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);

ca. 1937. Men from the Young Men's Business Club planning Air Circus scheduled for Sunday, June 13, 1937. It is a luncheon meeting and appears to be in a restaurant with blackboard in background listing last names and "Customers Only" sign. Announcement posters on wall. The three men seated in the center of the picture are, left to right, Al Oswald, YMBC aviation committee, Arthur Cook, secretary of the YMBC, and an unidentified man. (filed with Argentum)

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

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;

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;

On March 10, 1938 the soldiers of Fort Lewis' 125 member 3rd Balloon Company, under the command of Major M. E. McHugo test flew the newest addition to their arsenal. The new blimp was 105 feet lomg and could attain a top speed of 40 miles per hour. It was considered to be a great advance over the blimps used during the First World War. (T.Times, 3/11/1938, p.1).

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

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 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;

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;

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);

During a Control Line Model Airplane Meet at Tacoma Stadium Bowl, the rescue helicopter from McCord Field made a special appearance at the event. The type R-5A helicopter arrived and gracefully landed, impressing the large Tacoma crowd. The proficient helicopter can drop from any altitude straight down (if air density is favorable) to a spot of 60 square feet. The event was sponsored by the Tacoma Young Men's Business Club. View of men standing in front of the rescue helicopter from McCord Field (T. Times, 1/27/47, p. 47).

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

Aerial views of Evelyn Burleson in her airplane, "Miss Liberty," in flight from Canada to Mexico. (T. Times)

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

Aerial views of Evelyn Burleson in her airplane, "Miss Liberty," in flight from Canada to Mexico in October of 1941. This picture was captured by a neighboring plane as she passed through Pierce County. (T. Times)

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

Plane crash, Mt. Rainier Ordnance Depot, photo ordered by Sandegren of the Tacoma Times. Two Army Air Force flyers were killed when the F-82 twin-engine fighter plane they were flying crashed and burned in the storage area of the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot at Fort Lewis on February 23, 1949. Air Force officers are seen examining the debris for clues to the cause of the crash. One engine had "conked out" before the plane hit the ground. Tracer bullets and 50-caliber machine gun ammunition exploded at intervals as fire fighters attempted to check the fiercely burning plane. (T.Times, 2/24/1949, p.1) TPL-10357

Airplanes--Lakewood--1940-1950; Aircraft accidents--Lakewood--1940-1950; Fort Lewis (Wash.);

Fourteen men in uniform are standing on the tarmac in front of a Western Airlines airplane. Another man, not in uniform, is looking at papers one of the men in uniform is holding.

Airplanes; Soldiers;

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;

Copies of a customer's prints, ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Actual date of photographs is unknown. A man works inside the incomplete fuselage of the plane, riveting around the cabin window.

Plywood; Airplanes; Airplane industry;

Copies of a customer's prints, ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Actual date of photographs is unknown. A plane is being constructed largely of plywood. A man operates a table saw, cutting the plywood to the correct shape for cabin windows. The unfinished plane body can be seen in the background.

Plywood; Airplanes; Airplane industry;

Helicopter descending. Chauncey L. Griggs, president of Export Pacific, Inc., was expecting two log buyers, one from France, to visit him in early June, 1964. The smiling passenger aboard the helicopter descending on company property on June 3, 1964, was one of them. Mr. Griggs was a member of a well known pioneer family and had been associated with the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. Export Pacific were lumber exporters located at 900 Milwaukee Waterway. Photograph ordered by Export Pacific, Inc. TPL-9644

Helicopters--Tacoma--1960-1970; Export Pacific Co. (Tacoma); Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1960-1970;

A Beachcraft T-34, owned by the McChord Flying Club, is being wheeled into a T-shaped hangar at the South Tacoma Airport on September 9, 1958. An unidentified man in a checkered shirt and cap is maneuvering the airplane by a wing while Frank Bly is pushing with his hands on the propeller. Another parked aircraft can be glimpsed in the adjacent hangar space. Mr. Bly would build a hangar at the South Tacoma Airport in the late '50s. He would use the hanger to restore and keep his 1931 Stinson W. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Additional information provided by readers)

Airplanes--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hangars--Tacoma; Bly, Frank; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

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;