Friday, October 2, 2009

Aviator George Mestach Sitting in a Plane in Grant Park -- October 2, 2009


Belgian aviator George Mestach sits in his Morane-Borel monoplane during the 1911 or 1912 International Aviation Meet in Chicago's Grant Park. I think he has an inner tube wrapped around himself to serve as a flotation device in case he comes down in the lake. I like his expression. He died in 1920.

The photo comes from the Library of Congress' wonderful American Memory site (http://memory.loc.gov/). DN-0057562, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"French aviator George Mestach sits in his monoplane during the 1911 or 1912 International Aviation Meet in Chicago's Grant Park. I think he has an inner tube wrapped around himself to serve as a flotation device in case he comes down in the lake. I like his expression. He died in 1920."

George Metach was a Belgian aviator and his expression in this plane - actually a Morane-Borel monoplane - has some reasons I think. On September 14, 1912 he had a frightening accident on Cicero Airfield Chicago when he crashed head on in flight in the machine of Howard Gill, who flew a Wright biplane.

The whole story is recounted in great detail in the book of John Carver Edwards (2009). Orville's aviators: outstanding alumni of the Wrights Flying School 1910-1916 ISBN 978-0786442270.

Kees

Joe Thompson said...

Kees: Thank you for the information. I updated his nationality and the type of airplane. I will let people read your comment for the story of the accident.