Air Mail Plane Landing at Hadley Field at Night, New York to Chicago Route, July 1, 1925

Summary

In 1924, with the success of experimental night operations and increasing business interest in next-day mail, the U.S. Air Mail Service announced plans to establish regular overnight flights between New York and Chicago. Preparations included mounting floodlights and searchlights at airfields and constructing a series of routing beacons and emergency landing fields along the route. The first official flights departed from both terminal cities on July 1, 1925.

In 1924, with the success of experimental night operations and increasing business interest in next-day mail, the U.S. Air Mail Service announced plans to establish regular overnight flights between New York and Chicago. Preparations included mounting floodlights and searchlights at airfields and constructing a series of routing beacons and emergency landing fields along the route. The first official flights departed from both terminal cities on July 1, 1925.

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

02 July 1925

Subject Date

02 July 1925

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

84.1.1629.208

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 8 in

Width: 10.125 in

Inscriptions

attached press release: NEW YORK- CHICAGO AIR MAIL SERVICE / STARTING JULY 1, 1925 / Photo shows: Air mail plane landing at Hadley Field at night in the glare of the half-billion candle power flood light which illuminates the entire field and makes / a newspaper easy to read at three-quarters of a mile away.

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