Emperor Hail Salassi I King of Kings
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| Photo Courtesy George Frebert |
| Abyssinia Emperor Hail Salassi I King of Kings |
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Mr. George Frebert writes; I had the privilege of knowing G.M. Bellanca's personal secretary of 30 years, Mrs. Frances Rees Hayford. She kept a running record of all Bellanca airplanes and turned over a great deal of information to me before she died in January, 1997. Her records included serial numbers, dates of production and who purchased the airplane. She also had an extensive collection of photos, many of which are signed and dated by the pilots. All of these materials belongs to her son, Colonel Richard Hayford, who resides in Tennessee. He has been very generous to loan this material to complete my book on Delaware Aviation History. Some time after the historic flight of Lees and Brossy, the airplane was returned to Bellanca and the original gasoline engine re-installed and put up for sale. Enter Colonel Hubert Fauntleroy Julian, from Abyssinia, Africa. He took flying lessons from Air Service, Inc. (the FBO on Bellanca airfield) and then purchased the airplane to fly back to Africa. Julian had Bellanca paint the airplane black and a new "N" number was applied for under the standard ATC. I do not know the plane's original color. Julian departed Bellanca airfield for Roosevelt airfield, his proposed departure point. When he attempted to depart Roosevelt airfield, he failed to set the trim tab and the plane crashed and burned. He fortunately survived. All early Bellanca "J" models, although having the appearance of "CH" models, were in fact built to attempt setting new records. The tail of the NR782W is an early Department of Commerce, Aviation Branch number (R denoting Restricted). All "J" models produced were never issued an Approved Type Certificate, (ATC) which accounts for the "N" number being omitted. In the photo you will note the number is now 782W. An ATC was not required for any airplanes sold overseas. Therefore, the NR was dropped for Julian's overseas flight. You will also note on the tail of the airplane "1101". This is the Bellanca serial number of the airplane This matches the serial number of the Packard Diesel. Holder World's Non-Refueling Endurance Record 84 HRS. 33 MINS The legend just behind the cockpit reads: PILOT COL HUBERT JULIAN BLACK EAGLE The legend on the tail reads: 782W BELLANCA 1101 J-2 "SPECIAL" 
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