Pilot Frank Byerley and Photographer William Kuenzel aboard the Detroit News Autogiro, April 6, 1931

Summary

The Detroit News operated an autogiro from 1931 to 1933. The novel aircraft carried a large, swiveling camera to take aerial photos of newsworthy events and transported reporters for quickly developing stories. However, it ultimately proved more useful as an advertisement for the paper. The autogiro made over 700 flights before it was donated to Henry Ford's museum in Dearborn.

The Detroit News operated an autogiro from 1931 to 1933. The novel aircraft carried a large, swiveling camera to take aerial photos of newsworthy events and transported reporters for quickly developing stories. However, it ultimately proved more useful as an advertisement for the paper. The autogiro made over 700 flights before it was donated to Henry Ford's museum in Dearborn.

Artifact

Negative (Photograph)

Subject Date

06 April 1931

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2014.68.120.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of The Detroit News.

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 7.88 in

Width: 9.88 in

1931 Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro

Details
Connect 3

Discover curious connections between artifacts.

Learn More