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America’s Healthiest Girl and Miss America Finally Meet
I do not know the identity of the Healthiest Girl in America, but I do know that “Miss America” was a young beauty by the name of Margaret Ekdahl. It should be mentioned that the quotation marks bracketing her title are not solely for the purpose of appellation: Miss Ekdahl was not the Miss America but rather Miss Florida. However, when this photo was taken in 1930, there had been no Miss America Pageant for several years. This did not deter the City of Miami from creating their own contest of the same name and, after conveniently disqualifying the frontrunners Miss Texas and Miss California, Florida girl Margaret Ekdahl took the prize.
The goggled fellow on the left is indeed the pilot, Mr. Jerome Waterhouse (He was also president of Maas Bros. Department Stores). His aircraft of choice looks to be a Brunner-Winkle Bird with a Kinner B5 engine.
Pity the poor sash-less woman next to Mr. Waterhouse – she is the female in the photo who does not wear a title.
HU-16B Albatross of the 135th Air Commando Squadron
51-5296 of the Maryland Air National Guard sits quietly as its black paint acts as a giant solar collector.
Early 102
George AFB, California. One of the early “short tail” F-102’s, 54-1396, also had a short life: after serving with several interceptor squadrons, she crashed while assigned to the 68th FIS in 1960. Looks to be an open house: there’s an F-101A (53-2441) right behind the Deuce.
No Secrets Here
From the official (and heavily redacted) CIA history of their U-2 operations, published in 1998.
The Air Force/U.S. Government has long insisted that the U-2 is a reconnaissance aircraft, not a “spy plane”. That sounds very nice and pretty too. But back in 1957, the U-2 seen here belonged to the CIA and that meant it was very much in the business of spying. No doubt the CIA would call that “intelligence gathering”, but to scoop up such info, they still needed to do what is known as the age-old act of “spying”.
Thanks to Max Pashnev for this photo taken from the original negative.
The “Hoppi-Copter”
Horace T. Pentecost posing proudly with his invention, the HX-1.
The world envisioned by Mr. Pentecost.
On this Pentecost Day, it is only fitting we mention a man whose name is linked with taking to the heavens and returning to earth: Horace T. Pentecost. In the postwar era, Pentecost toiled on what he thought was sure to be an invention of great value to the people and the military, a lightweight/personal helicopter. A fine idea, but their were difficulties. Among those challenges confronting Pentecost and his HX-1 backpack helicopter was the fact anything less than a perfect takeoff or landing resulted in a disastrously dangerous event involving shards of rotor blades screaming in a hundred different directions. The HX-1 was also very difficult to control, so much so, the only flights made had the machine and its pilot tethered to the earth.
Later models were more stable due to the incorporation of wheels and place to sit, but the late 1940s public (and military) were drawn to the helicopters that were coming off the line from such big name companies such as Bell and Sikorsky.
Mr. Pentecost was no crank inventor; he was an educated man, a wartime Boeing engineer. His dream of a small, lightweight personal means of flight was no different than those who later invented the Ultralight.
The HX-1 was donated to the Smithsonian, and is now on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona.
A Brace of Ducks
A trio of snappily-dressed chappies pose before a Coast Guard JF-2 at Boeing Field.
JF-2 from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles in Washington state does some sight seeing over the Olympic mountains.
The TSA in the 1920s
The aircraft is a Junkers F 13, the place is Southern California. The rest of the story is a mystery.
Boeing’s Model 80
With its open cockpit, it is tempting to think this is an early model, but in actuality it came about after pilots complained about the confines of Model 80s enclosed cockpit.
The sole survivor, now on display at Boeing’s Museum of Flight.
Boeing’s Forgotten Bomber, the B-50
The B-50’s R-4360 radials were the culmination of piston engine technology.
49-360 was assigned to the 93rd Bomb Wing.
The “Lucky Lady II” of the 43rd Bomb Group was famous for its non-stop flight around the world.
Although a solid aircraft in every respect, the B-50 was overshadowed (figuratively and literally) by the giant B-36, and the newer and more exciting jet aircraft then taking to the skies.
P-36 Hawks of Selfridge Field, Mich.
P-36A with the simple serial number of 38-38 of the 94th Pursuit Squadron. This aircraft’s life was short: It crashed in 1939.
The same aircraft, same day, is joined by his 94th wingman over the snowy farmlands of Michigan.
World War 1 USN Airship Operations
Caption reads “The original 15 airship pilots and USN enlisted men at Royal Airship Station, Cranwell, England, winter or 1917-18”. Two of those pilots, R. Keily, and C.D. Anderson (2nd row, 4th & 5th from the left) wear Royal Flying Corps pilot wings.
This photo’s caption states that this “British Patrol Dirigible”, the R-31 was flown by Lt. (j.g.) Eugene Wolfe and other American pilots.
Another airship flown by USN naval aviators in WW1 was the French Chalais-Meudon T-2.
Home base for the USN airship pilots in France was Naval Air Station Paimbœuf.
Boeing Model 40
NC 5390 of Pacific Air Transport hauled mail on the CAM (Contract Air Mail) 8 route (Seattle-Los Angeles) before crashing in 1931.
NC 10339 of Boeing Air Transport parked at its home base in Seattle.
First Class accommodations.
Model 40s were also built by Boeing Canada as the Model 40H-4. CF-AMQ stayed busy flying the skies of British Columbia before crashing at Dawson Creek in 1937.
NC 269 was a Model 40B that flew the skies for Boeing Air Transport/United Airlines. CAM 18 was the mail route between San Francisco and Chicago.
A Model 40B of United Air Lines.
NC 292 obviously had an “eventful” arrival, but it was repaired and put back into service.
1935: Explorers of the Future
Need to explore the remotest headwaters of a mysterious river but don’t have the time? Forward thinkers in 1935 already had the answer: Fill a boat with adventurers, attach it to an airplane, then drop it and its passengers like a bomb.
Almost Forgot: March is “International Women’s Month”.
Skyraiders Before The Storm
An A-1H of VA-215 while on a visit to NAS Whidbey Island. This Skyraider, 135366, was shot down in 1967.
AD-5 (133929) at NAS Seattle in 1961. The aircraft crashed later that year.
AD-5 ( 132669) of NAS Seattle in 1961. This plane later transferred to the SVNAF, then to the USAF before being shot down in 1965.
Another AD-5 of NAS Seattle that later transferred to the USAF. 132412 was shot down in 1966 while serving with the 602nd Air Commando Squadron.
A-1H (13539) of VA-215 was also transferred to the USAF for service in Vietnam. It was shot down in 1969.
AD-5 (133876) at Seattle before going off to the SVNAF, USAF, and being destroyed in combat.
A-1H (139797) of VA-215 before it was transferred to the USAF, and then to the SVNAF where it was lost during the war.
The first AD-7 (142010) was not lost in Vietnam, however, it crashed in 1962 while operating from USS Ranger.
Pictured in peacetime, none of these Skyraiders survived the 1960s or the Vietnam War.
Korean War Skyraiders
The “Flying Whale”
B-10B of the 31st Bomb Squadron roars into Boeing Field in 1936.
Still wearing its flight to Alaska markings from the previous year, a B-12A coasts in to Boeing Field, August 7, 1935.
Another B-12A arrives at Boeing Field on the same date.
B-10B of the 11th Bomb Squadron, Boeing Field, July 1936.
August 1936, and another B-10B arrives at Boeing Field.
Martin’s revolutionary bomber attracted instant attention everywhere it went. (Once again, Boeing Field, and once again, August 1936.
B-10B of the 11th Bomb Squadron.
This B-10B seen at Boeing Field wears the markings of the 7th Bomb Group and was the personal plane of LtCol. Clarence Tinker. (Again, the photo’s location is Boeing Field)
Bolling Field.
Aircraft of the 9th Bomb Group, Mitchel Field, NY.
Same aircraft as before. Below them is the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge.
Despite its unflattering name, the Martin B-10/12 was an absolutely outstanding aircraft for its time. This is especially so when one considers the bombers it replaced: The Keystone series with its (standard for the period) fabric-covered, open cockpit and double-winged aircraft. Whereas most aircraft eased into the transition from the earlier designs (thinking of the P-26), Martin dispensed with the in-between and went next generation.
Travel Airs
Moored on Seattle’s Lake Union, a Model 6000 of Bristol Bay Air Service awaits a long flight to Alaska.
Same lake, possibly same aircraft.
The first Type R “Mystery Ship”. This aircraft is now on display at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum.
Model 5000, “Oklahoma” was an entry in the famous 1927 Dole Air Race to Hawaii (it didn’t complete the race).
“Miss Sonic Boom”
According to this photo’s caption, actress Debra Paget was in Las Vegas and when asked if she would like a tour of nearby Nellis AFB, she couldn’t resist. (Obviously, she told them that she would only take part in the tour if she could wear a bathing suit and high heels.) Upon her arrival, the Nellis pilots immediately named her “Miss Sonic Boom.”
Miss Paget/Sonic Boom was quite the starlet back in the day, featuring in films like The Ten Commandments, and did a movie opposite Elvis. She is now 89 years old.
The “Ideal costume for Aviator”
Such survival suits are still in use today with the Air Force, Navy, etc. (“Poopy Suits,” we called them). This ad poses a bit of a question: what type of mechanical difficulties might necessitate “getting into cold water” some “10 miles off coast” to effect repairs to your aircraft? You would be in the open sea; what are you going to fix bobbing around like a cork? But this ad dates from 1919; flying machines had a bad habit of suddenly not working, and one had to be ready for anything.
The “Aluminum Overcast”
Yes, it was the biggest.
Skimming the rooftops, a 7th Bomb Wing bird arrives at the Consolidated plant in San Diego.
RB-36E (44-92023) of the 72nd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron.
Another RB-36E (44-92020) of the 72nd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron.
B-36J (52-2820) of the 95th Bomb Wing.
B-36H (51-5718) of the 11th Bomb Wing.
An aluminum suppliers dream, a single B-36 rolled and flattened to the thickness of household aluminum foil, would cover over 20 million square feet of property. Many thanks to Mr. Del Chasteen, a good ol’ Texas boy, who supplied most of the photos.
General Frank Lackland
General Lackland and staff with his personal aircraft, a Douglas B-23.
Sitting in the door, Lackland strikes a friendly pose with his staff. His B-23 bears his insignia as well as that of the 1st Wing.
Autographed photo presented to a member of his staff.
“Lackland” – anyone who has ever served in the USAF knows that name. Billed as the “Gateway to the Air Force,” Lackland AFB in Texas is home to USAF basic training and a host of academic and technical schools. The base’s namesake is seen here, Brigadier General Frank D. Lackland. Like many Air Corps generals, Lackland got his start as a pre-WW1 infantry officer before switching over to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. After serving in various capacities, General Lackland became commander of the 1st Wing at March Field in 1939. These photos date from that period. He was likable and friendly, and regardless of rank, he inspired everyone he commanded. It is, therefore, only fitting that the base which introduces recruits to the Air Force is named in his honor.
94th Pursuit Squadron
These men are not going to get any warmer once they get airborne: Rule of thumb for aviation: It gets about 4 degrees (2C) colder for every 1,000 feet higher you go.
A piece of hand-painted insignia.
XB-15 Bomber Bedecked with Bathing-suited Bronx Beauties
The Jive Bomber 