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;

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 photographer stands on the roof of the airport building above the reviewing stand. (T. Times, TNT.

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

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. Various small biplanes fly over the crowd. (T. Times, TNT)

Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Airplanes--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma);

Nearly 50,000 spectators watched as Tommy Thompson, the "Bat Man", attempted to soar over Mueller-Harkins airport on June 13, 1937 at the first Tacoma Air Circus. When he stepped from the plane that had carried him aloft, a gust of wind tore the canvas webbing that supported his wings, and spinning like a top, he plunged toward the earth. 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;

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. Tommy Thompson, the "Bat Man," waits beside an airplane with two men. His metal wings fold and have handles on the inside for manipulation. He is planning to jump out of the airplane and soar to the ground; a plan that was foiled by heavy winds that damaged his wings. He was saved by his second parachute. (T. Times, TNT).

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

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;

US Air Force jet airplane. The pilot can be seen clearly in the cockpit. The jet was stationed at McChord Air Force Base. Ordered by the Tacoma News Tribune.

Airplanes; Fighter planes--U.S. Air Force--1950-1960;

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;

Four members of the 465th Fighter Interceptor Squadron stationed at McChord Air Force Base posed in front of a F-86D in December of 1953. The pilots are, left to right, Lts. Thomas E. Randall, Franklin B. Brigham, Sam Huser and Edwin Liddell. In 1953 the F-86D Sabre was the fastest regulation military aircraft in the world. In July of 1953 an F-86D piloted by Lieutenant Colonel William Barnes achieved 715.697 mph over a course at the Salton Sea in California. This particular photograph was selected for the News Tribune along with family pictures of other pilots from that squadron. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune. (TNT 12/13/1953, pg. E1)

Airplanes; Fighter planes--U.S. Air Force; Military air pilots--Air Force; Randall, Thomas E.; Brigham, Franklin B.; Huser, Sam; Liddell, Edwin;

This photograph of a North American F-86D fighter on the runway at McChord Air Force Base was taken in December of 1953 for an article on the history of aviation that appeared in the Tacoma News Tribune. In 1953 the F-86D Sabre was the fastest regulation military aircraft in the world. In July of that year it had set a new world speed record of 715.697 m.p.h. over a 3 km course. The only thing faster was the experimental Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket which by December of 1953 had been clocked at speeds up to 1,327 m.p.h. (Ordered by the Tacoma News Tribune.) (TNT 12/12/1953 p.16)

Airplanes; Fighter planes--U.S. Air Force--1950-1960;

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;

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;

Stratoliner crash near Alder, March 18, 1939. Four men have the grim task of carrying a body on a stretcher to a road near the wooded accident site. Killed were: test pilots Harlan Hull, Julius Barr, Earl Ferguson and William Doyle; Boeing staff John Kylstra, Harry West, Ralph Cram and Benjamin Pearson, as well as Dutch representatives Peter Guilonard and A.G. Von Baumhauer. Escaping death was Bob Bush, Boeing engineer, who had been scheduled to be on the flight but was left off because there was no more room. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

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

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;

Boeing Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, on March 18, 1939. A large crowd gathered around airplane wreckage manage to get very close to the smashed craft. The experimental craft had its cigar-shaped fuselage cracked wide open in three places. Both of its wingtips and part of the tail had broken off without warning, causing the plane to plunge directly to the hillside two miles below. The tragedy was viewed by many residents of this rural community, far away from normal flight paths. On Sunday, March 19th, crowds driving out to view the sight of this tragedy clogged the Mountain Highway. Parking was not available for a mile in either direction. (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. Close-up of wrecked airplane debris from the Boeing experimental craft. The ten member crew was killed, possibly instantly, when the 20-ton aircraft plunged two miles into the rural hillside. The crew was composed of experienced test pilots, Boeing employees, and two representatives from the Netherlands. The plane, preparing to be licensed for commercial flying, was to be tested on Monday, March 20, 1939, on a governmental inspection flight. Instead, both wingtips and part of its tail broke off while in the air. The Air Safety Board of the C.A.A. would be investigating the accident which occurred under excellent flying conditions with clear visibility. (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;

Crowds view the crumpled remains of the Boeing Stratoliner, which crashed near 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, was designed to revolutionize cross country transportation by air. March 18th was supposed to be uneventful "Test Flight #19," however the aircraft inexplicably crashed, killing the crew of ten. The Air Safety Board in June of 1939 ruled the accident was due to structural failure. The plane went into an inadvertent spin, subsequent to a stall at an altitude of approximately 11,000 feet. The board felt that the failure of the wings and horizontal tail surfaces were due to excessive loads, cause by air pressure. The loads were in excess of what the wings and tail were designed for. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1; 6/2/1939, pg. 2)

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

State Patrol officer Joe Sladek's head juts from the wreckage of the experimental aircraft, the Boeing Stratoliner, which crashed near Alder on the afternoon of March 18, 1939, killing everyone on board. The 33 passenger aircraft was intended by Boeing to revolutionize cross country air travel. The plane had already logged in sixteen successful test flights and was to receive government inspection, preparatory to being licensed for commercial travel, in just a few days. However, on routine "Test Flight #19," the plane, all four engines roaring, lost its wingtips and tail section and smashed into the hillside 2 miles below. The accident was witnessed by over 20 rural residents. As word of the accident got out, police were required to keep the crowd back. Even so, spectators managed to carry off several essential pieces of the debris. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner; Sladek, Joe;

Looking more like a crumpled soda can than an airplane, the experimental "sub-stratosphere" Boeing plane, the "Stratoliner," lies where it crashed on March 18, 1939 in the Nisqually Canyon, 1/4 mile from Alder. In nearly ideal flying conditions, the half million dollar plane, designed to revolutionize cross country flying, took off on its 17th test flight. It carried 10 people; test pilots for Transcontinental and Western Airlines, Boeing test pilots, engineers and executives and 2 representatives of the Royal Dutch Airline. Shortly after 12 noon, the four engine plane, all engines running loudly, took a nose dive and plunged to the hillside about two miles below, wing tips and tail structure breaking off enroute, and killing everyone on board. The tragedy was witnessed from the ground by at least 20 individuals. (T. Times 3/18/1934- 3/30/1934, pg. 1)

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

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

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);

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

Tri-motored Stinson airplane crash at Tacoma Air Field. State Patrol Sgt. Lou Geer, patrolman Mike Wayno, Deputy Sheriff Lyle Lathrop and patrolman Cliff Tolson examine the tangled wreckage that killer 4 and injured 7 sight-seers. (T.Times, 10/25/37).

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

On October 3, 1939, Beulah Eskildsen (left) and Janet Hatch received instruction from Ben Barry about the instruments in a small mono-plane. Mr. Barry was a commercial pilot at the Mueller-Harkins Airport where the students of the federal government pilot training program, the Civilian Pilot Training Program, received their in-flight instruction. Imitating European countries, America had instituted the Civilian Pilot Training Program (1938-44) to increase the number of civilian pilots and our military preparedness. The program provided new opportunities in aviation for women and Afro-Americans. Women were trained under the program at a ratio of about 1 woman to 10 men, until war preparation demanded that all graduates enlist. At that time, women were excluded from the program because they were not allowed to fly in the military. But by mid 1941, the program had already trained around 2,500 women, many who became Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs.) (T.Times 10-05-1939 p.12; www.nationmuseum.af.mil)

Airplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Flight training--Tacoma--1930-1940; Monoplanes; Eskildsen, Beulah; Hatch, Janet; Barry, Ben; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Mueller-Harkins Airport (Lakewood);

Girls from the College of Puget Sound interested in government training for pilots. Ben Barry, instructor, discusses the propeller operation with Beulah Eskildsen, left, and Janet Hatch. Radiators are mounted on each side to the nose of the airplane.These co-eds are part of the 400 nationwide taking the federal government up on its offer to train women as student pilots. (T. Times 10/5/1939, pg. 12)

Airplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Flight training--Tacoma--1930-1940; Monoplanes; Eskildsen, Beulah; Hatch, Janet; Barry, Ben; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mueller-Harkins Airport (Lakewood);

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;

Sunday, April 15, 1928, saw the inauguration of the new American Railway Express Co. air transport service, provided for Tacoma in conjunction with the Pacific Air Transport Co. fleet of mail carriers. It would be the first outgoing air parcel service under this new arrangement. The pilot pictured above smilingly accepts delivery of a slender box from an unidentified official before his northbound departure. Hundreds of people had gathered at the Mueller-Harkins Airport to celebrate this new service. (TNT 4-16-28, p. 7, TDL 4-15-28, 8-A) BGN-186, TPL-1597

Transport planes--Tacoma; Air pilots--Tacoma; American Railway Express Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--1920-1930; Air mail service--1920-1930;