2010 is the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. air show.
It is commonly believed that the first organized aerial meet was in Reims, France, August 1909. Five hundred thousand spectators attended the first major international air meet. In France, fields of grapes were sacrificed to make space to accommodate the large crowd, the pilots and the aircraft. Special grand stands were built and press facilities were provided. There were stunt flying exhibitions, altitude competition, and air racing. Speed was a MAJOR attraction. And Glenn Curtiss, yes, America’s Glenn Curtis won by only six seconds the Gordon Bennett Cup race. Reims was a huge success. It appeared right then that air meets would become a major spectators sport. A few months later, in January 1910, the air meet phenomenon made headlines in Los Angeles, CA. 175,000 people attended that very first event which lasted 10 days, January 10th thru January 20th. Following the success in Los Angeles, shows were staged in New York, Boston, and Atlantic City.
French aerial exhibition in August 1909 was successfully organized, and well attended by people fascinated by flying machines and the aviators or birdmen as they were referred to in their day. It didn’t take long for the concept of air shows to travel west to the United States. Two promoters planned to stage the first air show in the United States targeting the early part of 1910.
The first location was Los Angeles, CA chosen for its favorable weather. Birdmen from the US and Europe were contacted by the early California Aero Club and by December 1909 the Dominguez Field near Los Angeles was selected for Americas first air show. Organizers built grandstands for 50,000 to 60,000 people, and aviators camp for lodging and an extended railroad track and platform to accommodate visitors to the rural site. The air show drew many famous aviators most whom were Americans, the leading being Glen Curtis and dozens of others significant but not as famous. The Wright Brothers did not take part in the event but their lawyers attempted to prevent some from flying including Curtis claiming ailerons on their aircraft infringed on the Wrights patents, not withstanding these allegations Paulhan and Curtis still made their flights. It is estimated that 254,000 tickets were sold and gate receipts were $140,000 and a local streetcar ran every two minutes. The birdmen competed for $75,000 in prize money. Aviators were informed that they must not fly over the grand stand or assembled crowds risking penalties. The ten-day event in January was now complete and in the history books as Americas First Air Show.
As the success of the first show spread the second one was being organized by the Aero Club of Atlantic City, New Jersey. This event took place in July 1910 spanning about one week. Tens of thousands of on lookers traveled to Atlantic City and packed the boardwalk hotels to watch the now growing famous aviators or birdmen. Although Atlantic City was smaller the Curtis machines flown by Glen Curtis and the Wright Brothers machine flown off a track built on the beach by a company demonstration pilot, dazzled the fascinated crowds and the news made the headlines of major city newspapers of their daring flights. Atlantic City has its place in history for the centennial of air shows.
The third American air show was the Harvard-Boston Aero Meet. It took place at Harvard Aviation Field in Atlantic, Mass. in September of 1910. It was an event that offered aviators more than $90,000 in prize money. Both the Wright Brothers and Glen Curtis were there. But it was Englishman, Claude White, who had ruled the show. The Massachusetts show stands out for giving New Englanders their first real glimpse of an airplane. Early female aviator, Harriet Quimbly, was so inspired by this show that she pursued her pilots license. Sadly she lost her life two years later flying at the same venue.
The fourth and last major air show in 1910 took place at a large racetrack on Long Island, Belmont Park, New York. It was for a week at the end of October and this air show offered approximately $75,000 in prize money. Many speed and altitude records were broken and new and improved flying machines began to appear onto the scene. The meets most notable event closing air shows for 1910 was the quick dash. The quick dash took competitors from Belmont Park racetrack, in their little flying machines, over New York City harbor, around the Statue of Liberty and back. Some 75,000 people crowded around the track to witness the start and finish of this event.
Not to mention the tens of thousands of people that were looking skyward to see and be amazed by these new flying machines. Just seven years after the Wright Brothers first flight. For this reason New Jersey should stand proud of its connection with Americas First One Hundred Years of Air shows. Now Atlantic City Air show in August, pilots fly over the exact area that both the Wright and Curtis machines flew 100 years ago.
Following 1910, individual pilots and small groups of aviators started to make a living by flying demonstrations and competing to see who could perform the best stunts. This competition tested who could fly highest, fastest, and sometimes farthest. The word “Daredevil” may have been born during these exciting days. One of these daredevils was Lincoln Beachey. In one 31 week season” Beachey performed before 17 million fans. The US population at the time was only about 76 million some came to see him flirt with death. For many fans today, air shows are exhilarating because of that apparent danger. Another performer in those early days was Blanche Stewart Scott, the first woman to solo in an airplane. But Blanche did not remain a performer very long. Why? She was absolutely disgusted by the public’s morbid interest. Aviation historian Terry Gwynn-Jones has said, “the spectator’s thirst for thrills and danger was unquenchable.” Indeed death marked those early events. Two pilots died in crashes in 1930. The death toll would climb in subsequent years. The aircraft called the Gee Bee claimed a few lives. More than one Gee Bee was built and flown. It became most controversial. Nonetheless, pilots continued to push their limits…and the limits of planes.
There was an era of “barnstorming” after World War I. Stunt pilots and wing walkers brought air shows to the people…even to very remote areas. Towns would simply shut down so everyone could go out to see the air show. Barnstorming became a very popular form of entertainment. WHY? One reason of course, was the wide variety of truly death defying stunts performed by the pilots. But even more popular perhaps were the affordable joy rides offered. It is reported that one pilot, in a single day, took 980 passengers for rides.
Flying was a new technology in the 1920’s. Many people had not seen an airplane close up. Barnstorming satisfied that curiosity for many. There began in the 20’s, and peeked in the 30’s during the Great Depression, air racing. Promoter Clifford Henderson staged a 10-day show in Cleveland, Ohio in 1929. More than 600 aircraft were on display there and it is reported that more than 500,000 people attended. They came to see speed in the air races and daring stunts by daredevil performers. Who were those performers in those early air shows? How many names have been forgotten? And what are the names of the planes they flew? Are many of those still around today? Well, let’s look at all that.
How about Hal Krier, Speed Holman, Hank Kennedy, Lindsey Parsons, Dorothy Hester, and Betty Skelton? But then there was one performer, and the plane he made famous worthy of some space here. In 1929, the Great Lakes AirCraft Company was formed in Cleveland, Ohio. The plane we must tell you about was the Great Lakes 2 T bi-plane---two place, open cockpit. It was stressed for 9 G positive and 6 G negative. ..WOW…The first engines were 85 h.p. The pilot who made it famous was Tex Rankin. In 1910, Tex left home at 16, learned to fly, and was soon barnstorming. He owned the Rankin Air Circus. In 1931, Tex acquired his famous Great Lakes bi-plane, NC315Y, and began specializing in aerobatics. He perfected new maneuvers by trial and error. In this same year at Charlotte, NC, Tex set an astounding record of 131 consecutive outside loops.
Story by Wayne Gauldin and Andy Kondrach