Eight Die In Crash Of Navy Plane”, September 24, 1978

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Mid-Air Crash Evidence Sought”, September 25, 1978

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “Navy Begins Search For Cause Of Crash”, September 28, 1978

     Lawrence Journal-World, “Navy Fliers Sense Jinx”, September 29, 1978, Pg. 13

     (Utah) The Deseret News, “Navy Fliers Fear Maine Base Jinx”, September 29, 1978

     Westerly Sun, (RI), “Puzzling Crashes Have Navy Pilots Wondering”, September 29, 1978, page 21

     (Penn.) The Gettysburg Times, “The Jinx In Brunswick, Maine”, October 5, 1978, Pg. 24.

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

 

 

 

Charlestown NAS Auto Registration Decal

Charlestown Aux. Naval Air Station

Automobile Registration Decal

    

Charlestown R.I. Air Station Automobile Registration Decal

Charlestown R.I. Air Station
Automobile Registration Decal

     This decal/parking permit would have been placed on the windshield of civilian automobiles belonging to servicemen or workers at the Charlestown Aux. Naval Air Station in Charlestown, Rhode Island.  The time frame in which it would have been issued is unknown.   

     Decal image courtesy of the Mr. Larry Webster of the Quonset Air Museum. 

 

The Mystery of Gerhard Finkenbeiner – 1999

The Mystery of Gerhard Finkenbeiner

 

     On the afternoon of May 6, 1999, Gerhard Finkenbeiner, 69, took off in a single-engine Piper Arrow, (Reg. N8235Z), from Wiggins Airport in Norwood, Massachusetts, and neither he or his airplane have been seen since.  

     His intended destination was unknown for he didn’t file a flight plan. 

     The weather was relatively clear with 7 to 10 miles good visibility.

     Once he was reported “missing”, authorities began an intensive search. 

     The Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol obtained radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration.  This data was included in the National Transportation Safety Board, (NTSB), report narrative, which reads in part: “Air traffic control radar began tracking a target squawking 1200 in the Norwood area, about the same time the missing airplane was suspected of departing.  The target tracked southbound to a point 5 miles south of Taunton Airport, then turned eastward at 1506:02.  At that time, the altitude of the target was 1,100 feet.  At 1506:14, at 41 degrees, 49 minutes, 83 seconds, north latitude, and 70 degrees, 49 minutes, 22 seconds west longitude, radar contact was lost.  At 1518:14, a target was observed at 41 degrees, 50 minutes, 32 seconds, north latitude, 70 degrees, 46 minutes, west longitude, at an altitude of 500 feet.  There were no further contacts.”

     Assuming that the radar contact was Mr. Finkenbeiner’s aircraft, the search was initially centered in the area of Carver, Massachusetts.  However, it was also speculated that Mr. Finkenbeiner may have attempted to fly to Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where he owned another home.   Another area of interest to searchers centered around the Danielson, Connecticut, area where witnesses reported seeing a plane circling that may have been in trouble.   Despite repeated searches, nothing was found.  

     Mr. Finkenbeiner was a well known manufacturer of glass armonica’s; an instrument introduced in the 1700s by Ben Franklin.  The business is still in operation today. See www.finkenbeiner.com  

     What happened to Mr. Finkenbeiner and his aircraft is open to speculation, and to this day there are those still hoping to bring the matter to a close. 

    One website dedicated to solving the mystery can be found at The Search For Gerhard Finkenbeiner – Rick’s Home Page, iroc305.tripod.com/id53.htm 

 

     Sources:

     National Transportation Safety Board report, #NYC99FAMS3

     Boston Globe, “Glass Armonica Maker vanishes”, May 9, 1999, Pg. B01

     Lewiston Sun Journal, “Authorities Perplexed By Missing Pilot”, May 10, 1999

     Providence Sunday Journal, “Conn. Police To resume Search For Missing Plane”, November 14, 1999

     Providence Journal, “Missing Plane Remains A Mystery”, November 22, 1999

    

   

 

 

    

    

    

 

Manchester-Boston, Fire Rescue Patch

Manchester – Boston Regional Airport

Fire-Rescue Patch

Manchester Boston Regional Airport Patch

Narragansett Park, R.I. – Circa 1910

Narragansett Park, Rhode Island, – Circa 1910

Click on image to enlarge.  

Post Card View Of The Former Narragansett Park in R.I. - Circa 1910

Post Card View Of The Former Narragansett Park in R.I. – Circa 1910

Lancaster, N. H., Fair Advertisement – 1915

 

Lancaster, New Hampshire, Fair Advertisement – 1915 

Featuring Capt. Redding and his aeroplane.

Click on image to enlarge.

Lancaster Vt. Sept. 1915

Letter Lost In Plane Crash Delivered – June, 1937

The following article appeared in the Falmouth Enterprise, June 24, 1937 

Falmouth, Massachusetts

 

Lost Letter In Airplane Disaster Is Returned To Falmouth Sender

    “Damaged due to air mail interruption near Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 15, 1936”, was stamped in purple ink on a dingy, tattered envelope received in Falmouth this week.  the tattered letter, the envelope worn at the edges, the mucilage which once held its edges together entirely gone, stamps and every line of the address obliterated, looks as though it had been soaked in water or buried in snow.  Which it has been. The letter was mailed last December 14, at Los Angles, California, by Miss Jeannette Labbe, who spent the winter there with Mr. and Mrs. William E. Eldredge.  Miss Labbe on her arrival wrote her sister in New Bedford, putting her new address at the top of the letter.  The letter never reached its destination.  It left Los Angles on a mail and passenger plane which never arrived at Salt Lake City, where it was due next day.

     Nothing was heard of the wrecked ship, with its two pilots, stewardess, and four passengers until June 6, when mountain climbers discovered the wreckage in a steep canyon of the Wasatch mountains.  Letters scattered apparently when the plane crashed, were picked up on the mountainside.  The rest of the mail presumably , was found in mailsacks when the wreckage was examined.  It had lain buried under mountain snow for six months.  Government thoroughness saw to delivery or return of such mail as was identifiable.  Miss Labbe’s letter, the contents only slightly damaged, had only the Los Angeles street address for identification.  It was mailed to that street number in a government franked envelope, stamped with the “damage due” stamp, and enclosed with a typed slip, “The enclosure bearing your address or return, was damaged due to the interruption of air mail service December 15, 1936, near Salt Lake City, Utah.”  It was signed by the Salt Lake City postmaster.  From Los Angeles the letter was remailed to Falmouth by Mr. and Mrs. Eldredge’s daughter, Mrs. David Quinn 3rd.  Miss Labbe’s sister has still to receive the news written her last winter of her sister’s arrival in the west.            

     ——————————————————————————————————–

     The crash in question occurred December 17, 1936.  On that date, a Western Air Express Boeing 247D (NC13370) went into a mountain in bad weather  as it approached Salt Lake City.  

     Source: Lost Flights-Historical Aviation Studies & Research  www.lostflights.com

Balloon Ascension, Providence, R. I. – 1859

Balloon Ascension, Providence, Rhode Island – October 27, 1859

     The following article appeared in the Woonsocket Patriot, October 28, 1859.

It appears to have been taken from the Providence Journal

    balloonBalloon Ascension – Mr. James Allen, of the firm of King & Allen, aeronauts, made a successful balloon ascension from Exchange Place at 3:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon.  The balloon took a southeasterly direction, and landed at 4 o’clock about eight miles from this city, on the farm of William Wheaton, in the center of Rehoboth.  Mr. Allen was assisted in securing his balloon by Master Henry Frost, who swam Palmer’s River and was first at the spot.  Mr. Horton, and by Mr. Nelson Goff, who took him to his residence, where he was hospitably entertained and sent to this city.  Mr. Allen states that he distinctly saw Pawtucket and Woonsocket on the north, Boston on the east, and Fall River, Warren, and Bristol on the south. – Providence Journal ”    

     This is one of the earliest recorded balloon flights in Rhode Island.  The Allen family was famous for their balloon flights.

Roy Knabenshue’s Airship – 1907

Roy Knabenshue’s Airship – 1907

A 1907 postcard view of Roy Knabenshue's airship

A 1907 postcard view of Roy Knabenshue’s airship

      Roy Knabenshue (1875-1960) was an early aviator known for his airship flights.   Among his many accomplishments, he was the first to successfully fly an airship in New England. The following article appeared in the Falmouth Enterprise on September 14, 1907

     “The first successful flights of any airship in New England were made by Roy Knabenshue at Brockton fair last year.  During the four days of the fair Knabenshue made nine successful flights, making a record never before equaled.  This year Knabenshue will be an attraction at the Brockton fair Oct. 1, 2, 3, 4 and promises some aerial feats never before shown in this country.  This year the Brockton fair offers its patrons $40,000 in purses and attractions; every department larger and better than ever and many new attractions never before seen on any fair grounds.  The Martland band, Salem cadet band, and Milo Burke band, three of the best bands in New England, will furnish inspiring harmony; Babcock will loop the loop and leap the gap, a thrill to make thrillers thrill; a stage show of 15 top-line acts are a few tips of the coming biggest, busiest and best of out-door shows.” 

     A New York Times article dated August 7, 1906,  told of a balloon flight over New England made by Roy Knabenshue and Dr. Julian P. Thomas.  It was described as “one of the most successful balloon trips yet undertaken in this country.”  The purpose of the voyage was to test a new guide rope and “water anchor”

     The trip began at night in New York City, under the light of a bright moon which made for great visibility.  After a few miles they encountered fog conditions, and hailed a startled boat crew to ask their location.   They stopped over for breakfast in Noank, Connecticut, before proceeding along the Connecticut coastline, eventually reaching Massachusetts.  They came down at a location known as Brant Rock in the town of Marshfield.    As the balloon alighted, winds dragged it towards the water until its movement was halted by the anchor.  The two men then climbed out and secured it to a fence.  The only injury was a minor cut to Mr. Kanbenshue’s head.   

     There is more information about Mr. Knabenshue to be found at other internet sites.  

Update: November 25, 2017

     In early October of 1907, Roy Knabenshue was performing at the Danbury Fair in Danbury, Connecticut, when the motor to his airship suddenly failed while he was in the air.  With no way to control the ship, he was forced to descent, and came down in a tree.  Knabenshue was not hurt.

     Source: The Daily Morning Journal And Currier, (New Haven, Ct.), October 12, 1907   

Lincoln Beachey’s Airship – August, 1907

Lincoln Beachey’s Airship – August, 1907

     The following news snippet appeared in the Falmouth Enterprise in an article about happenings in New Bedford, Massachusetts, during Carnival Week in August, 1907. 

     “Many are the attractions which are offered visitors to this city during the Carnival week, but chief among them will be Lincoln Beachey’s airship which will make flights every day.  Beachey is one of the only demonstrators to have a ship that will really fly, and he will travel in it the full length of the city each time he ascends, making only one short stop in the center to show his ability to steer the unwieldly craft of the air.  During the summer he has ben a big attraction at summer resorts along the entire coast, and in every ascent he has been successful.”

     Lincoln Beachey, born March 3, 1887, was an early aviator and stunt flyer billed as “The Man Who Owns The Sky”.  Much about his life can be found on the internet. He died in a plane crash in San Francisco Bay on March 14, 1915.

     Sources:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “New Bedford Old Home And Textile Carnival”, August 24, 1907  

     Wikipedia – Lincoln Beachey

     Update: September 19, 2016

     The following article about Mr. Beechy’s airship appeared in the Cameron County Press, (Penn.) June 13, 1907, Page 3.  It pre-dates the article above.

Was Blown Out To Sea

A Man In An Airship narrowly Escaped Death In The Ocean

     “Boston, Mass. – The breaking down of his motor which allowed the airship he was navigating to be blown seaward, almost resulted in the death of Lincoln Beechey, off Revere beach, Thursday.

     Beechey had made a seven mile journey from Revere Beach to Boston, sailing high over the city and passing over the steeple of the Park Street church and the state house dome, finally landed on Boston Common, where thousands of persons were attracted by his airship.

     On the return journey to Revere Beach the motor became disabled when the aeronaut was a mile off shore, over Boston Harbor, and the airship was carried some distance seaward.  Beechey finally managed to partially repair his engine so as to get back to the vicinity of Revere Beach.  When several hundred feet off shore the airship settled rapidly and it looked as if Beechey would be thrown into the water and entangled beneath his airship.  Men in rowboats and launches who hastened to his assistance seized the drag rope and were able to tow him and his apparatus ashore before he struck the water.”       

     Source:

     Cameron County Press, “Was Blown Out To Sea”, June 13, 1907, Page 3

 

WWII Helldiver Found – November 7, 1978

WWII Helldiver Found – November 7, 1978

    

SB2C Helldiver U.S. Navy Photo

SB2C Helldiver
U.S. Navy Photo

     On November 7, 1978, Michael Roy, 19, a scuba diver from Plymouth, Massachusetts, was sent to free a fishing net snagged on an underwater obstruction in 30 feet of water about a half-mile off the coast of Plymouth.  There he discovered that the net was caught on the propeller of an old airplane. 

     Coast Guard officials identified the wreck as being a WWII, U.S. Navy, Curtis SB2C Helldiver.  

     Roy noted that the switches inside the cockpit were in the “on” position, which may indicate that what ever happened with the plane was sudden.  There were no human remains seen in the cockpit. 

     Nothing is known about this wreck.  It was speculated that the plane might have gone down on a training flight or while on convoy/anti-submarine patrol. 

     Source: Lewiston Daily Sun, “Diver Finds WWII Navy Plane”, November 11, 1978      

Williston, VT – March 4, 1965

Williston, Vermont – March 4, 1965

    

F-89 Scorpion U. S. Air Force Photo

F-89 Scorpion
U. S. Air Force Photo

     On March 4, 1965, a Vermont National Guard F-89J Scorpion jet was approaching Burlington Airport when an onboard fire broke out.  The aircraft went down about three miles form the airport in the town of Williston, in an area known as Taft Corners, barely missing some trailer homes.

    

 

    

      Nether the pilot or the radar observer survived.  They were identified as: 

     (Pilot) Colonel Robert P. Goyette, 45, of Burlington, Vermont.

     (Radar Observer) Lieutenant Jeffrey B. Pollack, 28, of Burlington, Vermont.

     Today there is a memorial on Rt 2 in the town of Williston honoring these two men, located at GPS coordinates 18T E 65336  N 4922338. (This is not the site of the crash.)

     Sources:

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “Two Vermont Air Guard Officers Die In Jet Crash”, March 5, 1965

     Schenectady Gazette, “2 In Vermont Air Guard Die In Jet Trainer Crash”, March 5, 1965  

       

    

National Air Mail Week Postal Covers -1938

National Air Mail Week Postal Covers – 1938

     Many post offices across the nation offered special postal covers and cancellation stamps during National Air Mail Week of May 15th through the 21st, 1938.  These are but a few examples from New England.  

 

Click on images to enlarge.

Georgiaville Post Office Cancellation

 

Suffield Connecticut

Mansfield, Connecticut

Providence, Rhode Island

Aroostook County, Maine

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Pittsfield Airport – June 6, 1931

Augusta, Maine

 

Northeast Airlines Images

Northeast Airlines Images

     Northeast Airlines was established on July 20, 1931 as Boston-Maine Airways.  The name Northeast Airlines wasn’t adopted until November of 1940.  The company merged with Delta Airlines in August of 1972.    

     Source: Wikipedia-Northeast Airlines

Northeast Airlines 1

Vintage Post Card View Of Northeast Airlines Convair N91237

Vintage Post Card View Of

Northeast Airlines Convair N91237

Northeast Airlines first flight postal cover 1946

Northeast Airlines first flight postal cover 1946

Postcard view of a Northeast Airlines plane at Martha's Vineyard.

Postcard view of a Northeast Airlines plane at Martha’s Vineyard.

Postcard view showing a Northeast Airlines plane.

Postcard view showing a Northeast Airlines plane.

November, 1956

March, 1957

WW II Mystery Airmen

WW II Mystery Airmen

     From time to time during World War II military aircraft were lost at sea.  Sometimes the loss was witnessed by fellow airmen, and other times a single aircraft went out on a mission and was never heard from again.  Such incidents happened all up and down the eastern seaboard of the United States.

     On occasion, the bodies of airmen lost on these missions would be found and recovered.  Unfortunately in some cases all identification such as wallet, dog tags, etc. would be missing, and the body in such an advanced state of decomposition that identification was impossible.  In a time when DNA testing did not exist, these servicemen were classified as “unknown” and buried pending any new information.   

     With a war on, and the rapid transfer of personnel, as well as many different commands and air stations that had planes and crew unaccounted for, attempting to match bodies with missing aircraft in a time without computers was virtually impossible.  

     The following information pertains to “unknowns” found in New England waters during World War II.  Perhaps there will be someone who will one day be able to figure out who these men were.   Keep in mind that ocean currents could have carried the bodies a considerable distance.    

     Case #1 involves the body of a U.S. Navy enlisted man recovered from Narragansett Bay, R. I. He’s described as a white male who “presumably drowned”.  The date he was recovered is not stated, but his remains were buried in Island Cemetery in Newport, R. I., August 14, 1943

Case #1 Click To Enlarge

Case #1
Click To Enlarge

 

     Case #2 involves a body recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on October 8, 1944, off Nantucket, Massachusetts, near a bell buoy.  The navy could not establish his identity, nor even his race.  The body was held until January 5th before it was buried in Elm Grove Cemetery, North Kingstown, R.I.   Cause of death was listed as “asphyxia by drowning” due to a “probable accident”.  The death certificate was field with the Rhode Island Department of Health January 5, 1945. 

Case #2 Click To Enlarge

Case #2
Click To Enlarge

Reverse Side - Case #2 Click To Enlarge

Reverse Side – Case #2
Click To Enlarge

 

 

 

  

Vermont Civil Air Patrol Insignia

Vermont Civil Air Patrol Partch

Vermont Civil Air Patrol Partch

Earl L. Ovington – Early New England Aviator

Earl L. Ovington – Early New England Aviator

   early monoplane illustration

     There’s evidence to suggest that Gustave Whitehead was the first to fly an airplane in Connecticut – in 1901 – which pre-dates the Wright Brothers flight at Kittyhawk, North Carolina, in 1903.  However, could it be that Whitehead’s accomplishment was relatively unknown in 1911?  If so, it might explain the following headline in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer on May 6, 1911; “Ovington, First To Make Successful Flight In Connecticut, Has Narrow Esacpe As Plane Drops Into Air Hole”.  

      Earl L. Ovington, (1879-1936) (Also spelled “Earle” in some sources.) was a pioneer aviator from Newton, Massachusetts, who’d worked as an assistant to Thomas Edison prior to starting his aviation career.      

Advertisement from the
Bridgeport Evening Farmer
May 4, 1911

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer article referred to a harrowing flight Ovington made on May 5, 1911 at Steeplechase Park (On Steeplechase Island) in Bridgeport, Connecticut. 

     The article began, “At Steeplechase Island yesterday afternoon Earl L. Ovington wrote his name deep into aviation history by making the first really successful aeroplane flight in the state of Connecticut.”

     The article went on to describe how Ovington’s Bleriot aeroplane dipped in “a dreaded air pocket” while at 2,000 feet over a crowd of spectators, and narrowly missed slamming into the ground.   As a point of fact, he’d had three brushes with death on the same flight.

     The first involved his take-off where he narrowly missed crashing into a building.  The second was when the plane hit the so-called “air pocket” and experienced a sudden dip.  During the dip, Ovinton remained in his seat due to his “life belt” holding him securely in place, thus saving him from being pitched to the ground.

     “These lifebelts are great things.” he joked later, “I don’t see why they are not included in the fashion plates of all aviators.”    

     As the plane’s right wing suddenly dipped when it entered the “air pocket”, the aircraft began falling from the sky, and it seemed virtually certain that Ovington was going to crash, but he recovered control of the plane just in time.  

        In an exclusive interview with a reporter from the The Bridgeport Farmer, Ovington described what happened that day.  

     “I certainly thought for a moment at the start yesterday that there was going to be a big dent in that ball room, with a wrecked machine and probably a wrecked aviator beneath it.

     That Steeplechase track is certainly the smallest and worst field I ever arose from or attempted to alight into.  I had great difficulty in getting a proper start over that sub-soil of sand.  The small wheels loaded down with the heavy motor, sank into it and retarded badly.

     When I got into the air I pushed down the tail of the machine and started to rise.  My Machine didn’t respond the way it should, and I saw that I wasn’t going fast enough.

     I had a fraction of a second in which to make up my mind: to come down and start over again, or make an attempt to get over the buildings upon which I was sweeping.

     I find that my mind works automatically in such cases quicker than I can think.  I realized instantaneously that to come down would mean that I would plough right into the fence and the spectators at (the) speed I was traveling.

     So Instead, I straightened out the tail and shot straight ahead, plumb for the buildings.  It must have looked as thought I was going to crash right into them with terrific force.  I took that course on purpose, in order to get sufficient speed .  Then I lowered the tail hard, and the monoplane lifted up nicely and just cleared the flag pole of the ball room.

     Over every building of that kind there is a heavy stream of air when there is a wind blowing.  As soon as I had cleared the ball room, my wings struck the stream of air and I went directly up then at a sharp angle.  But I owe my life and the safety of my machine to the splendid way in which my engine worked in lifting me over that building.  If it had failed, there would have been a great wreck. 

     Once in the air, my machine asserted its right to be what it is – the fastest climbing machine in the world.  I went up at an angle of 30 degrees.  There isn’t another machine in America that can do it.

     When I was making my second turn over the Sound (Long Island Sound) at a height of about 2,000 feet, I experienced what I consider to be the narrowest shave of my career as an aviator.

     Without warning, my right wing dropped into an “air pocket” or calm space, and immediately sank down, tilting the machine at a sharp angle.  There is only one way to save yourself in a case like that.  I lowered the machine quickly, and the downward plunge gave me sharp acceleration.  At the same instant I jammed over as hard as I could and the machine just righted itself.”

     When he was safely back on terra firma, Ovington kissed his new bride of two weeks, who had watched the entire event unfold.

     Ovington flew again at Steeplechase Park on May 7th, and once again he nearly died when his airplane hit another “air pocket” and almost crashed in the same manner as before.   

     On June 15, 1911, slightly more than a month after his flights at Steeplechase Park, Ovington’s fame grew when became the first man to pilot an airplane over the city of Boston. 

     On July 28, 1911, Ovington crash-landed a borrowed airplane in Mineola, New York.  On July 29th the Bridgeport Evening Farmer reported that the aviator “had the most remarkable escape of his life” when he took off in anew monoplane belonging to William Evans.  Not long after becoming airborne the engine quit, and the plane crash-landed and flipped over near a roadway construction project not far from the airfield.  Ovington was pinned beneath the wreckage for ten minutes before rescuers could extricate him.  Despite the damage to the aircraft, he escaped with minor injuries.  

     In August of 1911, Ovington  entered the International Aviation Meet held in Chicago, and won the 12 mile race for monoplanes with a time of 13 minutes and 30.92 seconds,  winning $400.  

     In September of 1911 he entered the Harvard-Boston Aero meet where he raced other well known airmen, Tom Sopwith, and Claude Graham-White, 15 an 1/2 miles to Boston Light and back. Ovington placed third with a time of 16 minutes 15.25 seconds. 

     One Sunday in October of 1911 Ovington was nearly arrested on Long Island, New York, when three deputy sheriffs appeared at the Nassau Boulevard field and told him and another aviator, Miss Mathilda Moisant, they couldn’t fly their airplanes due to it being the Sabbath.  This was due to a New York court ruling which determined that Sunday airshows where admission was charged were illegal.  

     This left both pilots in a predicament as they would be forced to leave their airplanes overnight, and make arrangements for guarding them.  Both aviators flew anyway, with the deputies in hot pursuit via automobile.

     As both took to the sky the deputies were forced to make a choice as to which one to chase.  For unspecified reasons they stuck with Miss Moisant who flew from the field to her hangar in Mineola, which was located on her brother Alfred’s property.  Once on the ground she ran towards her car where her chauffer was standing by, and secured herself inside. The three deputy sheriffs arrived in short order and attacked the chauffer with billy-clubs when he tried to prevent them from extricating Miss Moisant. 

     Miss Moisant was taken into custody, but was later released with all charges dropped because the deputies didn’t have a warrant.   

     Meanwhile, Ovington fared better, and landed near Belmont Park when he encountered a squall that nearly wrecked his aircraft.  By then the deputies had no idea where he’d gone and he escaped arrest.   

     Another interesting story about Earl Ovington occurred in the summer of 1919 when he flew two New York men,  J. O. Colt, and L. W. Hutchins, six miles out to sea in a seaplane so they could fish for sea bass.  It was reported that they returned with a string of fish. 

     In November of 1919, Ovington took part in an airborne search-and-rescue operation off the coast of New Jersey.  On November 7th, two 16-year-old youths, John Ledbetter, and Raymond Iszard, went duck hunting in a small boat and were carried out to sea.  When the boys didn’t come home a search was instituted.  In addition to water craft, two seaplanes from the Cape May Naval Air Station, and Earl Ovington’s personal aircraft, took part in the search.    

     The boat with the youths still inside was found by one of the navy planes about three miles off Cape May.  Unfortunately both had succumbed to exposure.

     More information about Earl Ovington can be found at www.earlyaviators.com

     Sources:

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “Ovington, First To Make Successful Flight In Connecticut, Has Narrow Escape As Plane Drops Into Air Hole”, May 6, 1911 

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “Ovington In Flight Over Steeplechase” , May 6, 1911, page 7

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, “Earl Ovington’s Narrow Escape”, July 29, 1911, page 7.

     Burlington Weekly Free Press, “Aviators Speed Mile-A-Minute”, September 7, 1911, Page 9

     The Daily Missoulian, Photo and caption, August 14, 1911, Page 3 

     (Rock island Ill.) Rock Island Argus, “Third Day Results In Aviation Meet”, August 15, 1911, page 3

     Arizona Republican, “Miss Moisant Is called Aviatrix”, October 9, 1911, pg. 1

     (Ocala, Florida) The Ocala Evening Star, “Struck A Woman To Save The Sabbath”, October 10, 1911 

     The Washington Times, “Fish From Plane Six Miles At Sea”, July 12, 1919, final edition

     New York Tribune, “Bodies Of Two Boys Found Drifting In Boat”, November 11, 1919, Page 3

 

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) Launching

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)

    

USS Bunker Hill just four days after her launching at Quincy, Massachusetts. December 11, 1942 National Archives Photo

USS Bunker Hill just four days after her
launching at Quincy, Massachusetts.
December 11, 1942
National Archives Photo

     The USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) was one of 24 Essex Class aircraft carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II.  She was named for the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was fought in Boston, June 17, 1775.   Her launching took place December 7, 1942, one year to the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and her commissioning occurred just over five months later on May 24, 1943.  She saw a lot of action in the Pacific Campaign and survived the war.   

     The Bunker Hill was sold for scrap in 1973.       

South Weymouth, MA. – Naval Air Station

South Weymouth Naval Air Station

     NAS South Weymouth, in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, served as an operational air field from 1942 to 1997.  

Also see Shea Naval Aviation Museum   http://www.anapatriotsquadron.org/

K Class Navy Airship South Weymouth Naval Air Station October 2, 1942 National Archives Photo

K Class Navy Airship
South Weymouth Naval Air Station
October 2, 1942
National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy Blimp South Weymouth Naval Air Station February 11, 1944 National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy Blimp
South Weymouth Naval Air Station
February 11, 1944
National Archives Photo

First Passenger Flights In Vermont – 1911

First Passenger Flights In Vermont

Advertisement for the Orleans County Fair - 1911

Advertisement for the Orleans County Fair – 1911

     On August 22, 23, & 24, the 22nd Annual Orleans County Fair was held at Roaring Brook Park, in Barton, Vermont.  It was reported that aviator James V. Martin (1885-1956) would be there with his “passenger aeroplane” to take customers aloft, “thus constituting the first passenger flights in the state”.    

It was further reported that Martin’s wife, one of the few women aviators at the time, who be with him at the fair.

     Source:

     St. Johnsbury Caledonian, “First Passenger Flights In Vermont”, August 16, 1911 – supplement. 

A Mystery Man Lands In Middletown, R. I. – 1959

A MYSTERY MAN LANDS IN MIDDLETOWN 

Middletown, Rhode Island – June 13, 1959 

     On the evening of June 13, 1959, Albert Presso went to answer the insistent knocking on the door to his Willow Avenue home in Middletown, Rhode Island.  He opened the door to find a well dressed man in his twenties who identified himself as Greg Saunders, and then began to relate an incredible story.

     Saunders appeared shaken, but managed to tell bits and pieces of what he had to say – a plane – a fire – bailing out – a crash.   Presso knew immediately that he needed to alert authorities. Middletown police arrived in short order and took Saunders to Newport Hospital for examination.  There he recovered his composure enough to give a detailed account of what had happened.

     Saunders said he was a travel agent from Los Angeles, California, on a combined business and pleasure vacation.  He had left California for Mexico City a few days ago flying his own twin-engine, blue and white Piper Apache.  From there, he traveled to Nassau and on to Miami, Florida.  After leaving Florida he landed at Flushing Airport in Queens, New York. 

     At 4:30 p.m. on the 13th, he took off from Flushing bound for Maine, and attained a cruising altitude of 6,500 feet which put him above a rainstorm moving up the coast.  Somewhere near Rhode Island, he noticed flames licking out of the port engine and tried to extinguish the fire, but couldn’t.  He then tried to use his radio to call for help, but found it inoperable due to the fire. 

     At this point he felt he had two options, to drop down through the storm and risk a crash landing, or set the autopilot, bail out, and take his chances.  He opted for the later and took the plane up to 8,000 feet where he put it on a heading that would take it out over the Atlantic Ocean and away from populated areas.  He figured that the craft had enough gas to carry it another 300 miles provided it didn’t explode first.

     Saunders explained that normally he wouldn’t have had a parachute aboard, but because his flight plans had carried him over water he thought it prudent to carry one, along with an inflatable rubber raft. 

     Saunders came down on a Christmas tree farm in Middletown, and after removing his parachute he began looking for help.  He said he hiked for almost an hour before he found himself at Mr. Presso’s home. 

     Officers noted that the neatly pressed tan suit Saunders was wearing showed no signs that he had hiked through wet weather on a farm, and his shoes were dry and free of mud.  They also discovered that no reports of any aircraft in distress had been received. Skeptical of his story, they asked Saunders for positive identification, but he explained that in his haste to leave the burning aircraft that he had left it behind. He added that he would be filing an insurance claim for $49,795 for the loss of his plane, but first he needed to report the loss to Federal Aviation officials in Boston.   

     Saunders was dropped off at the Viking Hotel in Newport while police made plans to verify his story. 

     A check of the Flushing Airport revealed that there was no record of Saunders or his aircraft having ever been there. Civil Aeronautics Division officials in Boston stated that they had no record of Saunders ever filing any flight plans with them as required by law. 

     When daylight came the following morning, there were still no reports of any downed aircraft.  An air search conducted by Trooper Ashworth of the state police and Robert Wood, the owner of the Newport Air Park failed to find any trace of the parachute that Saunders claimed he had abandoned. 

     Saunders had told officers that his permanent address was 1136 Glendale Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California, however, phone company records showed this to be untrue. Obviously there were a lot of holes in Mr. Saunders’ story. 

      When police showed up at the Viking Hotel they discovered that Saunders had left, telling the clerk on duty that he was “going back home to Boston.”  The FAA in Boston was notified to be on the lookout for Saunders as Rhode Island officials had more questions for him, but Saunders never showed.  In fact, he was never seen again. 

     Who was Gregory Saunders, if in fact that was his real name, and what would possess him to perpetrate such a hoax?  Was it the media attention, an attempt at insurance fraud, or was it something else?  The story is long forgotten in Middletown, but the mystery remains.  

 Sources:

Providence Journal, “Man Says He Leaped From Burning Plane”, June 14, 1959, N:1

Providence Journal, “Dapper Parachutist’s Tale Grows Even More Murky”, June 15, 1959, Pg. 1 

Providence Journal, “Now, He’s Gone, Like His Plane, Parachute” June 15, 1959, Pg. 6

 

Alaska & New England First To Get Air Mail – 1916

     The following article appeared on page 8 of  The Tacoma Times, February 17, 1916.

“Alaskans And New Englanders First To Get Aeroplane Mail”  

Click on article to enlarge.

Tacoma Times Feb 17, 1916 page 8

East Boston Airport

Vintage Postcard Views of

East Boston Airport

Click on images to enlarge.

Vintage Post Card View Of East Boston Airport

Portland Maine Municipal Airport

Portland, Maine Municipal Airport

Click on image to enlarge.

 

Post Card View Of Portland, Maine,  Municipal Airport

Post Card View Of Portland, Maine,
Municipal Airport

The Hazzard Shoe Flying Corporation

The Hazzard Shoe Flying Corporation

Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Click on image to enlarge.

Post Card View of The Hazzard Shoe Flying Corp.

Post Card View of The Hazzard Shoe Flying Corp.

 

Seaplane At Rockland Maine – 1940s

Vintage post card showing a seaplane at Rockland, Maine.

Click on images to enlarge.

rockland-maine-sea-plane-1940

 

Rockland Maine

Connecticut Aircraft Company Builds Airships For The Navy – 1914

Connecticut Aircraft Company

Builds Airships For The Navy – 1914

     The Connecticut Aircraft Company was established in 1913 and went out of business during the 1920s.   It produced airships for the U. S. Navy.

Click on image to enlarge.

More Airships For Navy newspaper

 

Connecticut’s Laws Pertaining To Airships & Airplanes – 1911

Connecticut’s Laws Pertaining To Airships & Airplanes – 1911

     Connecticut was the first state to pass laws pertaining to airships and airplanes.  The laws took effect June 8, 1911. 

Click on images to enlarge.

CT Plan to License Airships

Law to regulate airshipr newspaper

Ct First State newspaper 1

Ct First State newspaper 2

Ct First State newspaper 3

Ct First State newspaper 4

Ct First State newspaper 5

Some thought the law might not be Constitutional.

Ct Law Good newspaper 1

Ct Law Good newspaper 2

     In October of 1911 it was ruled by Connecticut’s Attorney General that balloons were not airships, and therefore did not come under the new law.

 

First Aircraft Used In Sea Rescue – 1914

First Aircraft Used In Sea Rescue – 1914

     According to the following article, the first time an airplane was used in rescue operation for a ship in distress was in June of 1914, in the waters off Massachusetts.  

“…the first time in the history of aviation that an airship has gone to succor a ship at sea.” 

     The Columbus Commercial, Airship For Sea Rescue” June 14, 1914.

 Click on image to enlarge.

Airship For Sea Rescue Newspaper

For more information about the Burgess-Dunne hydroplane see the following links:

https://books.google.com/books?id=sMw7AQAAMAAJ   (click on pages 308 to 310)

https://books.google.com/books?id=rx06AQAAMAAJ  (click on page 83)

Early Aviation At Newburyport, Massachusetts

Early Aviation Newspaper Articles

Of Newburyport, Massachusetts

early biplane

     The following newspaper articles, culled from various sources, offer a small glimpse of early aviation trials held in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

———-

Successful Aero Flights

New Yorkers Make Several “Runs” with “Flying Fish”

     Newburyport, Mass. – April 17. – Over the marshes of Plum Island, the Herring-Burgess aeroplane, “Flying Fish”, made three successful flights today.  Arthur M. herring of Hammondsport, N. Y., piloted the machine in the first flight.  After alighting easily at the river’s edge after a 250 yards’ run, the craft was turned over to W. Sterling Burgess, who made two short flights.    

     The Salt Lake Herald-Republican, April 18, 1910.

———-

Breaks World’s Record

Great Feat Of Burgess Aeroplane In Its Initial Flight

     Newburyport, Mass., April 18. – Three successive aeroplane flights by A. M. Herring of New York and W. S. Burgess at Plum Island aviation field Sunday created a record for heavier than air machines when the big machine started on each one of its three flights by its own power in skids while resting on the ground.

     The successful flight is the culmination of three years steady planning by the two inventors who made the flights, which marked the opening of the aeroplane era in New England.

     Orleans County Monitor, April 20, 1910

———-

Flights By Auto Racer

New Device Works Well On Herring Burgess Aeroplane

     Newburyport, Mass., May 13 – William Hilliard, and automobile racer of Boston, made three successful flights in a new Herring-Burgess aeroplane at Plum Island aviation grounds to-day.  The machine he used had a new device of his own invention which supplanted the “fins” on the top, and is used to maintain the equilibrium of the machine.

     Several hundred yards were covered in each of the three flights, at a height of between fifteen and twenty feet, and during one ascension Hilliard was able to negotiate a complete turn, the first he has been able to make. 

     New York Tribune, May 14, 1910, page 3

———-

Flight At Plum Island

     Newburyport, Mass., May 24 – The longest aeroplane flight in New England has been made by William Hilliard, of Boston, who went a distance of a third of a mile at Plum Island.  The machine worked smoothly and no mishap happened.

     The Washington Times, May 24, 1910, Page 13, Last Edition  

———-

Biplane In Several Flights

     New Device to Give Lateral Stability Works Well at Plum Island

     Newburyport, Mass., May 27 – Several aeroplane flights lasting an hour and a half and covering distances from a quarter to half a mile at an altitude of fifteen feet were made to-day by William Hilliard in a Herring-Burgess biplane at Plum Island aviation grounds.  There was a brisk breeze blowing at the time, and it was thought at first the flights would have to be postponed until the air was calmer.  Hilliard, it is said, jestingly made a vow last night that he would not eat again until he had made a flight, and he evidently was hungry this morning, for he launched the machine despite the breeze and flew across the meadows.

     The biplane has lately been equipped with a new device to give lateral stability.  This device is intended especially for use in windy weather, and to-day it had its first real test.  the inventor and Mr. Hilliard say that it worked remarkably well.

     New York Tribune, May 28, 1910, Page 5.  

———-

Insurance Companies Will Not Accept Risk Of Aviators As Ordinary

     Newburyport, June 8.  Evidence that insurance companies are not to accept the risk of aviators as ordinary has been revealed here in the case of A. L. Pfitzner of Hammondsport, N.Y., who has been making flights at Plum Island.  Pfitzner was visited by an agent of the insurance company Justas he was preparing for a trial of some new skids on a biplane today.  The company had heard of the narrow escape of Pfitzner a few days ago when he crashed to the ground from a height of 30 feet.  He was obliged to sign a clause absolving the insurance company from liability in case of death while engaged in flying machine flights.

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, June 8, 1910, Page 5.   

———-

Aviator Pfitzner Makes Flight From Plum Island To Pork Island

     Newburyport, Mass., July 8 – A. L. Pfitzner, of Hammondsport, N. Y., made a very successful flight here today in a Burgess biplane, covering a distance of two miles at a height of 100 feet.  Pfitzner started from the Plum Island aviation field and landed at Pork Island.  The aviator said he could have gone farther but had to descend owing to his engne being overheated.  This is the most successful flight at plum Island so far.

     Mr. Pfitzner will make another flight this evening in the same machine while William Hilliard of Boston will also make a trip in his aeroplane.

     The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, July 8, 1910, Page 4.   

———-

Aviator Falls Into River And Swims Ashore

     Newburyport, Mass., July 9 – Following a spectacular three mile flight across Plum Island meadows early today, A. L. Pfitzner, the New York aviator while flying at a height of 75 feet was hurled into Plum Island’s river when the machine which he was operating was capsized by a cross current of air.  Mr. Pfitzner swam ashore and went to the aviation shed and an examination disclosed a badly bruised head and it is feared that he is injured internally.  He plucklly stayed on the grounds until the remnants of the machine had been hauled from the river, after which he was driven to his quarters at the Plum Island Hotel, two miles distant. But little was left of his machine except the engine.  he was using a Curtiss biplane at the time of the accident.

     The Bridgeport Evening farmer, July 9, 1910, page 2.   

     Note:  This report of the accident states the aircraft was a “Curtis biplane”.  The following report states it was a “Burgess biplane”  

———-

Fell 75 Feet

     Newburyport, Mass., July 9 – Following a spectacular three mile flight across Plum Island meadow today, A. L. Pfitsnor (Name misspelled – should be “Pfitzner”) of New York, flying at a height of seventy-five feet in a Burgess biplane, was hurled into Plum Island river.  The machine capsized in air currents.  It is feared he is internally injured.

     The Fairmont West Virginian, July 9, 1910, Page 6.   

———-

 

West Greenwich, R.I. – April 24, 1946

West Greenwich, Rhode Island – April 24, 1946 

     On April 24, 1946, two navy F4U Corsairs on a training flight out of Quonset Point NAS were involved in a mid-air collision over West Greenwich.  Moments later, the pilot of one plane bailed out.  His Corsair, (81416), came down onto a house and exploded, killing a mother and her 2-year-old son.   

     Despite a damaged wing, the pilot of the other Corsair, (81312), managed to make it back to the Quonset Naval Air Station. 

     Both planes were assigned to VBF-82.

     The dead were identified as Mrs. Eva Parenteau, 30, and her son Raymond.   Mrs. Parenteau’s other two children, Phillip, 9, and Joseph, 8, were playing in a nearby yard at the time and weren’t injured.   

Source: Woonsocket Call, “Mother, Baby Killed, Plane Crash Probed”, April 25, 1946, Pg. 1 

An Unusual Balloon Flight – 1910

An Unusual Balloon Flight – 1910 

   old balloon  At 1:30 p.m., on November 29, 1910, the balloon Cleveland ascended from Pittsfield, Massachusetts with four men aboard.  There was the pilot, A. L. Stevens, and with him were three passengers, L. M. Taylor, M. M. Morris, both of New York City, and S. F. Beckwith, of Garrison, N.Y.

     The balloon drifted westward and passed from Massachusetts to New York.  While over the Hudson River the aeronauts encountered a blinding snowstorm.  As if that wasn’t perilous enough, a huge flock of geese, estimated by the men to  contain a thousand birds, suddenly encountered the balloon and began bumping and scraping against it, threatening to put holes in the fabric.  The birds began to panic, for the swirling wind left them as helpless as the airmen, and for nearly an hour the flock surrounded the balloon honking and squawking the whole time.

     At one point a goose crashed into the men in the basket, where one of them captured it.

     The ordeal ended almost as suddenly as it began and the balloon landed in the town of Amenia, New York, at 5:45 p.m., 44 miles from Pittsfield.

     Source:

     Boston Evening Transcript, “Ballooning in 1910”, by William Carroll Hill, January 4, 1910.       

Transatlantic Air Traffic Prediction – 1913

Transatlantic Air Traffic Prediction – 1913

The following article appeared in the Essex County Herald, July 18, 1913.

Click on image to enlarge.

Trans Atlantic Air Traffic 

Missing Aircraft – November 28, 1964

Missing Aircraft – November 28, 1964

     On November 28, 1964, a blue and white Cessna with four Rhode Island men aboard left North Philadelphia bound for Hillsgrove Airport, in Warwick, Rhode Island,  and vanished en-route.  (Hillsgrove Airport is today known as T.F. Green Airport.)

     And extensive land and sea search was conducted, and included all areas between  Atlantic City, New Jersey, to all across Connecticut, and Rhode Island.  Both military and Civil Air Patrol aircraft took part. Police agencies were notified to be on the alert.

     At one point it was thought the wreckage of the plane had been spotted from the air in a wooded area of Bozrah, Connecticut, however what was thought to be the airplane was actually an old abandoned car.

     On December 6 and 7 heavy snow blanketed the region hindering further search efforts.

     Despite the best efforts to locate the plane, no trace of it was ever found, and it was speculated that the aircraft may have gone down in the ocean.   

    The missing men were identified as:

     Pilot: Eugene Simoneau, 35, of Crasnton, R.I.

     Ralph H. Worrall, 42, of Warwick, R.I.

     Edward M. Balkin, 46, of Warwick, R.I.

     Edward Underhill, 47, of Warwick, R.I.

     Sources:

     Woonsocket Call, “4 RI Men Missing In Small Plane”, November 30, 1964  

     The Morning Record, “Thousands Powerless In Wake Of Blizzards”, December 8, 1964

     The Daily Register, “Small Plane Still Missing”, December 3, 1964, Section 2, page 1

     City of Warwick, Rhode Island, vital records.   

WWII Civil Air Patrol Insignia

WWII Civil Air Patrol Insignia

WWII Civil Air Patrol Insignia

WWII Civil Air Patrol Insignia

Caledonia County Fair, Vermont – Aeroplane Advertisement – 1910

Caledonia County Fair, Vermont – Aeroplane Advertisement

This ad appeared in the Orleans County Monitor, September 7, 1910.  

Click on image to enlarge.

Caledonia Fair Ad newspaper

Warwick, R. I. – November 2, 1942

Warwick, Rhode Island – November 2, 1942

    

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On November 2, 1942, two U.S. Army P-40 fighter planes, based at Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, were on a training flight over Narragansett Bay when they collided in mid-air.   

     One plane, (41-14183), piloted by Staff Sgt. John W. Smallsreed, 21, of Newton Falls, Ohio, suffered minor damage and was able to return safely to Hillsgrove.    

     The second plane, (41-14135), piloted by 2nd Lt. William H. Pierson, 23, of Chicago, suffered heavy wing damage, and he was forced to bail out.  After the bailout, Pierson’s plane continued on and crashed in the center of the intersection of Barton Street and Grand Avenue in the Warwick Neck section of the city. 

     The aircraft narrowly missed an automobile being driven by Edward W. Thurber of Pawtuxet.  The explosion of the P-40’s impact spewed debris and gasoline onto his car setting it on fire.  Thurber, not knowing for sure what had just happened, jumped from his flaming car and allowed it to roll down a hill where it came to rest in a vacant lot and continued to burn.   

     A home at 49 Barton Avenue was also set on fire, but the owner was able to extinguish the flames with a garden hose. 

     Mrs. Forrest B. Morgan of Grand Avenue told reporters that she had been standing where the plane crashed for twenty minutes waiting for her daughter.  She had just started back towards her home when the plane hit and was not injured.

     Meanwhile, Lt. Pierson was seen landing in Narragansett Bay where he disappeared after hitting the water.  Four volunteer firemen from the Conimicut Fire Department launched a boat to rescue Pierson, but needed to be rescued themselves when their boat capsized in the rough water. 

     Some reports were later received that Pearson had been rescued, but these were found to be in error.  He was officially reported as “missing”.  

     Harry Robbins, an eye witness to the crash, told reporters, “One (plane) passed under the other and the two wings hit.  The bottom plane turned over a couple of times, the pilot jumped out, and one wing started to smoke.  Then the plane made two wide circles and I saw it coming towards me.  The explosion it made when it landed was deafening.” 

     Lt. Pierson’s body was later recovered on November 30th. He’s buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76339168/william-h-pierson

     S/Sgt. Smallsreed was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.  He died in North Africa on May 23, 1943.  To see a photo of him click on the link.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56250377/john-w-smallsreed  

Source:

Providence Journal, “Two Army Planes Collide Over Bay; One Pilot Missing”, November 3, 1942, Pg. 1

          

   

Connecticut’s Airship Service Station – 1920

Connecticut’s Airship Service Station – 1920

The following article appeared in the Norwich Bulletin, March 2, 1920, Pg. 1.

Click on image to enlarge.

Insured airship newspaper

 

First Airplane To Be Insured In Connecticut – 1911

First Airplane To Be Insured In Connecticut – 1911

The following article appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, June 13, 1911, Pg. 5 

Click on image to enlarge.

New Haven Flyer newspaper

First Airplane Built In Vermont – 1910

First Airplane Built In Vermont – 1910

     The following article appeared on page 7 in the Barre Daily Times, August 30, 1910.  

Vermont’s First Aeroplane

     C. C. Bonnette’s  aeroplane, the first to be constructed in this state, is nearly ready for trial at his home in Passumpsic.  The ship is one of the Curtis type of biplanes, 24 feet overall and is equipped with a 40-60-horse-power engine.  Total weight of the machine and driver is a little over 600 pounds, and Mr. Bonnette is confident that he will succeed.  Mr. Bonnette built the aeroplane last winter, and it has been examined by experts from different parts of the country, who have pronounced it the best model they have ever seen.  Because it was the first airship constructed in the state, Mr. Bonnette names it “Vermont No. 1”.  Since he was a young man he has made over 1,500 balloon ascensions, frequently giving exhibitions at fairs.  In Rochester, N.Y. a few years ago, he fell 100 feet, breaking one leg, one arm, and suffering a concussion of the brain.  His wife, who used to accompany him on his ascensions, is now an invalid as a result of a fall from the balloon 14 years ago at Malone, N. Y., when her back was broken.  She is much interested in her husband’s plans for his new invention.        

     Clarence C. Bonnette, aka Bonette, was born in Victory, Vermont in 1872, and died in Concord, new Hampshire in 1947.  For more information about him, see www.earlyaviators.com

     The following two items were found in the August 26, 1911 edition of Aero magazine, on page 461, under “The Diary of Flight”.

     Saturday, August 12

     Atlantic, Mass. – C. C. Bonette of Pasumpsic, VT. made several short flights in his Curtis-type biplane.  

    Thursday, August 17

     Atlantic, Mass. – Dr. Percy L. Reynolds broke wood in a Burgess-Wright biplane.  Reynolds unhurt. C.C. Bonette, in his Curtis-type biplane met with similar mishap.

First Airplane Flight In Vermont – 1910

The First Airplane Flight In Vermont – 1910

     The first reported airplane flight in Vermont took place at the Caledonia county fair in St. Johnsbury on September 15, 1910. 

     The fair had been well advertised.  One ad which appeared on page 1 of the Essex County Herald on September 9, 1910,  stated in part, “The greatest of outdoor attractions – an aeroplane will make the first flights ever in Vermont.”

     The fair was scheduled to take place on September 13, 14, and 15.   

     The following article appeared in the Barre Daily Times on September 16, 1910.

Aviator Flew Over Vermont Hills

Successful performance by John Willard at the St. Johnsbury Fair yesterday afternoon.

     St. Johnsbury, Sept. 16 – Over 10,000 people attended the closing day of the Caledonia county fair , the attractions being a decorated automobile parade, three fast races, and two magnificent assentions by Charles F. Willard, the noted aviator, in his biplane.  In the automobile parade, there were over 100 machines, with $250 in prizes.  In class I, John C. Clark won first prize, the Commercial Club second, O.H. Rixford of East Highgate third.

     In class two, Dr. T. R. Stiles won first, Asselin brothers second, and Dan A. Perry of Barre third.  Lyndonville took the prize for the most cars from one town and for decorated cars. 

     The first ascent in Vermont of an aeroplane was a success from start to finish and created great enthusiasm.  In his 18 months of aviation, Mr. Willard told the correspondent it was the roughest course he had ever tried.  The groundis not only rough, but the nearness of the foothills causes a confusionof aircurrents and prevents any long distanceflight.  But in spite of natural difficulties, he kept the machine under perfect control all the time.  In his first flight of about six minutes, he covered about five miles, following the valley of the Passumpsie river, and rose to a height of 506 feet.  His second trip was shorter, but more spectacular , as he circled the fair grounds almost within hailing distance, and his sensational landing created whirl of applause.  Mr. Willard left for Holyoke last night, where he will fly on Saturday.  

     The flight in Holyoke mentioned in the article took place September 17, 1910.  

     Prior to his exhibition at the Caledonia county fair, Mr. Willard had attended the Squantum Air Meet held in Quincy, Massachusetts, a little over one week earlier.   

     The following articles which appeared in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian on September 21, 1910, (Page 7) provide greater detail of his historic Vermont flight. 

Click on images to enlarge

The Aero Flight 1newspaper

The Aero Flight 2 newspaper

The Aero Flight 3 newspaper

Did as advertised newspaper

     Charles Forster Willard died in 1977 at the age of 94.  For more information about him see www.earlyaviators.com

 

The Connecticut Aeroplane Company – 1913

The Connecticut Aeroplane Company

     The following brief news item appeared in The Bridgeport Evening Farmer on December 20, 1913, page 2, under the headline “Aeroplane Company Organized In State” 

    Hartford, Dec. 20 – The Connecticut Aeroplane Company, of New Haven, filed a certificate of incorporation in the office of the Secretary of State today.  Its capital stock is $500.000 and it proposes to build aeroplanes, hydro-aeroplanes, and aircraft of all descriptions.  It will start operations with $400,000 paid in.  The incorporators are E. A. Mulliken, of New Haven, Paul Webb, of Hamden, and Ralph H. Clark, of derby. An Incorporation fee of $250 was paid to the state.    

Quonset Point N.A.S. OS2U-2 Kingfisher -1941

Quonset Point Naval Air Station OS2U-2 Kingfisher 

March 20, 1941

     These photos are of a U.S. Navy OS2U-2 Kingfisher, (Bu. No. 2193) belonging to  Scouting Squadron 2, stationed at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island at the beginning of World War II.   (Note the Quonset Point designation on the fuselage.)

Click on images to enlarge.

U.S. Navy OS2U-2 Kingfisher U.S. Navy Photo National Archives

U.S. Navy OS2U-2 Kingfisher
U.S. Navy Photo
National Archives

U.S. Navy OS2U-2 Kingfisher U.S. Navy Photo National Archives

U.S. Navy OS2U-2 Kingfisher
U.S. Navy Photo
National Archives

U.S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher Fuel Gauge

U.S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher Fuel Gauge

 

 

A New Kind Of Balloon Race – 1908

A New Kind Of Balloon Race – 1908

   old balloon  It was said to be a new kind of balloon race called a “point-to-point race”, the first ever held in the United States.  Balloons were to take off from North Adams, Massachusetts, but the contestants were to predict ahead of time where they expected their balloon to land.  The landing point had to be at least thirty miles form North Adams, and the one who landed closest to their designated target would be the winner. 

     The race was held August 14, 1908, and the winner was Mr. Arthur D. Potter of Greenfield, Massachusetts, who piloted the balloon, North Adams No.1, which came down on a farm about five miles from its anticipated destination of Haydenville, a village in the town of Williamsburg, Mass.  Accompanying him on the trip was A. Holland Forbes, and his 12-year-old daughter, Natalie.    

     Source: (No. Dakota) Bismarck Daily Tribune, “New Kind Of Balloon Race”, August 15, 1908

Updated April 4, 2017

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Morning Journal-Currier, (New Haven, Connecticut), August 6, 1908, page 4.

BALLOON RACE IN EAST NEXT WEEK

Challenge Cup Will Go To Pilot Who Lands Nearest The Place he Selects Before Flight 

Six Balloons, Size Unrestricted, Are Expected To Join Unique Test Next Thursday 

     New York, Aug. 5 – With a record of 25 successful balloon flights from North Adams, Mass., during the present season, and with many more booked for the near future with the certainty that they will continue up to the close of the ballooning season in October, the North Adams Aero Club will start on August 14 the first point to point balloon race ever held in the United States and the fourth race where more than two balloons are started that has ever been held in this country.

     At least four balloons and probably five, with a possibility of six, will be sent away during the afternoon, the pilot of each being required to name the landing place he selects prior to his departure. This place must be at least thirty miles from the starting point, and the pilot who lands nearest to the post office of the town or city he selects, providing he is within a ten-mile radius of the post office, will be awarded the trophy given by A. Holland Forbes of new York, a well known balloonist who has made the majority of his trips from this city and who is to be one of the contestants representing the United States in the international balloon races at Berlin, Germany, in October. 

     This trophy is to be held by the winner subject to challenge after six months, and if the challenge is not accepted after thirty days the cup reverts to the North Adams Aero Club, which will arrange for a second race, as will be done immediately in the event that no one of the contestants succeeds in carrying out the provisions of the race on the first attempt.

     The balloons already entered are: Heart of the Berkshires, owned by the Aero Club of Pittsfield; pilot Alan R. Hawley, third vice-president of the Aero Club of America, and a contestant in the recent international race from St. Louis.  Sky Pilot, owned by Mesers Wade and Morgan of Cleveland, Ohio: pilot J. H. Wade.   Boston, owned by the Aero Club of New England; pilot, Charles J. Glidden of Boston.  North Adams No 1, owned by the North Adams Aero Club; pilot, Arthur D. Potter of Greenfield,  who will be accompanied by Mr. Forbes, the giver of the trophy.  Greylock, owned and piloted by Dr. Roger M. Randall of North Adams.  

     No restrictions as to the size of the balloons or the number of people each may carry is made, and each pilot, after witnessing the direction taken by several piloting balloons, is at liberty to pick his landing place, announcing it as he is ready to leave the grounds.

     The first of the balloons will not be sent away until 1 o’clock at the earliest on Friday, August 14, and the others will follow at fifteen or thirty minutes intervals, as mey be determined upon the day of the race by the race committee. 

*********

     The following newspaper article appeared in The Marion Daily Mirror, (Marion, Ohio) on August 15, 1908, page 2.      

     POINT TO POINT BALLOON RACE

Three Airships In The Race

Balloon That Won The Prize Offered For Victory Had A 12-Year-old Girl As One Of Its Passengers

     North Adams, Mass., Aug. 15 – The balloon North Adams No. 1, with A. D. Potter of Greenfield as pilot and Holland Forbes and daughter Natalie, aged 12 years, as passengers, and owned by the North Adams Aero Club, undoubtedly won the cup offered by Mr. Forbes in the first point-to-point race ever held in this country.  The race was started from North Adams Friday afternoon.  The North Adams No. 1 landed on the farm of Lyman Sanderson at West Whateley, about five miles from its previously declared destination, Haydenville.  This was the first balloon to get away.  The Greylock, owned and pilotd by Dr. Roger M. Randall of North Adams and having Clarence Wildman of this city as passenger, landed at Bryant farm in Ashfield, fully 12 miles from its desired destination, Leeds.

     The third balloon to start, the Heart of the Berkshires, owned by the Aero Club of Pittsfield, was the last to land, coming down in Amherst, within six and one-quarter miles of Whateley Station, its destination.

     The conditions of the race were that, previous to the race, the occupants of the balloon should designate some place, at least 30 miles from North Adams, where they would attempt to land, that they should land within ten miles of the post office of the place and that the balloon landing nearest the announced destination should win the cup.   Further, the winner should hold himself open for six months to a challenge for the defense of the cup.

     Charles J. Glidden of Boston was to have made the fourth competitor with the balloon Boston, owned by the Aero Club of New England and having as a passenger Mrs. Helm Clayton, wife of the meteorologist of the Blue Hill Observatory.   Mr. Glidden did not desire to start until late in the afternoon, but the committee on the race decided that the contestants must be ready to start at 1 o’clock.  Mr. Glidden would not consent to go up at that time, so he was disqualified from competing.  

*********

        

 

 

 

    

Providence Airport – Seekonk, MA

Providence Airport – Seekonk, Massachusetts

     The former Providence Airport, built about 1929 to service the City of Providence, Rhode Island, was actually located on Fall River Avenue, (Route 6) in the neighboring town of Seekonk, Massachusetts. 

Click on Image to enlarge.

(Also note Pothier Field in Warwick, R.I., indicated on map.)  

1930 Map Of The Providence Airport in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

1930 Map Of The Providence Airport in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

 

Logan Airport – Vintage Views

Logan Airport – Boston, Massachusetts

Vintage Views 

Click on images to enlarge

Vintage Post Card View Of Boston's Logan Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Boston’s Logan Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Logan International Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of

Logan International Airport

Curtis Condor Aircraft – 1930

Click on image to enlarge.

 

A Curtis Condor - 1930

A Curtis Condor – 1930

Quonset Point Naval Air Station Vintage Images

Quonset Point Naval Air Station Vintage Images 

     The Quonset Point Naval Air Station was located on Narragansett Bay in the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island. 

     To see hundreds more vintage images of the Quonset Point Naval Air Station one can obtain two books published through Arcadia Press in their Images of America series titled: Quonset Point Naval Air Station, Volumes 1 & 2, by Seam Paul Milligan.  Both books are highly informative.    

 

Before the navy base, Quonset Point was a summer community.  This real estate ad is from July of 1930.

Before the navy base, Quonset Point was a summer community. This real estate ad is from July of 1930.

Vintage Post Card View Of The Former Entrance To Quonset Point, NAS.

Vintage Post Card View Of The Former Entrance To Quonset Point, NAS.

Quonset Point Naval Air Station Insignia patch

Quonset Point Naval Air Station Insignia patch

A Vintage Post Card View Of A Helicopter Over Quonset Point Naval Air Station

A Vintage Post Card View Of A Helicopter Over Quonset Point Naval Air Station

 

 

Lt. Jg. Kenneth B. McQuady Memorial

Lt. Jg. Kenneth B. McQuady Memorial

Quonset Air Museum

     Lt. Jg. McQuady was killed on March 2, 1945, when his F6F Hellcat crashed on takeoff from Charlestown Auxiliary Air Field in Charlestown, Rhode Island.   The propeller from his Hellcat was donated to the Quonset Air Museum in his memory.  

Note:  The Quonset Air Museum has permanently closed, and the propeller was moved to Ninigret Park in Charlestown.  

For more information about this accident click here:  Charlestown – March 2, 1945 

Quonset Air Museum Memorial to Lt. Jg. Kenneth Bruce McQuady

Quonset Air Museum Memorial to Lt. Jg. Kenneth Bruce McQuady

Description of accident that killed Lt. McQuady

Description of accident that killed Lt. McQuady

 

 

Vintage View Groton Connecticut Airport

Vintage View Of The Groton, Connecticut, Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Groton, Conn. Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Groton, Conn. Airport

Click on image to enlarge

First Airplane Trip Across Long Island Sound – 1910

First Airplane Trip Across long Island Sound – 1910

August 20, 1910

     Clifford B. Harmon of Greenwich, Connecticut, is reportedly the first man to fly across Long Island Sound from Garden City, Long Island, to Greenwich, Connecticut, on August 20, 1910.   

     In an age when man travels in space aided by computer technology, it might seem trivial to mention something as mundane as an airplane flight across Long Island Sound.  Yet such a trip was newsworthy in 1910, for nobody had ever done it before, and the press was eager to report any and all aviation “firsts”.   After all, men had only been using airplanes for seven years.

     Mr. Harmon was described as a “business man and amateur aviator”, who’d made several previous attempts to fly across the Sound without success. 

     Prior to beginning the day’s flight, Harmon met Charles K. Hamilton at the Garden City, L.I. aviation field and took him as a passenger on a test flight of his Farnum biplane.  After circling the field and finding the plane in good order, he landed and discharged Hamilton before starting his flight across the Sound.

     Once aloft, Harmon caught a good tail wind and headed out across Hempstead Bay and Long Island Sound.  There he flew over the water, at one point reaching an altitude of 1,000 feet.  As he neared the Connecticut shore he dropped to 400 feet and circled the Larchmont Yacht Club where he knew some friends of his were dinning.  From there he headed towards the estate of his father-in-law, Commodore E. C. Benedict, where a section of lawn had been mowed and leveled for the occasion, but in the fading dusk he had trouble locating his intended landing spot, and came down instead on a patch of ground about a quarter of a mile away.  As he touched down, his plane ran into a section of tall grass which caught the wheels and broke the chassis and some wires connected to the wings.  Harmon, however, was unhurt.  He’d made the 28 mile trip in just 30 minutes. 

      Shortly after his landing, Harmon’s wife arrived by automobile, having watched his trip across the sound through a large telescope at her father’s estate.    

     For successfully completing the trip, Mr. Harmon was awarded the Doubleday, Page Company Cup, said to be worth $2,000.      

     Source:

     Norwich Bulletin, “Aeroplane Trip Over The Sound”, August 22, 1910.

 

New Hampshire Airport Postal Covers

New Hampshire Airport Dedication Postal Covers

Click on images to enlarge

Keene Airport Dedication - September, 1928

Keene Airport Dedication – September, 1928

Twin Mountain Airport Dedication - August, 1930

Twin Mountain Airport Dedication – August, 1930

Vermont Airport Dedication Postal Covers

Vermont Airport Dedication Postal Covers

Click on images to enlarge.

Twin State Airport Dedication July, 1929

Twin State Airport Dedication

July, 1929

Rutland, Vermont - 1931

Rutland, Vermont – 1931

Missisquoi Airport Dedication Cover Swanton, Vermont

Missisquoi Airport Dedication Cover

Swanton, Vermont

St. Johnsbury Airport Dedication Postal Cover

St. Johnsbury Airport Dedication Postal Cover

Barre-Montpelier Airport Dedication

Barre-Montpelier Airport Dedication

Morrisville, Vermont State Airport Dedication

Morrisville, Vermont

State Airport Dedication

Massachusetts State Police Aviation Patches

Massachusetts State Police Aviation Patches

Courtesy of Barbara Haven

MA_SP_AirWing_1MA_SP_AirWing_2_FEMA_SP_AirWing_7MA_SP_AirWing_8MA_SP_AirWing_3MA_SP_AirWing_4

Two New England Balloon Records Set – 1910

Two New England Balloon Records Set – 1910

     On May 21, 1910, the following small news item appeared in the Rock Island Argus, a newspaper in Rock Island, Illinois.

Early balloon with net

     NEW ENGLAND BALLOON MARK IS FRACTURED   

     “St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, May 21, – Two new records were established today when the balloon Cleveland, which ascended from North Adams (Mass.) last night, came down here at 6:28 this morning after the longest flight ever made by a balloon from New England, and the first time a balloon from New England has landed in Canada.  The balloon traveled more than 200 miles in an airline and was in the air 11 hours 52 minutes and reached an altitude of 11,000 feet.” 

     Source: Rock Island Argus, “New England Balloon Mark Is Fractured”, May 21, 1910

First Woman To Fly An Airplane In New England – 1912

     First Woman To Fly An Airplane In New England – 1912

June 29, 1912 

     According to a small newspaper article which appeared in The San Francisco Call, Miss Blanche Stuart Scott (1885-1970) was the first woman to fly an “aeroplane” in New England.  The event occurred at the 3rd Boston Aero Meet scheduled to be held at Harvard Field in Squantum, Massachusetts, from June 29, to July 6, 1912.

The following is a transcript of the article:

     MISS BLANCHE SCOTT OBTAINS AERO HONORS

    “ BOSTON, June 29, – Miss Blanche Stuart Scott secured the distinction of being the first woman to fly an aeroplane in New England at the opening of the aviation meet in Squantum today. She used a biplane.  Later Miss Harriet Quimby made a half hour’s flight in a new monoplane.”

     The article indicates that Miss Scott flew before Harriet Quimby (1875 – July 1, 1912).  Miss Quimby was famous for being the first woman in the Unites States to earn a pilot’s license, and for being the first woman to fly across the English Channel on April 16, 1912. 

     The 3rd Boston Aero Meet was scheduled to run from June 29 to July 6, but was cut short on July 1st when Miss Quimby and a passenger were killed when her plane crashed in Dorchester Bay. 

     Much has been written about the lives of both Miss Scott and Miss Quimby.  

     Source: The San Francisco Call, “Miss Blanche Scott Obtains Aero Honors”, June 30, 1912, Page 22.      

The Sun, (N.Y.)

June 1, 1913

New England Plane Crashes That Never Happened

New England Plane Crashes That Never Happened 

By Jim Ignasher

Updated May 6, 2016

Updated May 12, 2016

Updated October 20, 2017

     The following stories are about New England aviation accidents that never happened, although in some cases they were reported as fact.  Perhaps this is how legends get started.        

    On April 3, 1906, great excitement rippled through the populace of the small town of Franklin, Massachusetts, as word spread that an airship had crashed in the northern part of town.  Dozens flocked to the area, but found nothing. Had the airship been repaired and left?  Hardly.  It wasn’t exactly April Fools, but it was close enough for a man identified only as a “practical joker” living in north Franklin near the Medway town line.  The day before, a large number of people reported seeing what they thought was an airship pass over the town.  The joker took it one step further and told several people that the airship had broken down, and landed in a field near his farm.  As with the childhood game of “Telephone”, the landing became a crash, as the facts were twisted with each retelling.  

     The following three incidents took place in 1942 at a time when our country was immersed in the Second World War.  Were they the result of wartime jitters, overactive imaginations, or something else? 

     On April 25, 1942, the North Providence, (R.I.) police department began to receive reports that an army bomber had crashed and burst into flames somewhere in the town.  Some reported seeing a column of smoke, but couldn’t tell the exact location from where it originated. A search was instituted, and army officials were notified, and as word spread citizens were on the alert.     

     By the afternoon the Associated Press was carrying the story.  An army public relations officer in Boston stated he believed the craft to be an army bomber, and although he didn’t know how many men were aboard, the usual number was five.

     An army observation plane was brought in to assist with the search, but by the end of the day nothing had been found, and no military aircraft were unaccounted for.

     Less than a week later, a man in Bellingham, Massachusetts, reported that he saw a twin-engine army aircraft flying at tree-top level and assumed it crashed in a wooded area near Silver Lake.  Apparently his assumption was based on the fact the engines weren’t making any sound, and that at one pint he saw the wings clip the trees. 

     Bellingham police notified the army, and a search was instituted.  Residents in the Spring Street section told officers they had seen an army aircraft pass low in the sky with its engines throttled down, but didn’t know anything about a crash.  One citizen stated the plane had passed directly over him and then suddenly disappeared.  

     Police officers, firefighters, and civilian volunteers searched through the woods for several hours, but didn’t find anything, and the army determined that none of its planes were missing.   

    The fourth case didn’t involve a report of an actual plane crash, but of parachutes descending from the sky – possibly from a disabled aircraft.  

     At about 5:45 p.m. on November 4 1942, Sgt. Michael Ryan of the Fall River police was stopped by a motorist who reported seeing parachutists descending over the area of the Fall River Reservoir located in the northern part of the city.   A short time later another person approached him with the same report.  One claimed to have seen one parachute and a plane, the other, three parachutes. 

     At about the same time frame, Patrolman Michael Hart received a report of parachutes as he patrolled the central portion of the city. 

     At 6:30 p.m. another call about parachutes was received at police headquarters. 

     Patrol cars sent to investigate found nothing, and aircraft spotters stationed in a fire tower near the reservoir hadn’t seen any parachutes. 

     Yet reports kept coming, and chutes were also allegedly seen over Fall River’s neighboring communities, and in nearby Rhode Island.  Strangely, nobody had reported a plane crash, only parachutes, which raised the possibility of enemy saboteurs. 

     State and local police, aided by auxiliary volunteers, and the army, scoured the landscape in both states, but nothing was found.  At one point excitement rose when one group of volunteers reported that the parachutists were “bottled up” in Narragansett Bay, but this too was false.

     Authorities learned that neither the army nor the navy was missing any aircraft, and there had been no reported bailouts or scheduled parachute jumps in the area.  No explanation for the sightings was ever given. 

     Updated May 12, 2016

     On January 8, 1988, a heavy snow storm was blowing across central New Hampshire.  It was during this storm that authorities received an s.o.s. radio message from a man identifying himself only as “Dale”, a survivor of a small jet crash.  Dale claimed five people had been aboard; one was dead, and the other three seriously injured.

     The May Day call sparked a large scale search and rescue operation that later involved up to 20 aircraft.  One aircraft in particular was a navy plane that was re-routed to begin the search.  The pilot flew low level search patterns in dangerous weather conditions for over four hours, all the while remaining in radio contact with “Dale”.  Unfortunately the plane was forced to leave the area due to deteriorating weather and low fuel capacity.  The following day the downed plane report was determined to be a hoax.   

     Investigation led authorities to a 29-year-old man from Laconia, New Hampshire, who was charged and put on trial in May of 1988.  He was convicted, and sentenced to one year in a federal prison, and ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation.   

     Coincidentally, it was about the time of the man’s trial that the following incident occurred.  

     Updated May 6, 2016

     On the night October 3, 1988, a man identifying himself as a Captain from Pease Air Force Base contacted authorities in the town of Milford, New Hampshire to report that a B-1 bomber aircraft with two men aboard had crashed in a wooded area behind Chappell Tractor Sales Inc. on Route 13 South.  The man further reported that the pilot had managed to eject from the aircraft before it crashed. 

     Milford Fire and Police responded to the area, as did members of the U.S. Air Force, but within an hour it was determined that the call had been a hoax. 

     Updated October 20, 2017

     Shortly after midnight on November 8, 1974, a man called the Connecticut State Police Montville barracks to report that he’d heard what he thought was a sputtering airplane engine followed by a loud crash in the vicinity of the Waterford-East Lyme town line near I-95.  Another caller described hearing a “low whining noise” before the crash.  Several others also called to report a crash.

     An air and ground search was organized, but nothing was found, and there were no reports of any missing aircraft.  No emergency radio distress called had been received, and all Connecticut civilian and military aircraft were accounted for.  The search was called off and the report was determined to be “unfounded”. 

     Sources:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Crash Report Is Said Unfounded”,  November 8, 1974, page 2

     Hartford Courant,” No Trace Found Of Airplane”, November 9, 1974, page 4.

 

Sources:  

The (Woonsocket) Evening Reporter, “Joker Causes Excitement” , April 4, 1906, Pg. 3

Woonsocket Call, “Bomber Crashes In No. Providence”, April 25, 1942, Pg.1

Woonsocket Call, Army Plane Crash Report Probed”, May 4, 1942 Pg. 1

Woonsocket Call, “Plane Crash Report Proves Franklin Hoax”, May 5, 1942, Pg. 2

Woonsocket Call, “Chutists Sought Near Fall River”, November 5, 1942, Pg. 1

Bangor Daily News, “”N.H. man Indicted In Plane Crash Hoax”, February 25, 1988

Bangor Daily News, “Trial Opens In Case Of Staged Plane Crash”, May 3, 1988

Bangor Daily News, “N.H. Man Convicted Of Faking Plane Crash”, May 5, 1988  

Nashua Telegraph, “Jet Crash Hoax Draws Searchers”, October 4, 1988

 

 

 

 

 

Charlestown Auxiliary Naval Airfield Memorial

Charlestown Auxiliary Naval Airfield Memorial

Charlestown, Rhode Island

    Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Field began operations in September of 1943.  Ensign George H. W. Bush trained there in 1944.  The field was decommissioned January 30, 1974, and is today known as Ninigret Park.   

     During its years of operation, 62 airmen connected to the field lost their lives.  At the bottom of this page are some links relating to the names on the memorial.      

     Click on images to enlarge.

Memorial to the 62 men who lost their lives at Charlestown Auxiliary Field, Charlestown, R.I.

Memorial to the 62 men who lost their lives at Charlestown Auxiliary Field, Charlestown, R.I.

Names of those on the memorial.
CLICK TO ENLARGE

Sign for Charlestown Auxiliary Landing Field
Charlestown, R.I.

     Links to most of the names on the memorial that tell their story: 

  1.      Ensign William Haley Brown – September 14, 1943    
  2.      Ensign Thomas James Schmidt – September 27, 1943
  3.      Ensign Curtis Leroy Johnson – December 23, 1943
  4.      Ensign James G. Canning – February 16, 1944
  5.      Ensign Herbert Leslie Woods – March 16, 1944
  6.      Ensign Edward R. Sladek – April 1, 1944
  7.      Ensign Stephen Luther Smith – April 17, 1944
  8.      Lieut. Robert Charles Stimson – April 17, 1944
  9.      Ensign James L. Adams – April 22, 1944
  10.      Ensign James P. Gannon – May 14, 1944
  11.      Lt. (Jg.) James E. Corroon – May 18, 1944
  12.      Ensign Gerald Vivian Brosteaux – July 13, 1944
  13.      Ensign Robert Sherman Kirk – August 12, 1944 
  14.      Ensign James C. Graham – August 23, 1944
  15.      Ensign Charles R. Davis – September 4, 1944
  16.      Ensign Arthur Joseph Stockus – September 12, 1944
  17.      Ensign Robert L. Skinner – September 22, 1944
  18.      Ensign Frank Thomas Roman – September 22, 1944
  19.      Ensign George Kenneth Kraus – October 19, 1944
  20.      Ensign Merle H. Longnecker – October 19, 1944
  21.      AMM/3C Robert C. Horvath – 1944
  22.      Ensign Norman F. Day – October 26, 1944
  23.      Ensign Maynard F. Lednum – December 3, 1944
  24.      Ensign John S. Ketchum – December 5, 1944
  25.      Ensign Robert I. Lane – December 18, 1944
  26.      Lt. (Jg.) Bruce S. Little – January 4, 1945
  27.      Ensign William J. Monagle – 1945
  28.      Ensign Robert E. Swenson – January 20, 1945
  29.      Ensign John Malcolm Roe – February 1, 1945
  30.      Ensign Robert L. Herren – February 1, 1945
  31.      Ensign Jack R. Gross – February 3, 1945
  32.      Ensign Pierce H. Beach – February 10, 1945
  33.      Ensign Thomas William McSteen – February 25, 1945
  34.      Lt. (Jg.) William E. Stakely – March 9, 1945
  35.      Lt. (Jg.) Howard G. Boren – March 9, 1945
  36.      Lt. (Jg.) Kenneth B. McQuady – March 2, 1945
  37.      Ensign Vincent A. Frankwitz – April 3, 1945
  38.      Ensign Robert M. Kirk – April 7, 1945
  39.      Ensign Joseph F. Koll – May 8, 1945
  40.      Ensign James Fitzgerald – possibly May 15, 1945
  41.      Lieutenant David W. Allen – May 29, 1945
  42.      Ensign George R. Miller – May 31, 1945
  43.      Ensign John J. Zayak – June 3, 1945
  44.      Lt. (Jg.) George A. MacBride – June 29, 1945
  45.      Lieutenant J. A. Guice – October 11, 1945
  46.      Ensign Shannon R. Caulk – November 3, 1945
  47.      Ensign James F. Wagner – November 3, 1945
  48.      Ensign Kenneth W. Barnes – December 13, 1945
  49.      AOM3/C Charles O. Henninger – December 13, 1945
  50.      Ensign Clinton G. Thornton – March 8, 1946
  51.      Ensign Coy A. Stephenson, Jr. – April 22, 1946
  52.      ARM2/c Walter J. Edwards – April 22, 1946
  53.      Lt. (Jg.) John E. Rodgers – April 29, 1946
  54.      Arm2/C Albert E. Theriault – April 29, 1946
  55.      Commander Joseph W. Runyan – August 11, 1946
  56.      Lieutenant Alfred G. Elpern – September 4, 1947
  57.      Lieut. Cmdr. Minuard F. Jennings – November 18, 1947
  58.      Lieut. Commander Marshall J. Lyttle – November 18, 1947
  59.      ET1/C John J. Young – December 27, 1957
  60.      Lt. (Jg.) Paul John Marback – May 27, 1958
  61.      Airman Everett Bradbury – 1959
  62.      Lt. (jg.) Alexander D. Harry, Jr., – July 28, 1965

Otis Air Force Base – July 9, 1954

Otis Air Force Base – July 9, 1954

Falmouth, Massachusetts

     On the afternoon of July 9, 1954, air force captain Robert J. Fox was scheduled to fly a single-engine L-20 airplane on a routine training flight from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts.   As he was lifting off the runway at 4:05 p.m., the aircraft suddenly lost altitude dipping its wing which caught the ground causing the plane to crash.  Despite heavy damage to the plane, was no fire, and Captain Fox escaped without injury. 

     Fox was assigned to the 4707th Air defense Wing as a communications electronics officer.         

     Source:

     Falmouth Enterprise, “Capt. Robert Fox Unhurt In Crash”, July 9, 1954

A Fuel Tank Falls On Providence – 1948

A FUEL TANK FALLS ON PROVIDENCE 

Providence, Rhode Island

August 26, 1948

      Motorcycle Patrolman A.F. Baribault of the Providence Police Traffic Division was cruising along Chestnut Street near the city’s Jewelry District when he saw what appeared to be a bomb fall from an airplane.  

    Lawrence Tabor, a worker at Speidel Jewelry on Bassett Street also saw it drop, and could plainly see liquid spewing from the cigar shaped object as in tumbled earthward.   It struck the ground only 100 feet away at the intersection of Bassett and Ship Streets.  An explosive concussion shook the areas as flaming gasoline showering the street.  

     Emergency lines were quickly jammed with reports of an explosion.  Some said a manhole had blown up, others claimed it was a bomb.     

     One of the first to arrive was Officer Baribault who quickly determined the object was not a bomb, but an auxiliary fuel tank used by military fighter planes since World War II.  The aluminum tank had ruptured and split apart with one section lying in the roadway and another landing in a nearby lot.     

    Droppable fuel tanks for fighters had been developed during World War II to give the fighter aircraft greater range. The tank that dropped on Providence came from a U. S. Navy F6F Hellcat, a World War II aircraft carrier fighter produced by Grumman between 1942 and 1945. 

    Navy officials from the Quonset Naval Air Station responded to Providence and recovered the damaged fuel tank.  Fortunately nobody had been injured and property damage had been minor. The Navy released a statement that the pilot had accidentally dropped the tank while on a routine flight and that a formal inquiry into the incident would begin right away.

     A Navy spokesman told the Providence Journal; “This external or droppable tank is made to drop at the discretion of the pilot to get rid of the weight and friction.” 

     This particular tank had been loaded with 150 to 300 gallons of fuel when it was dropped.       

Source: Providence Journal, “Gas Tank Drops From Navy Plane, Misses Cars At City Intersection”, August 27, 1948, pg. 1 

Hyannis Airport – Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Hyannis Airport – Cape Cod, Massachusetts

     The airport opened n 1928.  It was expanded and used by the military during World War II.   Although located in the town of Hyannis, Massachusetts, today it is known as Barnstable Municipal Airport.  

Vintage Post Card View Of Hyannis Airport Hyannis, Massachusetts - Cape Cod

Vintage Post Card View Of Hyannis Airport
Hyannis, Massachusetts – Cape Cod

Postcard view showing a Northeast Airlines plane.

Postcard view showing a Northeast Airlines plane.

Hillsgrove R.I. Airport Dedication Postal Covers

Hillsgrove R.I. Airport Dedication Postal Covers

     Today Hillsgrove Airport is known as T.F. Green State Airport, located in Warwick, Rhode Island.  Often referred to as “Providence Airport” by travel agents and airlines, but the airport is not in Providence.  There is no commercial airport located in Providence.

Hillsgrove Airport Dedication

Hillsgrove Airport Dedication

R.I. Airport - 1931

R.I. Airport – 1931

R.I. State Airport

R.I. State Airport

T.F. Green Airport 60th Anniversary 1932-1992

T.F. Green Airport

60th Anniversary

1932-1992

 

Municipal Airport – Caribou, Maine

     Municipal Airport – Caribou, Maine  

Vintage Post Card View Of The Municipal Airport.  Caribou, Maine

Vintage Post Card View Of The Municipal Airport.
Caribou, Maine

     Caribou Airport was dedicated on August 20 – 21, 1930, and at the time it was the only municipal airport in Maine, and also the furthest north in the United States.  Source: Presque Isle Star – Herald, “Airport Will Be Dedicated Next Week”, August 14, 1930, page 8.  

     On the night of March 29, 1944, a fire broke out in a wooden hangar at the Caribou Airport when an oil heater overturned.  The building was filled with aircraft, and the flames spread rapidly from one to the next.  At the time of the fire, a 26-year-old woman who worked for the U. S. Weather Bureau was on the roof taking a weather reading.  She became trapped by the flames and perished.  

     Source: The Waterbury Democrat, (Conn.), “1 Dead In Big Hangar Fire”, March 30, 1944

Vintage Hillsgrove R.I. Airport Post Cards

Click on images to enlarge.

Hillsgrove Airport Dedication

Hillsgrove Airport Dedication

 

Green dedication of airport

 

Vintage Hillsgrove Airport Postcard. Today known as T.F. Green State Airport - Warwick, R.I.

Vintage Hillsgrove Airport Postcard.
Today known as T.F. Green State Airport – Warwick, R.I.

 

Old Airport Terminal at T.F. Green Airport, Warwick, R.I.  (Replaced by Current Terminal.)

Old Airport Terminal at T.F. Green Airport, Warwick, R.I.
(Replaced by Current Terminal.)

1960s Post Card View Of T.F. Green Airport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martha’s Vineyard Airport

Martha’s Vineyard Airport

Massachusetts

     The airport was opened in 1942 as an auxiliary air field for the U.S. Navy to train pilots for overseas duty.  After the war it was used for civilian aviation.

Click on images to enlarge.

Vintage Post Card View Of Martha's Vineyard Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of

Martha’s Vineyard Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of Martha's Vineyard Airport

Vintage Post Card View Of

Martha’s Vineyard Airport

Postcard view of a Northeast Airlines plane at Martha's Vineyard.

Postcard view of a Northeast Airlines plane at Martha’s Vineyard.

Prinster-Hogg Park – Scituate, R.I.

Prinster-Hogg Park

Scituate, Rhode Island

    

A View of Prinster-Hogg Park, Scituate, R.I.

A View of Prinster-Hogg Park, Scituate, R.I.

     On February 21, 1982, Pilgrim Airlines Flight 458 took off from New York’s La Guardia Airport bound for Boston carrying several passengers and a crew of two; the pilot, Thomas N. Prinster, and co-pilot, Lyle W. Hogg.  As the plane was passing over Rhode Island a fire erupted in the cockpit due to a malfunction with the alcohol-fed de-icing system.  As flames burned their clothing away, and smoke choked their lungs, Prinster and Hogg remained at the controls  and successfully brought the plane down for a crash landing on the frozen Scituate Reservoir.  Though badly burned themselves, they assisted the passengers from the burning wreckage and led them to safety at the shore.   One passenger was lost, but the outcome could have ben far worse.    

 

Prinster-Hogg Park, Scituate R.I. Large Engraved Rock

Prinster-Hogg Park, Scituate R.I.
Large Engraved Rock

     Today a memorial to the incident can be found in Prinster-Hogg park located at the intersections of Routes 102, 14, and Rockland Road, (Known locally as “Crazy Corners”.) in Scituate, Rhode Island. 

     For a more detailed account of the accident refer to the book, “Rhode Island Disasters – Tales of Tragedy By Air, Sea And Rail.” by Jim Ignasher, published through The History Press. (2010)  

 

Prinster-Hogg Park, Scituate, Rhode Island. Engraved Memorial

Prinster-Hogg Park, Scituate, Rhode Island.
Engraved Memorial

     Book Cover RI Dis.

Brainard Field, Hartford, CT.

Brainard Field – Hartford, Connecticut

     Today known as Hartford-Brainard Airport, located three miles from Downtown Hartford, Connecticut.

     The airfield opened in 1921, and is said to the the first municipal airfield in the United States.

     Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis here after making his world famous transatlantic flight in 1927. 

 

Early Post Card View Of Brainard Field,  Hartford, Connecticut

Early Post Card View Of Brainard Field,
Hartford, Connecticut

Linen Post Card Brainard Field, Connecticut

Linen Post Card Brainard Field, Connecticut

Former T.F. Green Airport Terminal, R.I.

Former Airport Terminal at T.F. Green Airport, Warwick, R.I. (Replaced by Current Terminal.)

Click on image to enlarge.

Connecticut State Police Aviation Patch

CSP Aviation

Click on image to enlarge.

Vintage St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Airport

Vintage St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Airport

Click on images to enlarge.

St. Johnsbury Airport Dedication Postal Cover

1930s Post Card View Of  St. Johnsbury, Vt. Airport

1930s Post Card View Of
St. Johnsbury, Vt. Airport

 

 

 

Vintage Claremont, N.H. Airport

Vintage Claremont, New Hampshire, Airport

Click on image to enlarge.

1930s Post Card View Of The Claremont, New Hampshire, Airport.

1930s Post Card View Of The

Claremont, New Hampshire, Airport.

Vintage Concord, N.H. Airport

Concord, New Hampshire, Airport

Click on image to enlarge.

1930s Post Card View Of Concord, New Hampshire, Airport.

1930s Post Card View Of
Concord, New Hampshire, Airport.

Vintage Air Mail Postage Stamps And Covers

Vintage Air Mail Postage Stamps And Covers

Click on images to enlarge them.

From time to time this page will be updated.

 

Early Air Mail Advertisement

Early Air Mail Advertisement

   

Issued In 1918

Issued In 1918

     Pictured above is the famous “Jenny” stamp, named for the Curtis Jenny airplane depicted in the center.  A run of “error” stamps was accidentally produced showing the airplane upside down, some of which made it into the public domain before the mistake was caught.  An “Inverted Jenny”, as these error stamps have come to be known, are today worth thousands of dollars.     

Issued In 1918

Issued In 1918

Issued In 1923

Issued In 1923

16 Cent Air Mail Stamp Issued August 17, 1923

16 Cent Air Mail Stamp
Issued August 17, 1923

De Havilland DH-4 Biplane Issued August 21, 1923

De Havilland DH-4 Biplane
Issued August 21, 1923

20 cent Air Mail Stamp Issued January 25, 1927

20 cent Air Mail Stamp
Issued January 25, 1927

Issued June of 1927

Issued June of 1927

Issued in 1928

Issued in 1928

Issued In 1930

Issued In 1930

Issued In 1930

Issued In 1930

Issued In 1930

Issued In 1930

Special Delivery Air Mail Issued August 30, 1934

Special Delivery Air Mail
Issued August 30, 1934

China Clipper Over The Pacific Issued February 15, 1937

China Clipper Over The Pacific
Issued February 15, 1937

Issued in 1938

1930s Costa Rica Air Mail Stamp

1930s Costa Rica Air Mail Stamp

1930s Costa Rica 2 Cent Air Mail Stamp

1930s Costa Rica 2 Cent Air Mail Stamp

1941 Air Mail First Day Cover

1941 Air Mail First Day Cover

Issued In 1941

Issued In 1941

1946 Air Mail First Day Issue

1946 Air Mail First Day Issue

Issued In Sept. of 1946

1947 Air Mail First Day Issue

1947 Air Mail First Day Issue

Issued In 1947

Issued In 1947

1947 Air Mail First Day Issue

1947 Air Mail First Day Issue

1949 Airmail Envelope

1949 Airmail Envelope

Wright Brothers Air Mail Stamp Issued December 17, 1949

Wright Brothers Air Mail Stamp
Issued December 17, 1949

50th Anniversary Of Powered Flight  Air Mail Issued May 29, 1953

50th Anniversary Of Powered Flight
Air Mail
Issued May 29, 1953

Circa 1950s Employ Epileptics Air Mail Stamp

Circa 1950s Employ Epileptics Air Mail Stamp

Issued July 31, 1958

Issued July 31, 1958

Alaska Statehood Air Mail Stamp Issued January 3, 1959

Alaska Statehood Air Mail Stamp
Issued January 3, 1959

Liberty Bell Air Mail Stamp Issued June 10, 1960

Liberty Bell Air Mail Stamp
Issued June 10, 1960

1962 Air Mail First Day Issue

1962 Air Mail First Day Issue

50th Anniversary Of U.S. Air Mail Service Issued May 15, 1968

50th Anniversary Of U.S. Air Mail Service
Issued May 15, 1968

20 Cent Air Mail Stamp Issued November 22, 1968

20 Cent Air Mail Stamp
Issued November 22, 1968

Issued September 9, 1969

Issued September 9, 1969

Issued July 13, 1971

Issued July 13, 1971

Issued In 1980

Philip Mazzei Air Mail Stamp Issued October 13, 1980

Philip Mazzei Air Mail Stamp
Issued October 13, 1980

Airmail Centennial Stamp
2018

 

 

Moose Mountain, NH – October 25, 1968

Moose Mountain, New Hampshire – October 25, 1968

      

     At 5:42 p.m. on October 25, 1968, Northeast Airlines Flight 946 left Boston for Lebanon, and Montpelier, New Hampshire. The aircraft was a Fairchild Hiller FH – 227C, (Registration # N380NE) with thirty-nine passengers and a crew of three aboard; pilot, co-pilot, and a stewardess.

     The flight was originally scheduled to depart at 4:55 p.m., but there had been a delay in getting the aircraft to the gate for passenger loading.

     At 6:08 p.m., the flight was cleared for approach to Lebanon Airport.

clouds

     At 6:11 p.m., the crew notified the Lebanon Flight Service Station that they were on a standard instrument approach, and requested a Lebanon weather report. They were advised of overcast conditions and calm winds. This was the last communication with the aircraft. Not long afterwards the plane crashed on the north side of Moose Mountain about 8.2 nautical miles northeast of Lebanon Airport. The impact occurred about 57 feet below the summit.

     In the NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, (NSTB-AAR-70-7) one unidentified surviving passenger described the final moments leading up to the crash.

     “…As we approached Lebanon, the cloud cover had been gradually thinning and before we began our descent, ground had been visible in patches between the clouds for several minutes. On the early part of the descent, the ground continued to be visible. After the turn to the final approach, with the wheels down, we were flying between two nearly vertical cloud banks in the gentle smooth descent which I described in my prior statement.   There was no cloud directly below us, and the level of the base of the clouds at this point was slightly below the level of the aircraft so that the ground was clearly visible under the cloud to a substantial distance ahead and to the side. I was looking out and observed a pond and that the terrain had very few roads and no houses.

     As we continued our descent, I continued to observe and watched the slope of the ground rising ahead of us at about twenty degrees in the direction of the flight. We were so near the ground at this time that I could clearly see the individual trees which appeared fist size and began to look ahead in the direction of the flight for airport approach lights as I assumed that we must be very near the touch down point. I observed the rising ground until I suddenly lost all visibility as we had entered a cloud.

     After a few seconds in the cloud, I felt the initial impact which was gentle and seemed no more severe than a normal touch down. I do not remember any severe impact.”

     According to the report, other survivors described the impact as “smooth”, “not a crash, but more of a settling”, and “a rough landing”.

     Upon hitting the mountain, the plane plowed its way through trees and immediately caught fire after coming to rest. All ten of the survivors were seated in the rear of the aircraft, and managed to escape through the rear service door or by squeezing through openings in the fuselage. In all, seventeen people managed to escape the flames, but seven were fatally injured and succumbed to their injuries before help arrived. The injuries to the remaining survivors ranged from lacerations to broken bones.  

     Darkness, the remote location of the crash, combined with rain and freezing temperatures hindered rescue efforts. Those who could, made their way down the mountain on their own, while the rest were air lifted off by helicopter. The helicopters landed on the green at Dartmouth College, and from there the survivors were transported to Mary Hitchcock Hospital.

   The crash site is located at longitude 72 degrees, 8’.7 west, and latitude 43 degrees 43’.3 north, at an elevation of approximately 2, 237 feet.

     Sources:

     NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB-AAR-70-7

     New York Times, “32 of 42 On Plane Killed In New Hampshire Crash”, October 26, 1968

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack McGee – Early Daredevil Of The Rhode Island Skies

Jack McGee –  Early Daredevil Of The Rhode Island Skies 

By Jim Ignasher 

 

John Francis McGee Pawtucket Historical Society Photo

John Francis McGee
Photo credit: Elizabeth J. Johnson Pawtucket History Research Center, Pawtucket Library

     It was the Wright Brothers who set the standard for what a mechanically powered aircraft should look like, and each subsequent builder copied their basic design.   Early airplanes were flimsy compared to what came later, jokingly held together with bubble gum and bailing wire; home built products manufactured in barns, (or bicycle shops) and not in hi-tech factories.  Some actually flew; many did not; and those that could, didn’t always stay in the air.  Accidents were common, but that didn’t deter young men like Pawtucket’s Jack McGee from climbing into one of those “newfangled flying contraptions” and taking to the sky.  

     John Francis McGee was born in Central Falls, Rhode Island, on June 18, 1885.  One could say he was born at just the right time in history to make his mark as an aviator, for he witnessed the dawn of mechanical flight; a time when there were no manuals, no regulations, and safety was a matter of perspective.  It was an era when daring young men made up the rules as they went along while at the same time teaching themselves how to fly.

     When he was four, Jack’s father moved the family to Maine, but they returned to settle in Pawtucket in 1900.  In his youth, Jack worked in a machine shop which gave him valuable experience with engines that would come in handy later on while working on his airplanes. 

     Jack’s interest in mechanics led to an interest in automobiles, which led to his learning how to drive one.  This acquired skill eventually landed him a chauffeur’s job with J. C. McCoy of Barrington.  Mr. McCoy was an aviator in his own right, and in the spring of 1911 he had Jack drive him to an air show in Massachusetts.  It was there that McGee decided he wanted to fly.       

     After borrowing money from a friend, McGee enrolled in the Atwood Aviation School in Cliftondale, (Saugus) Massachusetts.  He was a quick study, and flew at the controls, with an instructor aboard, after only three flights. 

     There were no pilot licensing standards or requirements in those days for there were no state or federal regulatory agencies that required one.  It was up to the student, with input from his instructor, to determine for himself when he had enough experience to fly alone. Most students took the matter under serious consideration, for aircraft technology was still in the developmental stages, and one mistake in the air could mean a messy end on the ground.  McGee continued taking lessons when he could afford them, finally making his first solo flight on August 18, 1912.     

Jack McGee in his "Kite"  Pawtucket (RI) Historical Society Photo

Jack McGee in his “Kite”
Photo credit: Elizabeth J. Johnson Pawtucket History Research Center, Pawtucket Library

     It was also in 1912 that McGee purchased his first airplane, a Burgess-Wright bi-plane, for the princely sum of $3,050, which he affectionately called “The Kite”.  The name resembled the aircraft’s construction; wood, wires, and canvas, powered by a small smoke belching, oil-spitting, engine.  The aircraft was primitive by today’s standards, and its seemingly flimsy construction left many wondering how Jack was able to perform such daring feats with it and still live. Yet as rickety as it was, those who could afford it, quickly lined up to pay for a short ride.

      McGee briefly teamed up with another promising young aviator by the name of Farnum T. Fish who had participated in air shows in the western United States. It was while flying with Fish on the afternoon of July 9, 1912, over Revere Beach, Massachusetts, that McGee experienced what was to be the first of thirteen plane crashes that he would survive during his career.  On that day, while Fish was passing low over the water, a wing dipped sending the craft into the surf.

     Jack asked his friend, Pawtucket businessman Joseph Boyle, to be his manager, and Boyle did such an excellent job of promotion that crowds estimated to be as large as fifty-thousand people would come to watch McGee perform his stunts.  Yet despite the large crowds, the money was slow to roll in.  There were operational expenses and loans to pay off, and McGee often went without food so he could feed his passion for flying.  

     In August of 1912, Boyle got McGee a $1,000 contract to fly from Saugus, Massachusetts, to Newport, Rhode Island, to perform stunts for the Newport Beach Association.  The flight and exhibition were scheduled for August 25th. 

     However, things began to go awry when McGee left Saugus and ran into strong winds which blew his tiny airplane out over Boston Harbor and towards the sea.  Its engine was no match against Mother Nature, and had the wind not shifted he could have been a goner.  He managed to set down on a race track in Boston and contacted Boyle in Newport with the news that he wasn’t going to make it that day.  The news was disappointing to say the least, for not only were thousands awaiting McGee in Newport, thousands more were waiting in Pawtucket because Boyle had promised Jack would stop in that city on his way to Newport.  Boyle was left with only one option; postpone the events by one day and drive to Boston to help Jack prepare for another flight. 

     Jack took off from Boston the following morning, but when he arrived over Pawtucket he found the city shrouded in fog.  One of the few visual landmarks available to him was the smokestack of the Hand Brewery, next to which he knew was a relatively flat section of land where he could set down.  In the meantime, Boyle returned to Newport and explained that Jack’s arrival would be delayed yet another day.    

McGee's Wrecked Airplane Pawtucket Historical Society Photo

McGee’s Wrecked Airplane
Photo credit: Elizabeth J. Johnson Pawtucket History Research Center, Pawtucket Library

     The following morning a large crowed gathered to see McGee off, but more bad luck stymied his trip when he crashed into a tree on takeoff because someone had left a baby carriage in his path. McGee escaped without injury, but the right wing was damaged further preventing his departure to Newport.

     McGee didn’t have the funds to repair his airplane, and without it, he couldn’t full-fill his contract.  When news of his predicament spread, the good citizens of Pawtucket came to his rescue by taking up a collection.  With the wing repaired, McGee was once again on his way to Newport. 

     In Newport, Jack was invited to attend an exclusive party held by Mrs. Belmont on Easton’s Beach.  Jack graciously accepted and presented Mrs. Belmont with a yellow banner that read, “Votes For Women”.  (At that time, Mrs. Belmont was a leader in the fight for women’s voting rights.)  The publicity from Jack’s frustrating trip to Newport, and subsequent high society party invitation gained him national publicity. 

     After Newport, he embarked on an exhibition tour around Rhode Island giving shows at places like Crescent Park, Rocky Point, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket.  His “headquarters” was located in a special hangar at the Pawtucket Driving Park off Newport Avenue.  It was here that he survived yet another crash which put his plane out of commission for several days.  

     In all, McGee survived thirteen crashes during his career and was once quoted as saying, “It is a general belief among aviators that, if they remain in the flying game long enough, they will eventually be killed.  I know that I will be killed some day if I fly too long.”  But crashing wasn’t his only worry.  On September 3, 1912, he and his airplane were shot at by an irate hunter while passing over some woods in Danbury, Connecticut.  The bullet barely missed him as it embedded itself in the plane’s control panel.    

Early Post Card View Of Fort Adams

Early Post Card View Of Fort Adams

     The day before that incident, McGee had gone to Newport to prove a point to the military men stationed at Fort Adams and the naval torpedo station on Goat Island that they were vulnerable to aerial attack by airplanes. McGee was a visionary who foresaw a time when aircraft would have practical military applications, an idea that was slow to be accepted by the armed forces, who saw the airplane as nothing more than a toy for the wealthy and the foolish.  This notion by the military was not completely without merit, for World War I was still two years away, and the unreliability of pre-war aircraft, coupled with the high mortality rate of pilots, led many to feel that airplanes were nothing more than a passing fad.

 

Early Post Card View Of The U.S. Navy Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I.

Early Post Card View Of The U.S. Navy Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I.

     On the morning of September 2, 1912, McGee took off with bags of flour to drop as “bombs” over his intended targets.  McGee knew what he was doing for he had taken part in bomb dropping contests at air meets in Massachusetts, reportedly winning prizes for his accuracy.  As he came in high over Fort Adams he let a few bags fall.  When they struck the parade ground and parapets they burst apart in simulated blasts.  Attached to each bag was a note: “What if this were 16 percent nitroglycerine?”  He did the same at the naval torpedo station, and fortunately no irate soldiers took pot-shots at him. Naturally military commanders weren’t pleased with the stunt, but McGee had proven his point.  

     McGee was flying in an age when aviation records for speed, distance, altitude, and endurance, were constantly being set and broken. The ultimate achievement for any aviator of that era would be to fly across the Atlantic, something that had never been done before.  Doing so was easier said than done, for aviation technology hadn’t yet reached the point where making such a trip had any real chance of success.  Despite any limitations with his aircraft, in May of 1913, McGee announced his plans to try.  It wasn’t just a place in the history books that he was after, it was the $50,000 purse offered by the British Aero Club to the first aviator(s) who could do it.  Fifty-thousand dollars in 1913 was a fortune, and certainly would have secured McGee’s financial situation for life.      

Pawtucket, Rhode Island - As Jack McGee Saw It.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island – As Jack McGee Saw It.

     McGee’s plan called for naval vessels to be spaced a few hundred miles apart all across the Atlantic from Newfoundland to England to act as refueling stations for his pontoon equipped airplane.  It seemed simple enough in theory, and he set his departure date for July 4, 1913.  

    Of course executing such a plan would require money, and lots of it, as well as an incredible amount of logistical planning and cooperation by the U.S. Navy and any other foreign vessels involved.  It is perhaps for this reason that investors were reluctant to put money towards the project forcing McGee to cancel his plans. 

     On July 28, 1913, McGee and a companion survived another accident, this time splashing down in the middle of Narragansett Bay.  The plane sank beneath the waves and soon afterwards a reward was posted to anyone who recovered it. 

     More than a few rose to the challenge, for besides the reward, there was the publicity, but in the days before underwater sonar, locating it would be purely a matter of luck. The aircraft was finally located and recovered by accident on August 10th by a boat dragging for oysters.

     McGee’s fame was a lure for souvenir hunters who eagerly sought artifacts from his wrecked airplanes.  Several artifacts ranging from propellers to wing struts connected with McGee’s planes are known to have survived to this day and are in the hands of private collectors.

      Though he himself flew, McGee tried to discourage those he cared about from following in his footsteps.  One such person was his good friend Leo Leeburn, to whom McGee had given basic flight training.  Mr. Leeburn later went on to join the Army as a flight instructor during World War I, and served as an airbase commander in World War II, eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

     Another friend was Henry Connors, who went on to command the Rhode Island National Guard.  One day he and McGee raced from Rumford to Crescent Park, Connors in his automobile, and Jack in his airplane – Jack won.         

Rocky Point Park, Warwick, R.I. - A once popular destination.  McGee and other early aviators flew their planes here.

Rocky Point Park, Warwick, R.I. – A once popular destination. McGee and other early aviators flew their planes here.

      In 1914, Jack purchased a seaplane capable of traveling 70 mph. In May of that year, he was paired with a man who was to parachute from his airplane at an exhibition at Rocky Point. The plan was for the man to ride on one of the plane’s pontoons until they reached an altitude of about 3,500 feet. Unfortunately, the man weighed too much and McGee was unable to take off.  After several unsuccessful attempts, 17-year-old John Downey of Providence approached McGee and offered to perform the stunt.  At first McGee declined, but the youth insisted, so a contract was hastily drawn up which the boy took to his father to sign.  For never having any formal instruction in leaping with a parachute, Downey reportedly performed admirably, and even returned for an encore performance the following day.      

     It was also in 1914 that World War I broke out in Europe, and Jack was courted by the French Government to join their military aviation corps to instruct their pilots, but he declined their offer.

     One news snippet which appeared in a magazine known as Aerial Age, on March 22, 1915, stated that McGee had been selected by B. Stephens & Sons of Providence, R. I., “to exclusively fly its hydro-areoplane, the first machine of the kind ever made by a Rhode Island concern which has the added distinction of being driven by the first 12-cylinder air-cooled marine engine ever made in America.”  The company was located at Fields Point.  

     In the summer of 1917 McGee accepted a position as a test pilot for Gallaudet Aircraft Corporation of Warwick, Rhode Island.  By now, America had entered the war and the Navy had given Gallaudet a contract to build seaplanes for the war effort.     

Jack McGee's Grave - Mount St. Mary's Cemetery,  Pawtucket, R.I.

Jack McGee’s Grave – Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery,
Pawtucket, R.I.

     The job of a test pilot is a dangerous one.  Those who designed the planes had a theoretical knowledge of what the craft’s capabilities might be, but it was the test pilot’s job to make sure they were right, and to see if it was capable of doing more. 

      On June 11, 1918, while testing one of Gallaudet’s planes on Greenwich Bay, the aircraft suddenly nosed over in the water.  Those who witnessed the event reported an explosion just after the impact, but officials later denied that an explosion had occurred. In any event, McGee was trapped in the overturned wreckage and drowned.  He was 33.

     Jack was survived by his wife of less than six months, Miss H. Louise Morris of Pawtucket.          

     Jack’s prediction that he would eventually die in an airplane accident proved prophetic, but some might say it was inevitable.  During his seven year career he performed hundreds of aerial feats that had killed lesser pilots, and had cheated death in at least thirteen crashes.  Over the years, and there have been several attempts to have a permanent memorial erected to his honor, including the naming of a state airport, but unfortunately all efforts have been unsuccessful. 

     Update: Today a bronze plaque to McGee’s achievements is located at the entrance to Slater Park in Pawtucket.

 

 

Mystery WWII Aircraft – Martha’s Vineyard – 1958

Mystery WWII Aircraft – Martha’s Vineyard – 1958

Updated July 13, 2017

    

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat U.S. Navy photo

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On July 8, 1958, a fishing boat out of New Bedford, Mass. was dragging its nets off the western coast of Martha’s Vineyard when the nets snagged the wreckage of a WWII era navy aircraft.  The boat dragged the wreck to shallow waters about a quarter mile off an area locally known as Menemsha Bight, then placed a marker buoy on it, before proceeding to port at the Vineyard.

     There the captain of the boat encountered three divers at the dock, and asked one of them to check the condition of his boat propeller because he felt the snarled nets may have damaged it.  Afterwards, the divers, Percy Kingsley, of Cranston, R. I., James Cahill, of Danvers, Mass., and Bradford W. Luther Jr., of Fairhaven, Mass., went to explore the wreck.  

     The wreck was in about 15 feet of water, and heavily encrusted with marine life, which obscured any identification numbers, but the paint colors established it as a navy plane.  In the cockpit they found human bones, some of which they collected, along with an oxygen mask, a flying boot, and what may have been a life raft, and turned them over to the Coast Guard.     

     A navy salvage vessel out of Quonset Point, Rhode Island, was dispatched to the scene to attempt to raise the wreck.  Divers from the salvage boat identified the wreck as a Grumman Hellcat of World War II vintage.  However, it was not specifically stated in the newspaper articles whether or not the plane was actually recovered.  If the marine life could be removed, the identification numbers from the tail would identify the aircraft, and who had been flying it. 

     However, recovery of the wreck may have been possible, and it may have been photographed instead, because it was reported that photographs of the plane’s instrument panel had been forwarded to Washington for further identification.  

     The bones recovered from the cockpit were sent to Quonset Point Naval Air Station where it was reported that the senior medical officer, Captain M. H. Goodwin, planned to seek instructions from the Navy Bureau of Medicine.   (This was in a time long before DNA testing was available.)

     The Quonset public information officer told reporters that there had been only one inquiry about the remains found, and it came firm a man whom the navy did not identify, but said a member of his family had been lost during the war on a flight from his air craft carrier to Quonset Point. 

      As of this writing, the name of the pilot is unknown.  

          Sources:

     Providence Journal, “Remains Of Unknown Plane, Pilot Found”, July 9, 1958, Pg. 14

     Providence Journal, “Identification Of Pilot Sought”, July 12, 1958, Pg. 2      

     Vineyard Gazette, “Final Chapter In One Or More Plane Crashes Near”, July 14, 1958

 

  

The Disappearance Of Lieutenant Jg. Arthur J. Cassidy Jr. – March 30, 1943

The Disappearance of

Lieutenant (Jg.) Arthur J. Cassidy Jr. – March 30, 1943

    

U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4)  U.S. Navy Photo

U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4)
U.S. Navy Photo

     On March 30, 1943, a late winter storm blew into New England from across New York.  It was nothing significant in relation to its duration, or the amount of snowfall, but it was underestimated, and left behind a mystery that to this day has never been solved.   

     On that day the USS Ranger (CV-4) was steaming off the coast of Massachusetts heading towards the Boston Navy Yard for some refitting.  As a precaution, the ship’s aircraft were to be sent inland.  Below decks the pilots joked in the ready room as the planes were fueled for takeoff.  Their final destination was to be Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island, but first they were to stop at Squantum Naval Air Station in Quincy, Massachusetts, and obtain an updated weather forecast.  If it was favorable, they were to proceed to Quonset.  If not, they were to wait at Squantum.

     Unfortunately, this information was not relayed properly to the pilots, and as a result, all aircraft headed directly for Quonset and flew head-on into the storm.  There were thirty aircraft in total; twenty-five F4F Wildcat fighters, four SBD Dauntless dive bombers, and one TBF Avenger torpedo bomber.      

Lt. Jg. Arthur J. Cassidy (left) aboard the USS Ranger with "Red Ripper's" insignia on jacket.  National Archived Photo

Lt. Jg. Arthur J. Cassidy (left) aboard the USS Ranger with “Red Ripper’s” insignia on jacket.
National Archived Photo

     As bad weather closed in visibility dropped to zero.  The cloud cover began at 200 feet and extended all the way up to 7000 with icing conditions.  It wasn’t long before the aircraft got separated, and in some cases lost. Radio communications became garbled with intermittent static, leaving each pilot to his own devices.  

     The first aircraft to run into trouble was an SBD Dauntless, (Bu. No. 06826) piloted by Lt. Lukes M. Boykin.  His aircraft developed carburetor icing and was forced down in the water off Swampscott, Massachusetts.  Fortunately he and his radioman H. H. Reed were rescued by the Coast Guard.      

     Meanwhile, Wildcat #12196 piloted by Lt. Theodore A. Grell went down over Fall River, Massachusetts, most likely due to ice buildup.  Fortunately, Grell was able to bail out safely from an altitude of barely 200 feet!     

 

 

Red Rippers squadron insignia

Red Rippers squadron insignia

     Other members of the Ranger’s aircraft contingent were also in trouble.  Three Wildcat aircraft, #12143, #12186, and # 12179), got lost and wound up low on fuel over the small town of New Paltz in upstate New York.  After circling for several minutes they made an emergency landing in an open field. 

     Despite the accidents, by the end of the day all of the Ranger’s airmen had been accounted for except for Lieutenant (Jg.) Arthur Cassidy.  A check of all New England airfields revealed that he had not landed at any of them, nor had any municipalities reported any downed aircraft that the military wasn’t aware of. 

     The last possible sighting of Cassidy and his aircraft came from a woman in Attleboro, Massachusetts, who reported that she had seen a navy plane in distress over the North Attleboro area about 4:00 p.m. the day of the storm. It should be noted that there was no proof that the plane the woman saw was actually Cassidy’s aircraft, but with nothing else to go on, the navy took it as such, and began an intensive search.      

U.S. Navy Wildcat like the one Lt. Jg. Cassidy vanished in March 30, 1943. U.S. Navy Photo

U.S. Navy Wildcat like the one Lt. Jg. Cassidy vanished in March 30, 1943.
U.S. Navy Photo

     Media outlets were notified, and others came forward claiming to have seen a plane in trouble, but despite their eagerness to help, none of the witnesses were able to provide any useful information.  

     A massive air and ground search was conducted involving hundreds of military men, police, fire, and civilian volunteers. The search was widened to include several nearby towns in the Attleboro region as well as northern Rhode Island, but no trace of the plane or Lt. Cassidy was ever found. Some thought the Wildcat might have gone down in a large pond or reservoir, but according to one news account, the Navy discounted this idea with no explanation as to why.  

     On April 2, while the search for Cassidy was continuing, the Ranger left Boston for Argentina.  World War II went on.  Servicemen were transferred.  The military prepared for the invasion of Europe, and new headlines replaced the old.  The storm of March 30th and its aftermath were soon forgotten, and the mystery of what happened to Lt. Cassidy faded from memory.             

     So, what happened to Lt. Cassidy and his Wildcat?  There are several possibilities.

     One is that the plane went down in a remote area and disintegrated on impact.  Most New England towns were fairly rural in 1943.  Any explosion could have been muffled by the weather, and snow cover would have limited the spread of fire.     

Did Lt. Jg. Cassidy crash in western Massachusetts or some other remote area of New England?

Did Lt. Jg. Cassidy crash in western Massachusetts or some other remote area of New England?

     If Cassidy got disoriented like the three pilots who wound up in upstate New York, he might have flown to western Massachusetts where he could have gone down in the remote Berkshire Hills, or New York, or points north, such as Vermont and New Hampshire. 

     Another theory is that Cassidy unknowingly overshot Rhode Island due to the zero-visibility, and flew out over the ocean, not realizing his mistake until it was too late.      

     And despite what the navy said, it’s also possible he crashed in a large body of water such as a lake or a reservoir.  Maps of the search area, including northern Rhode Island, show several bodies of deep water large enough to swallow a Wildcat.  Since few reservoirs allow swimming or boating, it’s unlikely that a plane at the bottom would be discovered.  

     And perhaps the wreckage of Cassidy’s Wildcat has been found, only those who found it, didn’t know what it was, for WWII aviation wreck sites can be hard to distinguish to the untrained eye. Is there a hunter of hiker somewhere who has seen twisted portions of metal lying in the woods and never thought about it because it has always been there?  Maybe some fisherman knows of an aircraft related shape lying at the bottom of a body of water. Reporting such a find could lead to the answer of what happened to Lt. Cassidy.

     The serial number of Lt. Cassidy’s Wildcat is 11740, and his military service ID number is 0-098451.  This information is provided should anything be found.        

Navy Report on  Lt. Jg. Cassidy's disappearance. #43-6393 CLICK TO ENLARGE

Navy Report on
Lt. Jg. Cassidy’s disappearance.
#43-6393
CLICK TO ENLARGE

Cassidy report continuation. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Cassidy report continuation.
CLICK TO ENLARGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Arthur J. Cassidy Jr. was born in New York City, July 5, 1919, to Arthur and Marion (Meehan) Cassidy.    

     He graduated from Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, N.Y. in 1940, and entered the United States Naval reserve as a pilot cadet. 

     He served with Fighting Squadron 41 (VF-41) aboard the USS Ranger, and took part in Operation Torch, flying air support in the invasion of North Africa.

     Cassidy had survived two previous plane accidents. On May 8, 1942, he made a forced landing on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The second accident occurred May 21, 1942, while landing aboard the USS Charger, an escort carrier anchored in Chesapeake Bay.

     On February 26, 1943, he applied for a marriage license at the Cranston, (R. I.) City Hall, and was married to Marie Magdelaine Marchesseault on March 1st.   Their address was 99 Muran Street, Cranston.

     On March 31, 1944, Lt. Cassidy was officially declared dead by the navy. (Book 13, Pg. 213)

 Sources:

U.S. Navy Report of Cassidy disappearance 43-6393

Attleboro Sun, “Plane Reported Missing In North Attleboro”, April 1, 1943, Pg. 1

Attleboro Sun, “Blimp In Search For Lost Plane”, April, 1943, Pg. 1

Attleboro Sun, “No Word Of Missing Plane”, April 3, 1943, Pg. 1

Providence Journal, “Plane Reported Missing By Navy”, April 1, 1943, Pg. 27

Pawtucket Times, “Navy Plane Sought In North Attleboro”, April 1, 1943, Pg. 1

Fall River Herald News, “Navy Plane Feared Lost”, April 1, 1943, Pg.1

Cranston Herald, “Cranston Flier Reported Missing”, April 8, 1943, Pg. 6

Woonsocket Call, “Navy Plane Lost In Bay State Area”, April 1, 1943

City of Cranston, Rhode Island, vital records

www.wwiimemorial.com

 

U.S. Marine Corps O2U Corsair (A-7661)

U.S. Marine Corps O2U Corsair, Bu. No. A-7661

U.S. Marine Corps O2U Corsair, Bu. No. A-7661

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