Harold Bromley's airplane the "City of Tacoma" poised at the top of the ramp prior to its July 28, 1929 take off. Bromley and his plane were financed by a group of Tacoma businessmen, the most voluble being lumber magnate John Buffelen, who wanted to put Tacoma on the map, in the same way that Lindberg made "St. Louis" a household world. The whole city of Tacoma supported the dashing Bromley, even voting a $300,000 bond to build a 5,400 foot air strip. A 100 foot wooden ramp was constructed at the beginning of the runway. The plane was placed at the top of the ramp. When the plane rolled off, it would gain momentum equivalent to another 1,000 feet of runway. At 6:08a.m., the huge monoplane roared down the ramp, veered sharply and crashed about 1,500 feet after its take off.

Military men and newspaper photographers surround Harold Bromley's plane "City of Tacoma" after it crashed in one of the first attempts to make a solo trans-Pacific flight. After Lindbergh's 1927 solo cross of the Atlantic in the "Spirit of St. Louis," a group of Tacoma businessmen decided to invest in a handsome and dapper Royal Air Force war hero named Harold Bromley who felt he could be the first to cross the Pacific and place their city's name in headlines all around the world. Bromley's first attempt failed in front of 27,000 spectators who had to be held back from stripping the crashed plane for souvenirs. BGN-723

On July 28, 1929 Harold Bromley's Lockheed Vega monoplane, the "City of Tacoma," failed to take off on his first attempt to fly solo across the Pacific from Tacoma to Tokyo. The huge orange low wing craft was designed specifically for this 4,762 mile flight, with a 48 foot wing span, a 425 horse power engine and tanks that held 900 gallons of fuel.. Bromley, a dashing twenty-nine year old Canadian native, was a former Royal Air Force Lieutenant, a barnstorming stunt man, a World War I hero and a "Tacoma Boy," who now taught aviation at the Tacoma air field. On take off, everything went wrong. The over-filled gas tanks drenched gasoline onto the windshield; as Bromley leaned to the side for a better look, gasoline spewed onto his goggles and into his eyes. The plane veered off the runway and crashed. Bromley escaped from the gasoline soaked vessel unharmed. The insured wreck was followed by two more "City of Tacoma " monoplanes designed by Lockheed, each of which crashed in test flights. The third plane crash, and resulting fire in May of 1930, killed the pilot testing the plane for Bromley. BGN-310L

On July 28, 1929, Harold Bromley took off in his big orange Lockheed monoplane, the "City of Tacoma," planning to fly into history books as the first pilot to make a solo trans-Pacific flight. Instead, overfilled gas tanks spewed gasoline blinding Bromley who crashed the plane. The plane ended nose down with the right wing badly damaged and the fuselage cracked in at least two places; while the left wing, tail and motor remained largely undamaged. The crowd of 25,000 there to view the dawn take off had to be held back, to keep them from stripping pieces from the gasoline drenched plane as souvenirs. BGN-310M

On August 12, 1929, men and women connected with Tacoma Airways aviation school lined up in front of two biplanes at the Mueller-Harkins airport with several automobiles further down the row. A Richfield service station is in the distance. TPL-532; G12.1-001

Tacoma Airways (Tacoma); Airline industry; Vocational education--Tacoma--1920-1930; Biplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Standing beneath this biplane's propeller on October 12, 1929, are four unidentified individuals. Both women and one man are wearing aviation headgear and goggles. The plane is marked "Bergersen-Sherman." An alternate photograph ran in the November 14, 1929, Tacoma Times indicating that these four flying enthusiasts recently soloed at Mueller-Harkins Airport. Unfortunately, their names were not listed but their occupations were given as "tugboat man," "auto man," school teacher and doctor's assistant. TPL-8074; G12.1-008 (T.Times 11-14-29, p. 2)

Biplanes; Airplanes; Airline industry;

Two planes, one much smaller than the other, at an unidentified field the day after Christmas, 1929. The larger plane, a biplane, has tarp covering the open pilot cockpit and passenger seating. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Airways. G12.1-027

Airplanes--1920-1930;

ca. 1929. Herb Fahey, Lockheed test pilot, presents Harold Bromley with a lucky rabbit's foot prior to Bromley's attempt to fly the Lockheed Vega monoplane the "City of Tacoma" from Tacoma to Tokyo. The woman standing between the men is believed to be Bromley's first wife. The rabbit's foot did not give off much good luck since Bromley was blinded by gasoline spewing from overfilled tanks and crashed during his first attempt at the trans Pacific crossing on take off. Fahey was the test pilot on the second "City of Tacoma" which crashed in September of 1929 during testing. Fahey suffered a broken arm and skull fractures. He recovered but was killed months later test piloting another Lockheed plane. BGN-019

ca. 1929. The first "City of Tacoma" monoplane poised at the top of a ramp designed to give the plane more momentum on take off. On July 28, 1929, Harold Bromley intended to enter the history books as the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from Tacoma to Tokyo. The early dawn flight was scheduled to take off from Tacoma Field, an area that is now part of McChord Air Force base. The large orange Vega crashed on takeoff. BGN-310K

ca. 1929. Herb Fahey, Lockheed test pilot, presents Harold Bromley with his lucky rabbit's foot prior to Bromley's attempt to pilot the Lockheed Vega "City of Tacoma," shown in the background, from Tacoma to Tokyo. The monoplane crashed on take off July 28, 1929 when the tanks were overfilled and Bromley was blinded by flying gasoline. The plane was insured and Lockheed constructed a new plane, using some of the parts of the original. Fahey was the test pilot when the second plane crashed in September of 1929 during tests in California. Fahey was seriously injured but recovered, only to be killed months later in an unrelated Lockheed crash.

ca. 1929. Two men work at filling a plane with fuel from a truck that has two signs on it that read Red Crown Gasoline. This photograph was taken circa 1929.

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fuel tanks;

ca. 1929. People crowd around to view Harold Bromley's airplane, the "City of Tacoma," at the Tacoma Field. This picture was probably taken on July 19, 1929 when Bromley arrived at Tacoma Field after a flight of 8 hours 17 minutes from Los Angeles in his new bright orange Lockheed Vega monoplane. To the right was the temporary hangar erected for the plane, a wooden framework covered by canvas. The city also erected a new 5400 foot runway for the flight. Bromley and his plane had captured the attention and newspaper headlines of Tacoma. The newspapers rang out "Tacoma to Tokyo!" Bromley was planning, with the backing of Tacoma businessmen, to make the first transPacific flight, a distance of 4,762 miles. It would be the longest flight segment ever flown. Thousands crowded the airfield to see the plane and history in the making. On July 28, 1929, Bromley's roared down the runway from the top of a ramp. It proceeded down the runway before veering off to the left and crashing nose first in the ground. A dazed Bromley descended from the cockpit, now 9 feet from the ground due to the plane's 45 degree angle, unhurt.The plane had crashed when gasoline from the overloaded tanks blinded Bromley. The crowds rushed the plane in a mob, held off by a ring of firemen and officers surrounding the gasoline soaked plane.

Bromley, Harold--Associated objects; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Aeronautics--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1929. Harold Bromley in cockpit of his Lockheed airplane the "City of Tacoma" prior to his ill-fated July 28, 1929 attempt at a trans Pacific Tacoma to Tokyo flight. The all wood low wing monoplane was painted bright orange. The original design was the Vega, designed for Capt. Hubert Wilkins' Antarctic expedition. It was modified to have a larger engine and to hold enough gasoline for what would be the longest single flight ever undertaken. The handsome Bromley, 29 at the time of the flight, was a dashing Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, a former barnstormer and stunt pilot, who taught aviation at the fledgling Tacoma Airfield. The flight ended in disaster when spewing gasoline blinded Bromley in take off and the plane crashed nose down just off the runway, with Bromley's tail cockpit nine feet off the ground. Three more planes were built over the next 2 years, but Bromley never reached his goal of a record flight. He died at the age of 99 in 1997, after a full life as a pilot, a federal aviation inspector, a grape and date farmer and a real estate salesman. BGN-310J

ca. 1929. Harold Bromley posed in his Lockheed plane "City of Tacoma" at Tacoma Field, preparing for his July 28, 1929 flight from Tacoma to Tokyo. Excitement seized the nation as Charles Lindbergh conquered the Atlantic in 1927 and a flight across the Pacific beckoned as the next great prize. Bromley, then 28, persuaded a group of Tacoma businessmen headed by lumberman John Buffelen to financially support his efforts to make the alliterative "Tacoma to Tokyo" nonstop solo flight, putting their city's name on the aviation map. The "City of Tacoma," the low wing Lockheed monoplane created for the flight, weighed 8,850 pounds including its load, had an open cockpit near the wing, a Wasp 425 horsepower engine, a cruising speed of 150 miles per hour and carried 885 gallons of gasoline. There was a little room left over for three compasses, an inflatable raft, a flare gun and sandwiches. TPL-217

ca. 1929. Harold Bromley, on the right, and a second man, probably his benefactor John Buffelen, stand next to Bromley's Lockheed Vega monoplane, the "City of Tacoma." Between them they hold a map on which has been drawn the course that Bromley intended to fly, non-stop from Tacoma to Tokyo, a continuous trip of 4,700 miles. Buffelen and a group of Tacoma businessmen had funded the design and manufacture of the Lockheed plane, hoping to make Tacoma as famous as Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis." The plan ended in disaster. The first plane crashed on take off in front of a crowd of 25,000 at the Tacoma Field. The second and third planes crashed during test flights, the third crash killing test pilot H. W. Catling. The fourth plane was manufactured by Emsco; the plan adjusted to fly from Tokyo to Tacoma, taking advantage of tail winds. It flew for 24 hours, before exhaust fumes forced Bromley and co pilot and navigator Harold Gatty to return to Japan. The plane was stored in a Japanese hangar and the Tacoma money men were stopped by the Depression from ever funding another attempt at the record.

Bromley, Harold; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Aeronautics--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1929. Harold Bromley's airplane, the "City of Tacoma," being viewed at Tacoma Field by citizens in July of 1929. During the spring and summer of 1929, newspapers carried front page stories filled with the exciting news of Bromley's planned flight across the Pacific Ocean from Tacoma to Tokyo. Bromley and his backers had planned the flight for two years. The plane was being built by Lockheed in California, a bright orange low wing Vega monoplane. The final testing of the plane was done at the Muroc dry lake bed, 200 miles northeast of Burbank, but its flight to Tacoma was delayed. Finally on July 19, 1929, Bromley landed at Tacoma Field after a 8 hour and 17 minute flight from Los Angeles. Thousands cheered as the plane landed safely in Tacoma. Over 59,000 people made the trip out to the airstrip to view the plane prior to its July 28, 1929 inaugural flight.

Bromley, Harold--Associated objects; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Aeronautics--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1929. Navy bi-plane with identification number 1SD (or O)-P-1 sits in field with crowd in background. Photograph probably taken at Tacoma Field.

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Lynden's canned chicken and chicken with noodles were among the first Tacoma-made products carried in the inaugural air express service flight from Tacoma on March 1, 1930. Varney Air Lines, piloted by Al Davis, made a brief stop in his large cabin Boeing plane at Mueller-Harkins Airport, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., before he flew on to Portland and Pasco. R.E. Darling, manager of the Washington Cooperative Association, is pictured handing a can of Lynden Brand chicken to pilot Davis; it and the larger can of chicken and noodles were destined for New York. San Tex cigars for President Hoover, Brown & Haley chocolates for the First Lady, shipments from Rhodes Bros. bound for New York, and packages to Chicago (from Wheeler-Osgood) and to Utah (from the smelter), were just some of the express cargo on the first flight from Tacoma. The cargo was transferred upon arrival in Pasco to planes heading eastward via Salt Lake City. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-2-30, p. 1) TPL-5544

Varney Air Lines; Airline industry; Airplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Davis, Al; Darling, R.E.; Canned foods;

Members of the Girls' Corner Club of Tacoma pose with the pilot of this biplane located at the Mueller-Harkins Field in early May of 1930. The Corner Club was a women's support and social group, an off-shoot of the club originating in British Columbia in 1917. Eleanor Renstrom (seated in plane) and Dorothy Allen (outside) experienced a trial flight with Washington Aeronautical Corporation pilot George Fisher before the girls made the actual flight to Olympia to scatter flowers over a white birch tree to be planted by club members on the grounds of the executive mansion. The white birch is the official Washington State mothers' tree. G12.1-036 (TNT 5-10-30, p. 12)

Biplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Girls' Corner Club of Tacoma (Tacoma); Renstrom, Eleanor; Allen, Dorothy; Fisher, George; Air pilots--Tacoma;

A Coast Airlines Flying Service aircraft is on the ground at a Tacoma airport in June of 1930. Coast Airlines provided service to Seattle and Everett. Mount Rainier (or "Tacoma" as referred to by locals) is prominently featured in the background. Standard Used Car Market used this plane, or a similar Coast Airlines aircraft, in their promotion of a free scenic 15-minute ride for every car sold over $100. TPL-5031; G12.1-047 (Ad-TNT 6-10-30, p. 18)

Airplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

ca. 1930. Harold Bromley's fourth airplane, the "City of Tacoma, " designed for his Tokyo to Tacoma flight. The red single engine high wing monoplane was built by Emsco Aircraft of Downey, California. It had a 60 foot "high lift" wing and was 35 feet from nose to rudder. The 425 horsepower Pratt & Whitney engine gave it a cruising speed of 115 mph. The plane could hold 1020 gallons of gasoline and 45 gallons of oil and would weigh over 10,000 pounds on take off. Bromley would now be accompanied on his flight by Australian Harold Gatty, serving as navigator, radio operator and co-pilot. The plane could fly 45 hours nonstop. Bromley reversed his trans-Pacific plans, now planning to fly Tokyo-Tacoma to take advantage of winds that would increase the plane's speed. They had the capability to fly 4,840 miles, the distance between the two cities was 4,779 miles, a 61 mile safety margin. (Bowen #269)

ca. 1930. Birds eye view of Harold Bromley's fourth airplane, NR153W, also called the "City of Tacoma." Bromley planned to fly from Tokyo to Tacoma in this red Emsco single engine monoplane. His September 14, 1930 attempt at the flight with Harold Gatty as navigator was foiled by a failed exhaust system on the plane. The fumes forced the pair to land and almost cost them their lives. The plane was abandoned by Bromley for this flight as too heavy and slow. TPL-8799

Bromley, Harold--Associated objects; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Aeronautics--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1930. Man in suit holding a hat and woman in coat and hat holding a closed umbrella stand at the entrance door to a plane. Man in old style pilots suit and cap crouches next to the plane, sorting what appears to be mail. Word "Pacific" clearly visible on side of plane. The plane is possibly a carrier for Pacific Air Transport, which handled air mail and package delivery from Tacoma in the late 1920's. Man to the right holds what appear to be mail bags.

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mueller-Harkins Airport (Lakewood); Air mail service--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1930. A large crowd gathers around Harold Bromley's fourth "City of Tacoma" plane purchased by lumberman John Buffelen on July 11, 1930, at a bargain price of $15,000. The three previous "City of Tacoma" planes were Lockheeds; this red, single-engine monoplane was built by Emsco Aircraft of Downey, California, the twelfth Emsco manufactured. It was registered as NR 153W and had a fuel capacity of 1,005 gallons. Harold Bromley had long desired to make a solo trip spanning the Pacific Ocean but after the three Lockheeds crashed, he decided to attempt the journey from Japan to take advantage of tail winds and also hired a skilled navigator and co-pilot, Harold Gatty, to accompany him. On September 14, 1930, the duo took off on a makeshift runway at Sabishiro Beach, 350 miles north of Tokyo, on their way to Tacoma some 4000 miles away. Their exhaust system failed when they were 12 hours and 1,200 miles over the Pacific and they were forced to return to Japan. Sickened by the fumes, Bromley managed to land the plane 35 miles north of their starting point. Navigator Gatty refused to make the flight again and Bromley's Tacoma businessmen backers, facing the Depression, could not afford to finance any more attempts. The plane was stored in Japan and was sold in 1932, its registration number changed, and in due time, scrapped. Harold Bromley continued to live a full life with careers in federal aviation inspection, grape and date farming and real estate; he passed away at the age of 99 in 1997. (Boyne: Best of Wings Magazine, p. 70-71)

ca. 1930. Pilot Harold Bromley, second from right, navigator Harold Gatty, right, and two unidentified men pose next to Bromley's fourth plane, the "City of Tacoma," prior to Bromley and Gatty's September 14, 1930 attempt to cross the Pacific nonstop from Tokyo to Tacoma. Bromley had chosen Australian native Gatty to accompany him as navigator, radio operator and copilot. Gatty, a wiz kid at navigation, devised the ground-speed and drift indicator that forms the basis of the modern day automatic pilot. He helped develop the Weems system of navigation used by the Lindberghs. He would later accompany Wiley Post on his 1931 around the world flight in a record 8 days, 15 hours and 51 minutes. Bromley and Gatty's attempt at a nonstop trans-Pacific flight was foiled by a failed exhaust system on the plane. The fumes almost cost them their lives and Gatty refused to make another attempt at the flight. TPL-8798

ca. 1930. Unidentified man and mechanic pose next to Harold Bromley's Tacoma to Tokyo plane, a single engine monoplane built by Emsco Aircraft of Downey, California. The plane was taken apart and shipped to Tokyo aboard the ship President Lincoln. It was reassembled and prepared for the nonstop 4,779 mile flight from Tokyo to Tacoma. The plane took off with Bromley and navigator Harold Gatty on September 14, 1930. Twenty four hours and 52 minutes later, they landed just miles from their take off point; having been overcome by exhaust fumes during the flight. (Bowen #268)

ca. 1930. Harold Bromley's fourth airplane, NR153W also called the "City of Tacoma," preparing for his Tokyo to Tacoma flight. The red Emsco single engine monoplane roared off on September 14, 1930 from a 6,800 foot strip of hard packed sand at Sabishiro Beach, 350 miles north of Tokyo. Twenty four hours and 52 minutes later, it landed about 35 minutes north of its starting point. About 1200 miles out, 12 hours after taking off, the plane's exhaust system failed. Sickened by the fumes, Bromley turned the plane back to Japan. With his navigator Harold Gatty comatose, Bromley fought to keep consciousness and land the plane. The pair were discovered on the beach unconscious by Japanese fishermen. Both recovered, but Gatty refused to make the flight again. Bromley recalculated the flight and determined that it could not be made with this slow, heavy plane without refueling. His Tacoma backers, their money flow stalled by the Depression, abandoned the project. TPL-216

Inside hanger at Tacoma Field. Four airplanes are clearly visible, a single-wing tri-motor passenger plane and three bi-planes. Two of the bi-planes are marked Bennett Air Transportation Inc. Photograph was taken in March of 1931.

Airplanes--Lakewood--1930-1940; Bennett Air Transportation Inc. (Lakewood); Tacoma Field (Lakewood);

On August 22, 1934, several men standing on the roof of the Jones Building (now known as the Pantages) craned their necks to watch the airship Macon fly over the downtown skyline. Thousands lined the streets and rooftops of buildings to watch the dirigible make a wide circle over the city around 8 a.m. Construction of the dirigible cost the US two and a half million dollars. Tacoma was also visited by airships Shenandoah in 1924 and Akron in 1932. The Macon was lost over the Pacific Ocean offshore of Point Sur Feb. 12, 1935. (T. Times 8/22/1934, pg. 1)

Airships--Tacoma; Jones Building (Tacoma); Historic buildings--Tacoma;

The ghostly USS Macon, a dirigible, flew over the Jones Building (now known as the Pantages) in downtown Tacoma on August 22, 1934. The eerie airship was almost disguised by the clouds. Thousands of spectators lined the streets and rooftops of buildings to watch the dirigible make a wide circle over the city around 8 a.m. The Daily Ledger called the airship "a great silver fish of the skies." The Macon was lost over the waters of the Pacific Ocean offshore from Point Sur on February 12, 1935. (T. Times 8/22/1934, pg. 1)

Airships--Tacoma; Jones Building (Tacoma); Historic buildings--Tacoma;