Soaring Skyward: A History of Aviation in and Around Long Beach, CaliforniaFlying was a perilous adventure, with death only a small breath away. Many lost their lives in pursuit of their dream and have remained relatively forgotten, until now. (italics until now) Aviation fever struck young and old alike, especially after the four Dominguez Air Meets held in Southern California between 1910-1913. It inspired many such as the Birnie and French brothers, Charles Day, and Glenn Martin to build their own air ships. For others like Frank Champion, Long Beachs first airman, it meant learning from the best---traveling to London, England, to study with Louis Bleriot, and going on to teach others, such as Long Beach Airport founder Earl Daugherty, to fly. There were also daring women: Tiny and Ethel Broadwick, who parachuted out of airplanes when many men refused to do so because they considered it too dangerous; Gladys ODonnell instrumental in founding the Womens Air Derby; World War II ferrying pilots, led by Barbara Erickson London, whose service to America was not recognized until 1977; Dianna Bixby and Joan Merriam Smith trying to complete Amelia Earharts dream of circumnavigating the globe. Soaring Skyward (italics for title) introduces remarkable men and women who embraced the dangers and challenges of flight. It also tells the story of the Long Beach Municipal Airport, the center of much of Southern Californias aviation history. The early days of ballooning, air circuses, parachute jumps, barnstorming, air meets, forgotten military sites and much more are all explored in this well documented look into the past, and future, of aviation in Southern California. After twenty years of extensive research, Ms. Burnetts book is sure to open up new sources of information for aviation and history enthusiasts, and most definitely shed additional light on the past. |
Contents
| 23 | |
ENVISIONING AN AIRPORT | 79 |
A NEW GENERATION TAKES TO THE AIR | 105 |
A NEW DEAL FOR AVIATION | 179 |
MILITARY CONNECTIONS | 199 |
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Soaring Skyward: A History of Aviation in and Around Long Beach, California Claudine Burnett No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
accident Aero Club aeroplane Air Derby Air Force Air Race airfield airplane airship Amelia Earhart Angeles April Army Air August avia aviation balloon Beach Municipal Airport biplane Bixby Broadwick Burcham Cal Rodgers Charles City of Long Corrigan craft crash Curtiss Daily Telegram Daugherty's death December Dianna Dominguez Air Meet Douglas Aircraft Drake Earl Daugherty Ethel February feet Ferris flew fliers flight flyer flying field flying school Frank Champion Frank Hawks Gladys O'Donnell Glenn Curtiss Glenn Martin glider hangar honor January July June killed Lindbergh Lloyd Long Beach Airport Long Beach aviator Long Beach Municipal Long Beach Press Los Angeles March miles military Milo Burcham Montana Land Company Montijo Navy Nike November October officials Pacific parachute passenger plane plans Press Telegram record Reeves Field Santa September Southern California Speich Spruce Goose stunt Terminal Island Tiny Tiny Broadwick tion took Tuskegee Airmen United wing woman