1858-1911 |
|
|
Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive |
 |
 |
|
from CHIRP June, 1937 Number 20 |
|
by Ron Carmichael Aside: A full scale model of this machine is in the Hiller Aviation Museum at the San Carlos Airport, San Carlos, CA. Montgomery made early models and studied birds in flight. He studied Physics at St., Ignatius College, San Francisco (B.Sc. in 1879 and M.Sc. in 1880). He joined family near Otay Mesa, CA, set up a lab and constructed his first airplanes with the aid of his sister, Jane E. Montgomery. He captured small and large birds to study wing warping. 1883: Flew in his gull winged aeroplane on August 28 for the first controlled airborne flight of man in heavier-than-air craft. 1893: Attended Aeronautical Congress, Conference on Aerial Navigation, August 1-4, Columbia World's Fair,Chicago. Met Octave Chanute who arranged for him to read his paper on Soaring Flight. Chanute corresponded with Wright Bros. and visited them later on. 1896-1904: Experimented with larger 4 and 8 foot wingspread models. Built a wind tunnel and tested degrees of parabolic wing curve and length, for and aft, rudder and rear stabilizer control, etc. Awarded Ph.D., Santa Clara College in 1901.Worked part time in Univ. Labs on Rev. R.H. Bell, S.J.'s reproduction and improvements on the Marconi Wireless - improvements admired by Marconi at visit in 1933. 1904-Hired and trained aeronaut, Daniel John Maloney to handle the two full scale aeroplanes completed in the autumn of 1903. 1905-Directed Maloney in balloon lift of planes to heights of 800 to 4000 feet. Cut loose and maneuvered for miles in air, banking, rising, turning at ease and landing safely on successful flights of March 16, 17 and 20 at Leonard's ranch, Aptos, California. Great flight April 29 when the aeroplane, Santa Clara was taken aloft before many invited newspapermen from San Francisco Bay area. Maloney cut loose at 4000 feet and maneuvered for 15-20 minutes to descend gracefully landing just southeast of the College Campus. A full scale model of this aircraft is on display at the Hiller Museum along with other of Montgomery'sairplanes. Many photos accompany the exhibit. 1906-U.S. Patent Office issued Patent No. 831,173 to Montgomery "For Improvement In Aeroplanes." 1911-Built camp at Evergreen, south of San Jose, to resume gliding experiments which were witnessed by many. On October 31, Montgomery made a slight alteration in control pattern. The plane pulled up sharply off rails and side-slipped 13 feet barely bruising the right wing. A protruding stove-bolt penetrated Montgomery's brain behind his ear, killing him.This freak accident in no way detracts from the substantial contribution Montgomery made to flight - especially considering he demonstrated how flight could be controlled at a very early time and by having his plane flown to altitudes of 4000 feet in 1905. A street and theatre are named for Montgomery in Santa Clara/Silicon Valley. I am sure that Montgomery Field in San Diego is also named for his contributions. His early aeroplane materials are stored at the Smithsonian - although I have tried to find out why they are not displayed for the public to recognize his amazing work! It is noteworthy that the Wright Bros. Patent specifically refers to their use of "flat" wings whereas Montgomery's patent expressly mentions his "parabolically" curved wings, now referred to as cambered wings. The Wright airplanes built by the U.S. Gov't. had cambered wing surfaces. Montgomery failed to win his patent dispute in court, but this in no way invalidates his scientific approach to theoretical and practical aeronautics. He flew successfully and without any damage to a gentle landing in 1883 and many times later.His last aircraft had the tail in the rear not the front - a harbinger of most modern aircraft of today! Hope his helps, Regards, Ron Carmichael |
|
AVIATION September, 1911 Collection of Ernie Sansome |
|
|
|
First Heavier than Air, Controllable Flight You will find Mary Ann Henderson's painting of the balloon and glider, along with a nice little story of his flight, by clicking on the title. |
|
You will find a comprehensive story of John J. Montgomery and his gliders on this Smithsonian National Air and Space website. To visit the site, just click on: Montgomery |
 |
 |
|
Email from Jim Montgomery, (9-02-01) jimm@ISCCORP.NET I have a small book entitled Aeropagitica by John Milton, reprinted in 1868. I bought the book in a used bookstore in Oakland, California in about 1965. Inside is signed "J. Montgomery October 3rd, 1879". I was wondering if there are any photo copies of John J. Montgomery's signature for comparison? It would be quite exciting to discover that John J. Montgomery once owned this book. Thanks, Jim Montgomery |
|
JOHN JOSEPH MONTGOMERY FATHER OF BASIC FLYING by the late ARTHUR DUNNING SPEARMAN,S.J., former Archivist at the University, This book is replete with details on the life and work of John Montgomery. Ron Carmichael |
|
via email from Wayne Dugan, Perhaps you know about the movie "Gallant Journey", starring the late Glenn Ford, I saw the movie when it was first released in 1946. The movie was a very loose interpretation of John J. Montgomery's life as he experimented with gliders. In the movie Mr. Montgomery died just prior to installing a gasoline engine in his glider. He was supposed to have suffered from vertigo and crashed the day before he was to install the engine. I thought it was a good movie at the time, (I was 11 years old) and never saw it again. Last year I bought a VCR tape of the movie on E-Bay. The tape was very poor quality, but it was good to see it again. Thank you for the great information, I enjoyed it very much. I am always interested in aviation history. Wayne Dugan |
THE SAN DIEGO UNION Sun. Aug. 5, 1962 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA |
 |
To Honor Pioneer Tribute will be paid to John J. Montgomery, the San Diego farm boy who built a glider and flew it 600 feet. Fly-overs by modern and antique planes, music by a Navy band, and commemorative speeches will be included in the program to start at 2 p.m. at the memorial statue to Montgomery, located on a hillside between Alternate U.S. 101 and Beyer Road, south of Otay. |
|
The memorial is a tall "Silver Wing," reminiscent of the glider flight. Visitors to the program also will see a replica of the Montgomery glider now owned by the John J. Montgomery Aerospace Museum in San Diego. |
Location: Montgomery-Walker Park, NE corner of Coronado Ave and Beyer Blvd, South San Diego. compiled by James Mills San Diego Historical Society |
|
Montgomery worked on his family farm to save enough money to finance his way through two years
of study at Santa Clara University. He returned to San Diego in 1883, built the plane, and on Aug. 7 drifted off the hillside into the wild
blue yonder. Planes from National City Squadron 83, Civil Air Patrol, and others dating back to World War I from the Antique Airplane Association will pass over during a wreath-placing ceremony. One CAP member, Master Sgt. James McDonald of Squadron 97, plans to parachute from plane overhead to the memorial site, if the Federal Aviation Agency gives its approval. Speakers will include Don Driese, aviation historian; James Spurgeon; William Brotherton; Dr. Frank Lowe of the San Diego Board of Education; Preston M. Fleet, president of the museum; Les Earnest, director of the city parks and recreation and others. Ray Blair of General Dynamics-Astronautics will be master of ceremonies, and the Rev. Tullio Andreatta of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in San Ysidro will give the invocation. Other Boy Scout aviation and women's groups will participate in the program. Clipping from collection of Lester Bishop Courtesy of David Balanky |
|
|
If you have any information on this Early Flier, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
|