TOM GUNN

TOM GUNN Collection Jerry Blanchard, 11-30-07

 

-TOM GUNN. CHINESE AVIATOR- --TANFORAN--DEC 25 TO 29-12- Collection Jerry Blanchard, 11-30-07

 

TOM GUNN Collection of Ray L. Coughlin, 6-1-04

 

ONLINE RESOURCES - 1      If you search for "Tom Gunn +aviation", using the Google search engine, (12-2-07), you will find about 129 links. Perhaps the most helpful are the following.

Pioneers in Hawaiian aviation history Stories by Burl Burlingame bburlingame@starbulletin.com      This page on the Starbulletin.com website offers a really remarkable resource to our online community. In addition fo a brief revue of Tom Gunn's career, which included a photo of him, his plane, and a female passenger, it includes similar biographical notes on some 13 other Hawaiian pioneer aviators. The introductory paragraph of the entry for Gunn is reproduced below:        "Born in San Francisco, Tom Gunn represented China in the 1910 International Aviation Meet in Los Angeles and was dubbed the "Wright of China." When revolution erupted, Gunn was contacted by Sun Yat-Sen to popularize aviation. In two years, Gunn made more than 800 flights and carried more than 300 passengers in the Pacific region, including the Hawaiian Islands, where he also demonstrated the first flying boat seen here."        To read the rest of his fascinating story, click on the title above.      If time permits, I heartily recommend that you take advantage of the other entries on the page. You will recognize such familiar names such as Bud Mars, Amelia Earhart, John Rodgers, Lester Maitland and Albert Hegenberger, each one with interesting stories and photographs. Also, you will find biographies of a number of lesser well known pioneers, each one of whom played an important role in the development of aviation. Their stories are of considerable importance to those of us who are interested in early aviators and aviation. Mr. Burlingame has performed a very valuable public service in making these stories available on the net.

 

The day Hawaii really took off Wright brothers launched revolution By Will Hoover Advertiser Staff Writer      This page on the Honolulu Advertiser.com website offers a summary of activities in Hawaii beginning with the exploits of Bud Mars in 1910 and including a brief mention of Tom Gunn. Included are two very nice photographs of Bud Mars and his plane from the R. J. Baker collection. Will Hoover has written a very nice summary of the development of aviation in the islands from the earliest days through the period after Pearl Harbor. To access the page, click on the title above.

 

AERIAL MAIL SERVICE INAUGURATED BY TOM GUNN Manila, P.I. 4/11/1914      The photo on this Picture Post Card was taken in Hilo Hawaii, not the Philippines. Apparently Tom took some to the Philippines. Perhaps he sold the cards as the price of flying them to Manila from Pasay in 1914 when this card was flown to Manila. Photos & caption courtesy of Ray L. Coughlin, 6-2-04

 

ONLINE RESOURCES - 2      Joe Curtis has found two more websites which you will see are very helpful. I thank him for sharing his find with us. (5-28-05)

Weekly Postcard: Gunn Biplane      This page on Richard Morgan's website offers a wonderful photo of Tom in his "flying machine" and a fascinating story of his career which came from Carroll Gray at Early Birds.org, as a response to Richard's request for help in identifying the photo. In his usual fashion, Carroll has helped immensely to both identify the photo and to expand on the story of Tom Gunn's experiences. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.      In response to my request to Richard, he sent the following information. "Hi Ralph:      Regarding the postcard itself, I actually own it. It was part of my great-grandfather's possessions. We think he picked it up out West on a trip to find work during the early 1900's.      If you'll tell me what portion of the picture you want zoomed, I can re-scan it, say 1200dpi, and put that portion up for you to download.      Here's a closer piece of the man himself, for now: Enlarged Version      Please feel free to use either of the images on your site. I'd only ask that you maintain a link back to my site, if you do so. Cheers, Richard" Editor's Note: I am very grateful to Richard for his generosity in sharing this beautiful photograph with us. You will find, as I did, that he has placed a representative selection of his extensive collection online, for our enjoyment. I heartily recommend that you take advantage of this unique resource, which is so readily available.

 

Tom Gunn 1890 - 1925      This is the page on Carroll Gray's Pioneer Aviator's website which offers a very nice photograph of Tom, standing in front of his plane. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.      If you are not already familiar with Carroll's site, you should take advantage of this opportunity to click on the "HOME" button at the bottom of the page and sample some of the many important sections which he has made available.

 

The dates of his birth and death are unknown to me.   Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper

 

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