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- The Aviation Country Club of Detroit Trophy Race at the National Air Races, St. Louis, Missouri, October 6, 1923 - Air races provided pilots and manufacturers with an opportunity to test new technologies and show them off to enthusiastic audiences. From the 1920s through the 1940s, the annual National Air Races were the premier competition in the United States. The 1923 event took place in St. Louis, Missouri, where pilot Al Williams won with a speed of 243.67 mph.
- October 06, 1923
- Collections - Artifact
The Aviation Country Club of Detroit Trophy Race at the National Air Races, St. Louis, Missouri, October 6, 1923
Air races provided pilots and manufacturers with an opportunity to test new technologies and show them off to enthusiastic audiences. From the 1920s through the 1940s, the annual National Air Races were the premier competition in the United States. The 1923 event took place in St. Louis, Missouri, where pilot Al Williams won with a speed of 243.67 mph.
- Igor Sikorsky Landing the VS-300 Helicopter at Henry Ford Museum before Presenting it to Henry Ford, October 7, 1943 - Igor Sikorsky donated his pioneering VS-300 helicopter to The Henry Ford in October 1943. During the presentation ceremony, Sikorsky and his test pilot demonstrated the helicopter's exceptional maneuverability. They slipped the aircraft's nose probe through a small ring, set one of its wheels on a handkerchief spread on the ground, and carried souvenir "air mail" letters in its front basket.
- October 07, 1943
- Collections - Artifact
Igor Sikorsky Landing the VS-300 Helicopter at Henry Ford Museum before Presenting it to Henry Ford, October 7, 1943
Igor Sikorsky donated his pioneering VS-300 helicopter to The Henry Ford in October 1943. During the presentation ceremony, Sikorsky and his test pilot demonstrated the helicopter's exceptional maneuverability. They slipped the aircraft's nose probe through a small ring, set one of its wheels on a handkerchief spread on the ground, and carried souvenir "air mail" letters in its front basket.
- Crowd Gathered to Watch Demonstration Flights by Wilbur Wright, France, 1908-1909 - Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Crowd Gathered to Watch Demonstration Flights by Wilbur Wright, France, 1908-1909
Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- Ford Reliability Tour at Ford Airport, Dearborn, Michigan, 1930 - From 1925-1931, Ford Motor Company sponsored annual air tours to promote reliability and safety in commercial aircraft. Pilots flew to pre-determined cities, and their airplanes were rated on the ability to take off and land quickly and maintain consistent speeds. The 1930 tour included 18 entries and visited 29 cities in the United States and Canada.
- September 27, 1930
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Reliability Tour at Ford Airport, Dearborn, Michigan, 1930
From 1925-1931, Ford Motor Company sponsored annual air tours to promote reliability and safety in commercial aircraft. Pilots flew to pre-determined cities, and their airplanes were rated on the ability to take off and land quickly and maintain consistent speeds. The 1930 tour included 18 entries and visited 29 cities in the United States and Canada.
- Detroit News--Airplane--Lockheed Orion--James V. Piersol, William A. Kuenzel and Early Bird--Item1 - The <em>Detroit News</em> bought a new Lockheed Orion in 1934 to assist in its news-gathering efforts. The monoplane, christened "Early Bird", contained space for a reporter or radio operator, a compact radio broadcasting station and three cameras--one of which was located in a streamlined nacelle on the left wing. A viewfinder in the cockpit interior helped the pilot line up the wing-mounted camera.
- June 10, 1934
- Collections - Artifact
Detroit News--Airplane--Lockheed Orion--James V. Piersol, William A. Kuenzel and Early Bird--Item1
The Detroit News bought a new Lockheed Orion in 1934 to assist in its news-gathering efforts. The monoplane, christened "Early Bird", contained space for a reporter or radio operator, a compact radio broadcasting station and three cameras--one of which was located in a streamlined nacelle on the left wing. A viewfinder in the cockpit interior helped the pilot line up the wing-mounted camera.
- Letter Congratulating Edsel Ford for Involving Ford Dealers with Airmarking Buildings in Their Towns, January 15, 1926 - Edsel Ford championed the development of commercial aviation in the United States. As an aid to aerial navigation, he wrote letters to Ford dealers encouraging them to paint two things on each dealer's roof: the name of the city and an arrow pointing due north. More than 4,000 communities had aerial markings of some sort by 1929.
- January 15, 1926
- Collections - Artifact
Letter Congratulating Edsel Ford for Involving Ford Dealers with Airmarking Buildings in Their Towns, January 15, 1926
Edsel Ford championed the development of commercial aviation in the United States. As an aid to aerial navigation, he wrote letters to Ford dealers encouraging them to paint two things on each dealer's roof: the name of the city and an arrow pointing due north. More than 4,000 communities had aerial markings of some sort by 1929.
- Bosch Type ARN Magneto, Used by Orville Wright at Fort Myer, Virginia, 1909 - Orville Wright used this magneto, which generated spark for his airplane's engine, during demonstration flights for the U.S. Army at Fort Myer, Virginia, in July 1909. Fort Myer represented tragedy and triumph. Orville was seriously injured, and passenger Thomas Selfridge was killed, during initial demonstrations there in September 1908. Ten months later, Orville returned and completed the demo flights successfully.
- July 30, 1909
- Collections - Artifact
Bosch Type ARN Magneto, Used by Orville Wright at Fort Myer, Virginia, 1909
Orville Wright used this magneto, which generated spark for his airplane's engine, during demonstration flights for the U.S. Army at Fort Myer, Virginia, in July 1909. Fort Myer represented tragedy and triumph. Orville was seriously injured, and passenger Thomas Selfridge was killed, during initial demonstrations there in September 1908. Ten months later, Orville returned and completed the demo flights successfully.
- "The Steep Ascent," by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1944 - In a Stagecoach travel trailer given to her and her husband, Charles Lindbergh, by Henry Ford, Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote the novel, <em>The Steep Ascent</em>. The novel follows the journey of Eve, a wife and mother, on a perilous airplane trip with her husband over the Alps.
- 1944
- Collections - Artifact
"The Steep Ascent," by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1944
In a Stagecoach travel trailer given to her and her husband, Charles Lindbergh, by Henry Ford, Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote the novel, The Steep Ascent. The novel follows the journey of Eve, a wife and mother, on a perilous airplane trip with her husband over the Alps.
- "The Spirit of St. Louis," by Charles A. Lindbergh, 1953 - In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh became the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic. Lindbergh recounts this historic flight and his early days in aviation in <em>The Spirit of St. Louis</em>. Written in 1953, the book became a bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize.
- 1927
- Collections - Artifact
"The Spirit of St. Louis," by Charles A. Lindbergh, 1953
In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh became the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic. Lindbergh recounts this historic flight and his early days in aviation in The Spirit of St. Louis. Written in 1953, the book became a bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize.
- Detroit News--Airplane--Lockheed Vega--Side View of Plane--Item1 - The <em>Detroit News</em> purchased a Lockheed Vega in 1930 as part of its newsgathering efforts. Over the next several years, the plane transported reporters and feature writers to news scenes and events, provided aerial photography, and even delivered newspapers to distant subscribers. In its first year of service, the Vega flew over 45,000 miles on over 140 news assignments.
- June 02, 1932
- Collections - Artifact
Detroit News--Airplane--Lockheed Vega--Side View of Plane--Item1
The Detroit News purchased a Lockheed Vega in 1930 as part of its newsgathering efforts. Over the next several years, the plane transported reporters and feature writers to news scenes and events, provided aerial photography, and even delivered newspapers to distant subscribers. In its first year of service, the Vega flew over 45,000 miles on over 140 news assignments.