The five originalphotos of the planes landing in the August 16 and 17, 1927 first Trans-Pacificflight from California to Honolulu, Hawaii.No doubt these original photos are very scarce if not rare.
The race was in response to CharlesLindbergh\'s Trans-Atlantic flight three months earlier. The five photos came from and estate inCalifornia (all found in the same small cardboard pouch). The crowd in the photos are clearly dressedin 1920\'s clothing. The race from California to Honolulu was organized by JamesD. Dole (of Pineapple fame) with a $25,000 prize for the winning plane and$10,000 for second place.
In one photo the back of the jacketsof the Honolulu airport ground crew members and backs of the jackets areclearly printed in bold letters and state
\"TRANS PACIFIC FLIGHT,HONOLULU\".
One photoshows the plane landing at the Honolulu airport.
The secondphoto shows the Honolulu ground crew and a crowd around the just landedplane. One man to the right of the planeappears to be holding a plaque.
The otherthree photos show the interior of the planes cabin including the controlgauges, altitude, speed, compass, etc.
The race started on August 16, 1927and the winning plane Woolorac piloted by Goebel and Davis landed 26 hours and17 minutes later in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The larger photos are 4 1/2 x 2 3/4inches in size. One of the smallerphotos of the interior of the plane does have many crinkles and otherwise thephotos look very nice. Please see the other vintage items that I have listed on. Payment is by PayPal.Thanks for looking.
TheDole Air Race was an airrace to cross the PacificOcean from the coast of northern Californiato the Territory of Hawaii.
The race
Inspiredby Charles A. Lindbergh\'ssuccessful trans-Atlantic flight, JamesD. Dole, the Hawaiipineapplemagnate, put up a prize of US$25,000 for the first fixed-wing aircraft to flythe 3870 kilometers (2400 miles) from Oakland, Californiato Honolulu, Hawaii,and US$10,000 for second place.
Therace began on 16 August 1927. The fifteen competitors were seen off by a crowdestimated to include 75,000 to 100,000 persons.
However,the honor of being the first to make a trans-Pacific flight had already beenearned, twice over. On 28 June, about a month after Dole posted the prizes, United States ArmyLieutenants Lester J. Maitlandand Albert F. Hegenbergerflew a three-engine FokkerC-2 military aircraft from Oakland Airportto Wheeler Army Airfieldon Oahuin 25 hours and 50 minutes. Then, on 14 July, Ernie Smithand Emory Bronte,took off from Oakland in the City of Oakland, a small Travel Air 5000civilian monoplane, and, upon running out of fuel 26 hours and 36 minuTesla Referralter, crash-landed in a thorn tree on Molokai.Dole disqualified both of them from his prizes because they did not land inHonolulu.
Thedrawing for starting position in the Dole race was held on 8 August in theoffice of C. W. Saunders,California director of the National Aeronautics Association,in the Matson Building in San Francisco, California.
Twodays after the drawing, United States NavyLieutenants George D. Covelland R. S. Waggenertook off from San Diego, Californiain their Tremaine Humming Bird,to fly to Oakland, flew into a fog bank, crashed into an ocean cliff, and died.The next day, Arthur V. Rogerstook off for a test flight at Western Air ExpressField at Montebello, California,circled, came about to land, suddenly dived into the ground, and died.
Meanwhile,Mildred Doran,Auggy Pedlar,and Vilas R. Knopewere flying into Oakland when their aircraft developed engine trouble. Theysuccessfully landed in a wheat field in the San Joaquin Valley,but had trouble making repairs because they no longer had any tools. Doran wasquoted as stating, \"We threw [the tools] off at Long Beach because theywere in the way and cluttering things up.\"
Then,on 11 August, as J. L. Giffinand Theodore S. Lundgrenapproached Oakland, their aircraft, an International CF-10Triplane, the Pride of Los Angeles,crashed into San Francisco Bay.The two men were unhurt, though.
By16 August, the starting lineup had diminished to eight:
Golden Eagle,the prototype Lockheed Vega 1monoplane,NX913, flown by Jack Frostand navigated by Gordon Scott
Aloha,a Breese-Wilde 5 Monoplane,NX914, flown by MartinJensen and navigated by Paul Schluter
Woolaroc,a Travel Air 5000,NX869, flown by Arthur C. Goebeland navigated by William V. Davis Jr.
Miss Doran,a Buhl CA-5 Air Sedan,NC2915, flown by Auggy Pedlar,navigated by Vilas R. Knope,and carrying Mildred Doran
Oklahoma,a Travel Air 5000sister ship of Woolaroc, \'NX911, piloted by BennettGriffin and navigated by Al Henley
Dallas Spirit,a Swallow Monoplane,NX941, flown by William Portwood Erwinand navigated by Alvin Eichwaldt
El Encanto,a Goddard Specialmetal monoplane, NX5074, flown by Norman A. Goddardand Kenneth C. Hawkins,which was heavily favored in the pre-race odds
Pabco Flyer,a Breese-Wilde Monoplane,NX646, flown alone by Livingston Irving
Theinitial take offs were plagued with trouble. Just before 11am, Oklahomatook off. The crew would eventually abort the flight over San Francisco. Shewas followed by El Encanto, which had not cleared the runway before sheswerved and crashed. Pabco Flyer lifted momentarily into the air, thencrashed some 7000 feet from the runway. Their crews were not hurt. GoldenEagle took off smoothly and flew out of sight. Miss Doran succeededin taking off, but circled back and landed less than ten minutes later. Then DallasSpirit returned to Oakland. Aloha and Woolaroc took offuneventfully, and Miss Doran succeeded on her second attempt. PabcoFlyer also tried and crashed a second time.
Woolarocwon the race in 26 hours, 17 minutes, earning Goebel and Davis US$25,000. Alohaarrived in 28 hours, 16 minutes, earning Jensen and Schluter US$10,000. NeitherGolden Eagle nor Miss Doran were ever seen again.
Thesearch for the Golden Eagle and Miss Doran was aided by threesubmarines, USSR-8, USSS-42, and USSS-46. After repairing Dallas Spirit, Erwin and Eichwaldt joined the searchleaving Oakland for Honolulu. They were never seen again, either.
Woolarochas survived and is on display at the WoolarocMuseum in Oklahoma.
