Hubert Latham

- Hubert Latham

HUBERT LATHAM
1883-1912

Hubert Latham, about 1909
Copy of an Original Post Card
Photo Courtesy of Roy Nagl
Ancient Aviators Website

1909 International Aviation show in the Palais Royal, Paris.

LATHAM'S ANTOINETTE, 1909 This is the December, 1909 International Aviation show in the Palais Royal, Paris. It shows the setting up of the exhibit of an Antoinette VII, the model Latham used in July, 1909, for his second attempt to cross the English Channel as well as the airplane he set the world's altitude record at Reims, in August, and also the one he had when he overflew Berlin in October of the same year as part of the aviation meet in Johannisthal. It was the first time a city had been overflown by an airplane (which drew heavy criticism from Wilbur Wright who thought it was a reckless and dangerous to the city's inhabitants). It was also the first time a pilot had flown his airplane to an aviation meet.
Text and photo courtesy of Stephen King

LATHAM'S FLIGHT - BERLIN, SEPT. 23, 1909
Daily Journal and Tribune,
Knoxville, Tennessee: September 24, 1909,
Transcribed by Bob Davis - 9-2-03 "Hubert Latham, the French aviator, made a successful trial flight of ten minutes in Berlin this morning. A distinguished party of German officers was present. Later in the day Latham flew for half an hour over the Templehof parade ground and was cheered by an immense assemblage. He will fly every day until September 28th."
Bob Davis

LATHAM TEACHES MARIE MARVINGT, 1910      Marie Marvingt studied fixed wing aviation with Hubert Latham, in the Antoinette airplane. at least one journal credited her with being the first woman to solo a monoplane.
     She died on December 14, 1963, the most decorated woman in the history of France. She was awarded more than 34 medals and decorations.
     It is unfortunate that she is so unknown. She was a fantastic lady, and contributed greatly to the history of aviation and to the development of the airplane ambulance.
Personal Communication from David Lam

Latham (pointing) with Katharine Wright, sister of Wilbur and Orville, standing on a chair, at Pau, France (Wilbur's flight school located there) in 1910. Just to the right of Latham is Louis Paulhan and the farthest figure on the right is probably Louis Bleriot.
Text and photo courtesy of Stephen King

MAN-BIRD DEFEATS BIRDS OF NATURE IN AERIAL RACE
AMIENS, FRANCE, AUGUST 16, 1910
Daily Journal and Tribune, Knoxville, Tennessee:
August 16, 1910,
Via email from Bob Davis - 9-2-03      The first aerial race between the birds of nature and of man's production took place in the course of the great cross-country competition and was easily won by man. A flock of forty-seven carrier pigeons was released at Douai yesterday at the same instant that LeBlanc in his Farman bi-plane started from the mark in his 50-mile flight to Amiens. Rushing through the calm air, the bi-plane soon outdistanced the birds and when LeBlanc reached Amiens the flock was not yet in sight, the first pigeon arriving six minutes and twenty seconds after LeBlanc. Before the last of the flock had come in, Le Gagnenx, (Le Gagneux?), who had started at the same time as LeBlanc, but consumed nine minutes more on the trip, arrived, beating the last pigeon by twelve minutes.
     Hubert Latham flew today from Issy Les Molineaux in the suburbs of Paris to Amiens, stopping en route to take lunch with friends at Breteuil. He thereby accomplished practically the last in the cross-country race, a distance of about sixty-eight miles, but in the reverse direction.
     The website you referenced had this entry for the same flight:
     14/08/1910 Flew from Chalon-Paris-Issy. Issy-Chartres. Chartres-Deauville-Harve. Harve-Issy. Issy-Bretenil-27short Amiens. Repair aircraft flew to Amiens. Rights off aircraft at Amiens. 6 days of flying."
Bob Davis

Latham's Antoinette, November, 1910
Collection of Gerald Herriman, 2-23-05

Hubert Latham's Spectacular Flight Over the City of Baltimore Md. The noted French aviator establishing a new record for over-city flight, in his fifty horse-power Antoinette. He remained in the air 42 minutes, making no stops after leaving the aviation field. The total distance amounted to nearly 25 miles. The aviator had to contend with the wind blowing from seven to fifteen miles an hour and he varied his altitude from 400 to 2,000 feet. The flight was made for a prize of$5,000 offered by the Baltimore Sun, and a short detour was made for the benefit of a wealthy invalid who offered an additional $500 if Latham would come within the range of the invalid's window. Latham's flight was the crowning event of Baltimore's recent aviation tournament.- Mrs. C. R. Miller.
Collection of Gerald Herriman, 2-23-05

BALTIMORE FLIGHT INTERVIEW
via email from Stephen H. King, 3-2-05 While Latham was flying at the Baltimore meet (Halethorpe), needless to say he was much sought-after for press interviews. He did the usual rounds with the reporters but an amusing incident occurred when he was collared by the Baltimore Sun’s society page editor. After the usual questions, she coquettishly asked Latham if he found the Baltimore ladies prettier than those in New York (he had just come from New York where he had flown for France competing for the Gordon-Bennett Cup). Latham’s deadpan response completely dumbfounded the poor woman, who, at a loss for words, quickly, but diplomatically, terminated the interview. His answer to the question was: "I really couldn’t say. I didn’t notice the ladies in New York."
This story is paraphrased from Steve King's "Windkiller."

AVIATORS SHOW AT BALTIMORE
SEVEN BIRD MEN READY FOR COMING CONTESTS. DREXEL WINS HONORS OF DAY FOR ALTITUDE FLIGHT. WILLARD GOES FIVE MILES TO SHOW HIS SPEED.      On this page of Roy Nagl's " TRUE TALES OF THE ANCIENT AVIATORS" website, you will find the Associate Press report of the show on November 5, 1910. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.
     If time permits and if you are not already familiar with this unique and valuable resource, I recommend that you sample some of the following articles from New York and Los Angeles newspapers:
1904 AVIATION ARTICLES (1)
     1909 AVIATION ARTICLES (111)
     1910 AVIATION ARTICLES (127)
   1911 AVIATION ARTICLES (87)
  1912 AVIATION ARTICLES (23)      You can access the homepage by clicking on the name of the site above.

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