1865-1964 AKA J. Walter Christie |
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Belmont Park Meet, Oct 22-31, 1910 Library of Congress Collection, 11-7-07 |
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IN HISTORY OF EARLY BIRDS By ERNEST JONES, EB C. G. White, in a Bleriot, won the Gordon Bennett at 62.5 miles in 1 hour 1 minute 1 second. Leblanc, in a Bleriot, made a flock of world records over distances ranging from five to 90 kilometers. His greatest speed was 109.23 kph. Hamilton was unofficially timed at 107 kph. Johnstone and Hoxsey made approximately 8,000 and 7,000 feet respectively in a high wind which drove them backward, 42 and 25 miles respectively. Moisant, in a Bleriot, won the $10,000 Allan Ryan Statue of Liberty prize race, which was contested by White and finally awarded to DeLesseps, who finished last. There were more foreign contestants than ever before or since, more new records established and the exhibitions were relatively speaking, more spectacular. Following were the contestants: Then there were Walter Brookins, Arch Hoxsey, J. C. Turpin, Ralph Johnstone, P. O. Parmalee, all Americans, with Wright machines; Alec Ogilvie (England), Wright; Todd Shriver (America), Curtiss; J. J. Frisbie (America), Curtiss type. Walter Christie had a monoplane with two tandem engines, but it was not flown. Harkness did not fly but Latham flew his Antoinettes for him and distinguished himself, along with Hoxsey and Johnstone, by flying in high winds when the rest of the pilots were grounded. courtesy of Steve Remington - CollectAir |
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A total of $72,300 in prize money was a stake--of which $10,000 was earmarked for the winner of a race around the Statue of Liberty. Another $1,000 was thoughtfully set aside "to be distributed among the mechanics of the aviators as a recognition of their services." Top billing, however, was given to the second contest for the Gordon Bennett trophy--and the first on American soil. American hopes were pinned on an all-star Wright delegation: Walter Brookins, selected to pilot the dark-horse Model R racer, of Orville's creation --a junior-size "headless" machine, lacking a front elevator and with a 21-foot wing span and an eight-cylinder, 60-hp engine; Ralph Johnstone, a specialist in high flying; his rival in altitude, Arch Hoxsey (who had taken up former President Theodore Roosevelt at St. Louis on October 11); and either Phillip O. Parmalee or J. Clifford Turpin. In the Curtiss camp were Charles F. Willard; James C. (Bud) Mars, a former balloonist and parachute jumber; J.A.D. McCurdy, charter member of the Aerial Experiment Association; and Eugene Burton Ely, whose later exploits were to earn him a place in America's Aviation Hall of Fame. Charles K. Hamilton entered his Hamiltonian--a biplane modeled on the Curtiss and powered by an eight-cylinder, 110-hp motorcar engine designed by Walter Christie. ..... The Story of the Early Birds by Henry Serrano Villard (page 107) |
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WALTER CHRISTIE RALPH DE PALMA J. A. CLARK Library of Congress Collection, 11-8-07 |
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You can enlarge and read each of the pages from the magazine which tell the story, illustrated with several photographs. It is a unique insight into his career. Just click the title to access the website. |
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