Tri-motored Stinson airplane crashed at Tacoma Air Field. Nightime scene. The sight-seeing flight over Puget Sound ended with four killed and seven critically injured. One wing is intact with "Fly 50" inscribed. (T. Times, 10/25/1937, p.5).

Accidents - Aircraft Accidents - Airplane Accidents Transportation - Aircraft - Airplanes - Stinson Airplanes

Young Men's Business Club (YMBC) airshow at Mueller-Harkins airport June 13, 1937. 25 planes took part in the first annual air circus with nearly 50,000 spectators cheering them on. A section of the crowd of 50,000 was photographed on the side of the airfield. Automobiles, airplanes and an ambulance were also parked along the side of the field. The show featured races, stunt flying and a jump by Seattle's own "Batman," Tommy Thompson. (T. Times, TNT)

Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Men's Business Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Cropped version of D779-9, showing the uniform of Tommy Thompson, the "Bat Man", as he boards a plane June 13, 1937 at the first Tacoma Air Circus. He has metal wings and an outfit stitched into a sheet, to allow him to glide. He intends to jump out of this plane and glide to Earth. However, he narrowly avoided disaster when a gust of wind tore the canvas webbing that supported his wings as he stepped out of the plane in flight. He began to plunge to the ground. Luckily he was wearing two parachutes. Although the first became tangled in his wings, the second brought him safely to land - although one of his wings was bent. The air circus was sponsored by the Young Men's Business Club of Tacoma. (T. Times, TNT)

Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Men's Business Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940; Thompson, Tommy;

Fort Lewis's new 105 feet long blimp flies at forty miles per hour on its first flight since arriving at the army base on February 10. The new blimp serves as an observation balloon. (T.Times, 3/11/1938, p.1).

Balloons (Aircraft)--Fort Lewis; Balloonists; Air pilots--Fort Lewis; Military personnel--Fort Lewis; Fort Lewis (Wash.);

This photograph from March 1938 shows the crew members of the 3rd Balloon Company at Fort Lewis struggling with ropes to position a helium filled blimp in its specially constructed hanger. Considered the latest in observation balloons, it was equipped with a manned, motorized undercarriage that held both a pilot and co-pilot. The 105 foot long blimp could attain a top speed of 40 miles per hour. (T.Times, 3/11/1938, p.1).

Balloons (Aircraft)--Fort Lewis; Balloonists; Air pilots--Fort Lewis; Military personnel--Fort Lewis; Fort Lewis (Wash.);

Dirigible ground crew of the 125 member 3rd Balloon Company, Fort Lewis, surround the motorized C-6-3 undercarriage and the airship's pilots Master Sergeant A. E. Miller and Corporal Henry Pelhum. The new blimp is making its first flight since arriving on February 10. (T.Times, 3/11/1938, p.1).

Balloons (Aircraft)--Fort Lewis; Balloonists; Air pilots--Fort Lewis; Military personnel--Fort Lewis; Fort Lewis (Wash.); Miller, A.E.; Pelhum, Henry;

Airplane crash at Mueller-Harkins Airport. Group of people checking out airplane.

Accidents - Aircraft Accidents Transportation - Aircraft - Airplanes Transportation Facilities - Airports - Pierce County - Lakewood - Mueller-Harkins Airport

Boeing Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma, on March 18, 1939. Close-up of wrecked airplane debris. The experimental craft, costing $500,000, and weighing 20 tons, crashed and killed a crew of ten on Saturday afternoon, March 18, 1939. Both wingtips and part of the tail broke off without warning, plunging the aircraft to the hillside two miles below. Flying conditions were excellent and there was clear visibility. The Stratoliner was preparing to be licensed for commercial flying and was scheduled for a governmental inspection flight on March 20, 1939. It had already logged in twenty flight hours. The plane's crew was composed of several experienced Boeing pilots and two Dutch representatives. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, March 18, 1939. A large crowd gathered around the wrecked airplane which had unexpectedly broken up and plunged two miles into the rural hillsides near Alder, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma. There were no survivors among the ten member crew. The tragedy would draw people from all over the state, necessitating the deputizing of several local residents to handle crowd control. Despite additional police help, avid souvenir hunters made off with bits of debris from the Boeing craft. The $500,000 airplane weighed twenty tons and its cabin was constructed to carry 33 passengers when completed. It was designed to fly "sub stratosphere," 5-6 miles above earth, in the "no weather" zone. It had already logged in 20 hours of flight time prior to the accident. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

March 18, 1939, Boeing Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington. Large crowd standing on and around the wrecked airplane. Pierce County Sheriffs and police from surrounding communities had to move the crowd back from the crushed aircraft. 3000 gallons of gasoline had spilled under the plane and the danger of explosion was present. The accident occurred approximately 1:21 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, 1939, when the experimental craft lost its wingtips and part of the tail and plunged into the rural hillsides near Alder. Ten men lost their lives, including two representatives from the Netherlands. The four-engine aircraft was supposed to revolutionize cross-country transportation and had already logged in twenty hours of flight time. (T.Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

View of cracked fuselage. On March 18, 1939, people living near Alder, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma, looked-up to see this Boeing Stratoliner fall to earth in a fatal tailspin. The four-engine aircraft, designed to revolutionize cross-country transportation, broke apart as it fell and crashed into Nisqually Canyon. All ten men on-board the test flight were killed. The Air Safety Board of the Civil Aeronautics Authority immediately ventured to the scene to investigate the tragedy. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

ca. 1939. Airplane accident at Mueller-Harkins Airport circa 1939. About a dozen people looking at crashed single-prop airplane whose wings have separated from its body. Cockpit appears empty.

Aircraft; Aircraft accidents--Lakewood--1930-1940; Mueller-Harkins Airport (Lakewood);

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;

On October 1, 1941, Mrs. Evelyn Burleson, of Tacoma, took off from Vancouver, B.C. for a solo flight to Tijuana, Mexico. Flying the tiny "Miss Liberty", she flew the 1,600 miles non-stop in 16 1/2 hours. This photograph, by Tacoma Times photographer Bob Richards, was taken as her plane passed over Pierce County. (T. Times 10-2-1941 p.1)

Airplanes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Burleson, Evelyn; Aerial photographs--1940-1950; Monoplanes;

These four unidentified bathing beauties used a little cheesecake to help advertise the upcoming Pacific Air Exposition, scheduled for July 4th, 1947, at the "Seattle-Tacoma Airport" at Bow Lake (now Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.) The all-day airshow was sponsored by the Junior Chambers of Commerce of Tacoma and Seattle. The Exposition showcased Army and Navy aircraft, the new jet P-80 Shooting Stars, local hero Col. Ross Greening and a fleet of P-51 Mustangs, air acrobat Sammy Mason and the Hollywood Hawks, Wayne Lowell and the "Flying Hobo," Wally Blair. 15 to 20 thousand spectators jammed into the airport to view the show, crowding the grandstands built to accomodate 5,000. The seven-hour show went off without any mishaps to the delight of the enthusiastic spectators. Proceeds from the show went to the Army and Navy relief fund. One dollar was charged for admission with servicemen and kids free. (TNT ad 7-2-47, p. 26; TNT 7-3-47, p. 2-article; TNT 7-5-47, p.1-article)

Airplanes--SeaTac--1940-1950; Bathing suits; Bathing beauties; Publicity; Holidays--SeaTac--1940-1950; Banners--SeaTac--1940-1950;

Bucky arriving at airport, Studio, Ed R. A man wearing an airlines uniform, possibly the pilot, is met by a girl at the airport. An airplane is seen behind them with the rolling stairway still pushed against its doorway.

Airplanes--SeaTac--1940-1950; Air pilots--SeaTac--1940-1950; Airports--SeaTac--1940-1950; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac);

Joseph's was a beauty shop in Tacoma, it was located at 105 Tacoma Avenue North. Joseph's advertised the "Latest in Hair Fashions and New Techniques in Permanent Waving" Mr. Joseph (right) and Mr. Lloyd, two of Tacoma's leading hair stylists were traveling to Hollywood, California to attend the West Coast Style Show and to preview the latest fall fashions; they would be traveling on United airlines (T.N.T., 10/5/49, p. 9). TPL-9096

Airplanes--SeaTac; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950; Airplane propellers; Airports--SeaTac; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac); United Airlines (SeaTac); Joseph's (Tacoma);

Copies of a customer's prints, ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Actual date of photographs is unknown. Two men observe a wooden structure that might be the housing for the landing gear on the all wood plane.

Plywood; Airplanes; Airplane industry;

US Air Force pilot poses in front of his jet airplane, most probably at McChord Air Force Base. The pilot is wearing a flight helmet with the breathing apparatus pulled away from his face. Ordered by the Tacoma News Tribune.

Airplanes; Fighter planes--U.S. Air Force; Military air pilots--Air Force;