Woman Crosses Continent in Air -- October 8, 2022

New Britain Herald, 09-October-1922

100 years ago today, on 08-October-1922, Lillian Gatlin landed at Curtiss Field in Mineola, Long Island after a 27 hour and 11-minute flight from San Francisco. This made her the first woman to fly across the country. She was trying to raise interest in making March 2 a day to acknowledge aviators who "offered their lives on the altar of patriotism and progress." 

Gatlin said that 02-March-1915 was the day that Lincoln Beachey died while performing aerobatics at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. I thought he died on the 14th:

The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion: Lincoln Beachey Plunges a Mile Out of Sky to Death -- March 14, 2015 (cablecarguy.blogspot.com)

WOMAN CROSSES

CONTINENT IN AIR

Lillian Gatlin Reaches Mineola

Field Safely

Mineola, L. I. Oct. 9. -- Lillian Gatlin, said to be the first woman to cross the continent by airplane, landed at 5:45 last evening at the United States Air Mall Service station at Curtiss field, completing the flight from San Francisco in the flying time of 27 hours and 11 minutes. She left San Francisco on Oct. 5.

Miss Gatlin, who Is the founder of the National Association of Aviation Gold Star Mothers, arrived as a "special delivery" package in one of the United States Post Office De Haviland mail planes equipped with a 400 horsepower Liberty motor. The trip was undertaken by Miss Gatlin for the purpose of creating interest in her movement to have the government set apart March 2 every year to commemorate the death of flyers who offered their lives on the altar of patriotism and progress.

Army officers here estimated that Miss Gatlin flew 2,680 miles in her flight. Her trip from Cleveland yesterday was the last leg of her journey and was made in 4 hours and 36 minutes, with Pilot Elmer G. Leonhard, an air service flyer, at the wheel.

The plane ran into rainstorms and fog on the last leg. Before coming to Mineola Leonhardt pushed the nose of his machine down the Hudson and to New York harbor, where he circled the statue of liberty several times in salute. At Curtiss field Miss Gatlin stepped smilingly from the plane to meet the congratulations of a group of men and women who had been apprised of her coming.

Wears Dead Aviator's Goggles.

After a pat at her hair. Miss Gatlin drew from the folds of her flying suit a pair of baby shoes, her mascot.

"These were given to me by the mother of a dead aviator," she said as she stroked the white leather shoes. "No. I don't believe in a jinx. These are Lincoln Beachery's cuff buttons. He met his death in an airplane. So did Harold L. Coffey, whose goggles I am wearing. No, I am not superstitious. It is because I would preserve the memory of these men and many others like them who died as martyrs to aviation, whether in civil pursuits or in the cause of their country, that I wish to have a memorial service for dead aviators.

"I want the gold star mothers to feel that the memory of their sons shall endure. By setting apart one day of the year for fitting ceremonies in tribute to dead aviators, the nation will prove that it does not forget the men who have given their lives in the pursuit of a constructive ideal. The names of these men should be handed on to the coming generations and should serve as an inspiration to schoolboys as well as their parents so long as deeds of heroism shall have power to thrill."

An Illuminated Aeroplane Looping the Loop Over Panama Expo Grounds -- June 3, 2015

Arizona Republican, 18-June-1915

Aviator Lincoln Beachy, who had been contracted to provide flying entertainment over the Panama-Pacific International Exposition crashed into the bay and drowned on 14-May-1915:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2015/03/lincoln-beachey-plunges-mile-out-of-sky.html

Art Smith, who had been racing miniature autos at the fair, became the exhibition flyer. 

This item, from the 18-June-1915 Arizona Republican, shows Smith flying over the exposition with flares on his wings. 

Smith died in a crash on 12-February-1926 while flying airmail. 

AN ILLUMINATED AEROPLANE LOOPING
THE LOOP OVER PANAMA EXPO GROUNDS

This is a bona fide negative taken of an illuminated aeroplane flight made by Art Smith, the "up-side-down aviator," flying at night over the Panama-Pacific exposition in San Francisco.  The picture was made from a single timed exposure a few nights ago.  The shutter was exposed during the period of flight. 

News of the Week April 3, 1915 -- April 3, 2015

The 03-April -1915 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Twenty-ninth U. S. Infantry leaves New York for Panama Canal zone.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  The 29th Infantry Regiment stayed in the Canal Zone until September, 1918. 

"Rescuing all that was left of Lincoln Beachey and his ill-fated machine.   Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Lincoln Beachey was the featured aerial performer at San Francisco's Panama Pacific International Exposition, where he died on 14-March-1915 when his new monoplane crashed into the bay, where he drowned, trapped in the wreckage:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2015/03/lincoln-beachey-plunges-mile-out-of-sky.html

"The Kaiser on the battlefield in North Poland.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  Kaiser Wilhelm II was visiting his troops who had driven the Russians back after they invaded East Prussia. 

"Rome, Italy visited by a great flood that swept through the city.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  Rome's Tiber River flooded frequently.  The flood of 1915 lasted a long time.

"Launching the U. S. S. Pennsylvania at Newport News.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Dreadnaught USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was launched on 16-March-1915.  During the Pearl Harbor attack, she was in drydock, but her anti-aircraft guns fought back.  15 of her crew were killed, but she was able to sail to San Francisco for repairs.

"A mile-a-minute on skiis at Montreal, Canada.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  I assume this is a ski jump competition. 

Lincoln Beachey Plunges a Mile Out of Sky to Death -- March 14, 2015

Seattle Star, 15-March-1914

Lincoln Beachey was an early stunt flier. He was the featured performer at San Francisco's Panama Pacific International Exposition, where he died on 14-March-1915. This article from the 15-March-1915 Seattle Star describes the accident.  His monoplane, making its  first public flight, was referred to as a Taube because its wings resembled the airplane commonly used by the Central Powers, Germany and Austria, during the early years of World War One:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2014/08/taube-monoplane-august-6-2014.html

LINCOLN BEACHEY PLUNGES A MILE OUT OF SKY TO DEATH

Daredevil Aviator Who So Often Defied Grim Reaper is Killed at San Francisco; Mother May Also Die as Result of Shock; Thousands See Tragedy.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15. — Fears that death might claim a second victim as the result of the accident which sent Aviator Lincoln Beachey to his death were expressed today by doctors attending Mrs. Amy Beachey. 65, the airman's mother.  The aged woman collapsed when told har son had been drowned in the bay of San Francisco when the wings of his Taube monoplane buckled in flight Sunday afternoon.

Fifty thousand persons within the grounds of the exposition, and at least as many more outside, saw the fatal fall of the aviator who had successfully defied death for ten years.

The tragedy came during Beachey's second flight.  He had gone up half an hour earlier in a Taube monoplane, the second time he had ever tried anything but his biplane, which he had used for years.  The first flight was only a partial success.  The graceful aeroplane soared several thousand feet aloft, and then whirled around three times in the "loop the loop."

Starts "Dip of Death"

Descending, Beachey fixed his motor and took to the air again. When he had reached a height of 6,000 feet, Beachey poised the monoplane apparently for another loop. He started the sliding flight downward, preparatory to turning over, and then apparently changed his mind. 

At a height of 4,000 feet he slowed down the motor and began the "dip of death." which had made him famous the world over.

The machine started the long downward plunge perpendicularly.  For more than 3,000 feet it traveled
at an estimated speed of three miles a minute.

Six hundred feet above the bay, Beachey tried to "bank'' the aeroplane and straighten out until he
could make a landing on the green spot near his hangar.

The tremendous pressure on the wings was too great, however.  Just as the airman seemed successful
these collapsed upward and wrapped themselves about the engine and Beachey himself.

He struggled to release the straps which held him to his seat by his legs, arms and body. But it was too late.

The Taube dropped like a dead weight into the bay and sank to a depth of 40 feet near the army transport Crook.

A gasp rose from the throng.  Thousands dashed toward the spot where the aeroplane had fallen, and
it required the services of scores of guards to preserve order while divers recovered the machine and
Beachey's body.

Doctors who examined the corpse said Beachey had drowned.

Miss Merced Walton, Beachey's fiancée, was overcome when notified of the airman's death, but hurried to the bedside of his mother to console the older woman.

Beachey's body was taken today to a private morgue.  The Elks' lodge will be in charge of the funeral Wednesday

Seattle Star, 15-March-1914

Watches Her Son Loop his One Thousandth Loop -- March 2, 2015

Ashland Daily Tidings, January 21, 1915

Lincoln Beachey was an early stunt flier. He was the featured performer at San Francisco's Panama Pacific International Exposition, where he died on 14-March-1915.
THE MOTHER OF LINCOLN BEACHEY, FROM THE TOWER OF JEWELS, 435 FEET ABOVE THE EARTH, AT THE PANAMA-PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION, WATCHES HER SON LOOP HIS ONE THOUSANDTH LOOP.

When Lincoln Beachey, a son of San Francisco, on the occasion of his homecoming after breaking all world records as a daredevil looper of 999 loops, performed two entirely new and death defying stunts over the completed palaces of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition it was his aged mother who for the first time waved him on to fresh achievements. Mrs. Beachey held a place of honor, 435 feet up In the air. on the tiptop of the wonderful Tower of Jewels. From this aerie she was able to watch every erratic move of her daredevil son. She cried out only once. That was when be wrote the figures "1000" against the clouds, high above the two miles of completed exhibit palaces, significant of the looping of his one thousandth loop.

Flying Upside Down -- January 4, 2014

The 31-December-1913 San Francisco Call and Post advertised that Lincoln Beachey would fly upside down on New Year's Day on the grounds of the upcoming Panama-Pacific International Exposition.  The ad does not mention that Beachey would also fly inside a building, the Palace of Machinery.  The article, from the 01-January-1914 San Francisco Call and Post gives a few more details.  This was probably the first flight of a manned, powered airplane indoors.  Lincoln Beachey was an early stunt flier. He was the featured performer at San Francisco's Panama Pacific International Exposition, where he died on 14-March-1915.

Beachey to Fly Today

Inside Machinery Hall

Lincoln Beachey. the aviator, will add to his exploits by flying within the machinery palace this afternoon. The flight will be the first to be made indoors and will demonstrate the size of the exposition building. Beachey's aeroplane is about 30 feet wide, and the width of the building is about 75 feet. The interior of the building will permit a flight of several hundred feet.

Aviator Lincoln Beachey Sitting in an Airplane -- September 3, 2008

Lincoln Beachey was an early stunt flier. He was the featured performer at San Francisco's Panama-Pacific International Exposition, where he died on 14-March-1915.

The photo comes from the Library of Congress' wonderful American Memory site (http://memory.loc.gov/). DN-0062741, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.