After his experiences in St. Augustine, Walter got a job working for Tom Benoist in St. Louis. It was there that he made his first and
unauthorized solo. Walter next went to North Island near San Diego, CA in the Spring of 1914. Curtiss had established his school on the
island in January of 1911. Walter attended the Curtiss School until mid 1915 when he graduated and left for Chicago. While at the
school, he qualified on both the land and sea planes. His first job after graduating was flying a Curtiss F-Boat owned by Steward
McDonald in Chicago. |
Benoit Factory May, 1912 |
Benoist at The Bluffs California Pass |
Lieut. Towers Flying Boat Run May, 1913 |
First Scheduled Airline December, 1914 |
First Scheduled Airline , Tony Jannus 1914 | Benoist Commemorative Flight, 1984 |
Raymond V. Morris in E Boat, 1913 |
Langley, 1914 |
Curtiss Flying Boat, North Island Jan. 26, 1915 |
Curtiss School Boat, North Island Jan. 26, 1915 |
Walter at Coronado Beach Cal. Feb. 7, 1915 |
Lunch at Curtiss Camp North Island, 1915 Cal. Feb. 7, 1915 |
Jimmy Johnson & Walter North Island, Apr. 4, 1915 |
Walter & "Jim", North Island, 1915 |
Walter & Land Tractor, North Island, 1915 | Walter & "The Gang", 1915 |