Copies of a customer's prints, ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Actual date of photographs is unknown. Two men can be seen through the doorway to the right of what will be the cockpit of the new plane. The plane is being built of plywood and the workers mark a sheet of it to the needed dimensions.

Plywood; Airplanes; Airplane industry;

An FH110 helicopter practices landing on a temporary helipad on January 19, 1971, at So. 19th & "J" Sts. The pad is marked with an enormous "H." St. Joseph's Medical Evaluation personnel may have been testing the feasibility of this temporary site. The church in the background is believed to be St. John Baptist Church. Photograph ordered by St. Joseph Hospital.

Helicopters--Tacoma--1970-1980;

On April 28, 1927, a group of interested businessmen made the first Tacoma to Paradise Valley tourist trip by air. They were inspecting the possibilities of regular tourist flights from Tacoma to "Mount Tacoma" (Mount Rainier), making sights usually available only to climbers possible for the average tourist. Pictured, left to right, are Paul H. Sceva (Assistant to the General Manager of Rainier National Park Co.), Frank E. Roberts (Tacoma News Tribune), Vernon Bookwalter (pilot) and Vern C. Gorst (President of Pacific Air Transport.) The flight was made on a six passenger Fokker monoplane owned by Pacific Air, the coast contract mail carrier. (TNT 4/29/1927, pg. 1)

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. 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)

Close-up of airplane and Franklin automobile at Camp Lewis on October 8, 1926. The car has Seattle plates. See Boland image B15775 for another view of plane and car along with pilot and two men. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Franklin Co.

Airplanes--Camp Lewis; Franklin automobile;

Blond Hollywood actress Ruth Taylor is pictured shaking hands with Mayor M.G. Tennent while the mayor is aboard the "City of Tacoma" airplane at the Mueller-Harkins airport (site of the present day Clover Park Technical College) on February 8, 1928. Miss Taylor, star of the silent film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," was briefly in Tacoma while on a nationwide tour promoting the film. She would make a personal appearance at the Broadway Theater where her film would be shown shortly. The other three men in the photograph were not identified although one of them is believed to be J. Barton ("Jack") Story, pilot, and president of the newly organized Olympic Aeronautical Corporation. On January 31, 1928, Olympic Aeronautical announced plans to fly tourists around Mt. Tacoma (Rainier) beginning May 1st. Photograph ordered by the Olympic Aeronautical Corporation. (TNT 1-31-28, p. 1-article on Olympic Aeronautical; TDL 2-8-28, p. 2-article on Miss Taylor) TPL-5030; G12.1-082

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tennent, Melvin Green; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Olympic Aeronautical Corporation (Tacoma); Taylor, Ruth; Actresses;

Aviation's first talking airplane, "The Voice of the Sky," visited Tacoma on May 12, 1929. The crew posed next to the the Fokker USA trimotor passenger airplane parked at Mueller-Harkins airport: (L-R): Lew Gower, pilot; H.E. Wendt, mechanic; B. Knapp, crew chief; Bert McGrath, announcer. The plane, C-1661, has large advertising for Standard Ethyl gasoline painted on its side. This was the first Pacific Coast visit by the "Voice of the Sky" which amazed listeners and viewers with animated audible chatter and music from 2500 feet up in the air. TPL-2020; G12.1-029 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-12-29, A-7-article; TDL 5-14-29, p. 1)

Airline industry; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Gower, Lew; Wendt, H.E.; Knapp, B.; McGrath, Bert;

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;

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. 1928. A Texaco fuel truck is parked in front of a tri-motor airplane with a Texaco logo on its wing. Two men appear to be fueling the airplane.

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

ca. 1928. Two men stand next to a biplane with the name Tacoma painted on its side. A third man sits in the rear cockpit of the plane which sits in a grassy field. The plane may belong to the Tacoma Airways aviation school.

Biplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1928. Young woman in flying jacket, flying cap, and parachute stands on wing of Bergen Bromley Flying Service bi-plane. Photograph probably taken at Mueller Harkins Airport. For more images of the same person, see TPL images 7034 and 7036.

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bergen Bromley Flying Service (Tacoma);

Aerial views of Evelyn Burleson in her airplane, "Miss Liberty," in flight from Canada to Mexico. Tacoma aviatrix Evelyn Burleson was influenced by aviation pioneer Ruth Elder. She learned to fly in 1928 in Lincoln, Nebraska and embraced aviation as her career. At the time of this October 1, 1941 flight, she was a freelance pilot but she was previously a flight instructor in Oregon. (T. Times 10/2/1941, pg. 1)

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

Lt. Col. Charles W. Goodwin is pictured arriving by plane in Seattle on Northwest Airlines on February 9, 1941. He will travel from Seattle to Tacoma, where he is taking over the command of the 103rd Anti Tank Battalion. The 103rd is composed primarily of Tacoma men and is the last reserve unit to be inducted into regular Army service. The military men are, left to right, Capt. M.B. Benjamin, Capt. Lawrence J. Nelson, Lt. Col. Goodwin, Capt. Jesse Haire and Capt. T. Hadley St. Claire. (T. Times 2/10/1941, pg. 2)

Airplanes--1940-1950; Goodwin, Charles W.;

Drawing of an airplane with the propeller behind the cockpit and two wings that point towards the back after coming straight out to the sides of the craft.

Aircraft; Industrial design;

Airplanes--Tacoma; Airplane equipment; Air pilots--Tacoma;

Airplanes--Tacoma; Airplane equipment; Air pilots--Tacoma; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A Control Line Model Airplane Meet took place at Tacoma Stadium Bowl. The rescue helicopter from McCord Field made a special appearance at the event. The helicopter arrived and gracefully landed, impressing the large Tacoma crowd. The event was sponsored by the Tacoma Young Men's Business Club (T. Times, 1/27/47, p. 47).

Helicopters--Tacoma; Search & rescue operations; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Military air shows--Tacoma;

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;

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;

ca. 1950. Copy of customer print. Six Air Force personnel, three of them pilots, pose in front of three jets in an undated photograph. The pilots are equipped with parachutes and holding helmets. These men are probably assigned to the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. The actual date of the original print is unknown; a print was made on March 25, 1957. Photograph ordered by Munson-Smith Motors.

Airplanes; Military air pilots;

ca. 1950. Copy of customer print. Two airmen, backs to the camera, grip the wing of an Air Force jet in an undated photograph. The plane is a F-102A fighter intercepter. Each serviceman is wearing a flight jacket with a "318th F15" label on the back, along with the same Mach Wave emblem shown on the tail of the plane. The logo consisted of two overlapped chevrons, suggesting space age theme. These men may have been assigned to the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at McChord Air Force Base. The photograph was possibly part of a set produced by the Public Relations Office when the 318th was upgrading their aircraft from the F-94c two seat fighters to the pictured version. The F-102A fighters were later assigned to the 57th Fighter Group 64th FIS, Paine Field. They were assigned to the Philippine Islands for support during the Vietnam War. Photograph ordered by Munson-Smith Motors. Copy of print was made on March 25, 1957. (information on the fighter and emblem supplied by patron)

Airplanes; Military air pilots;

The dirigible "Shenandoah," commissioned by the US Navy, paid a two day visit to Camp Lewis in October of 1924. A special 165 foot tall striped mooring mast was specially constructed for the visit. The giant dirigible, patterned after a German Zeppelin captured by the French in 1917, hovered silently in the air over gawking spectators and their automobiles. On September 3, 1925, a mere nine months later, the airship was caught in a thunderstorm and torn to pieces over Noble County, Ohio. Miraculously, 29 of its 43 crew members survived. The mast stood at Fort Lewis until 1936. (Richards copy negative)

Airships; Mooring masts; Camp Lewis (Wash.); Military camps--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The St. Joseph Medical Evaluation team prepares to board the waiting FH110 helicopter on January 19, 1971. A temporary helipad, marked with an enormous "H," has been laid on muddy ground. A white ambulance with hatch open is parked nearby. Photograph ordered by St. Joseph Hospital.

Helicopters--Tacoma--1970-1980; Ambulances--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Fort Lewis ground crew holding lines to the new blimp on its first flight since arriving on February 10. The crew is part of the 125 member 3rd Balloon Company. (T.Times 3/11/1938, p.1).

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

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

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;