Contents
Ragwings
Over The Sacramento River: Early aviation in
Sacramento County, the westside counties, and the far northern counties of
the Sacramento Valley 1909–1939
Volume III of the Aviation in Northern California
1910-1939 series
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Acknowledgements
PART I: SACRAMENTO COUNTY EARLY FLIGHT
Chapter 1
Knabenshue’s dirigible flights of 1909 – Roy Crosby flies first – The “Fiesta of the Dawn of Gold” state fair committee hires Hamilton – Ivy Baldwin tries for state fair flying job
Chapter 2
Charlie Hamilton flies at the state fair – The crash of the Hamiltonian – Kerns and the phony “Bud” Mars – Chappell and Brainard, aeroplane builders – The nation’s top exhibition pilots come to Sacramento with Dick Ferris’ air circus – Ivan Gates brings the Bay Area’s best to fly at the fairgrounds – Bob Fowler and the first power line patrol – Lincoln Beachey at Sacramento
Chapter 3
Frank Bryant and Sam Purcell fly for the 1917 California State Fair – Liberty Iron Works build JN-4s for war – Mather Field is created – Great War aviators at Sacramento – Jack Irwin
Chapter 4
Postwar Aviation – Mather Field pathfinder flights – The creation of Del Paso Airport – An airfield at Curtis Oaks – The War Mother’s Aero Circus – Sacramento flying in 1921 and 1922 – Sacramento Valley airports in 1922
Chapter 5
Chinese flying school at Courtland – Sierra Aircraft Company and its airfield – First Annual Sacramento Air Meet – US Air Mail Service plane lands at Sacramento
Chapter 6
A revitalized municipal airport at Del Paso Park – Irwin Airport is abandoned by its creator – Sierra Airport is renamed Eagle Rock Airport
Chapter 7
Capital Air Lines – The Sacramento Aircraft Show of 1928 – Flying activities at Sacramento airports – Replacing Del Paso Airport – Final years at Eagle Rock Airport
Chapter 8
New airlines and flying services – Roseville opens an airport – Del Paso hangs on – New municipal airport sites are studied – The Sacramento Aviation Club – NAA Chapter is formed – New management at Del Paso – The first California Air Tour
Chapter 9
Prominent Sacramento aviators of the 1920s – John Fulton “Jack” Irwin – Henry G. “Andy” Andrews – Ray E. Nicholson – Ingvald Fagerskog – Leo Moore – Walter L. Lockhoof – Jack Beilby – Arthur F. Mickel – Ken Blaney – A. B. Willett
Chapter 10
A new municipal airport on Freeport Boulevard – Airwar over the Sacramento Valley – A grand airport dedication – New flying businesses on a new airport – Aircraft movements at the new airport – Sacramento flying activities for 1931 through 1933
Chapter 11
Commercial flying at the new municipal airport – Forrest Earle Bennett – Bob Laurin – Harold G. “Buzz” Slingsby – Summit Flying Service – Kimball Flying Service – Capital Airlines Inc. – Boeing Air Transport – Pacific Air Transport – Century Pacific Lines Ltd. – Consolidated Air Lines – Varney Air Lines
Chapter 12
Women in aviation – Sacramento’s Avis Bielefeld – Sacramento flying activities 1936 and beyond – B-17s at Sacramento Muni in 1937 – Del Paso Airport’s final years
Part II.
Early Aviation in Colusa and Glenn Counties
Chapter 13
Agricultural flying history – Chasing ducks – Duck patrol in 1920 – Moffett and Hunt in Glenn County – Seeding and dusting crops in the north state – Colonel Livingston Irving – Merced-Wawona Air Lines and Frank Gallison
Chapter 14
The rice season of 1931 – Early flying attempts at Colusa – Chadwick Thompson flies duck hunters – Colusans choose an airport site – Colusa Airport dedication
Chapter 15
Albert Lane – A Korean flying school – Postwar barnstormers – Willows Airport established – Willows Airport dedication– Orland’s airports – Glenn County flying activities
Chapter 16
The 1930 Army Air Corps Maneuvers – Floyd Nolta, the Willows Airport manager –Flying activities at Willows – Willows Air Show of 1933 – A larger air show in 1935 – A better air show in 1937 – The best and last air show of the 1930s
Part III.
Early Flying in Tehama, Shasta, and Yolo Counties
Chapter 17
Corning’s first airport – Warren Woodson develops an airport – Ben Torrey, airport manager – Pacific Air Transport and West Coast Air Transport choose Corning – Fuel stop for the famous – Corning’s first air show – Ben Torrey does it all – Torrey’s final days – The Corning Air Show jinx
Chapter 18
Didier Masson makes first flight in Tehama County – Red Bluff fire patrol base –Gates Flying Circus at the Round-Up – Lindbergh circles Red Bluff – “Aces Up” at the county fair – Red Bluff flying activities – The Gordon and Stryker airplane – Red Bluff loses airport managers
Chapter 19
Captain Moore and his dirigible over Redding – Frank Bryant and Roy Francis fly first – Air Service fire patrols – Pendleton and Merwin barnstorm Redding – John W. Benton – Flying activities in Shasta County from 1927 – Redding chooses an airport site – Benton Field dedication activities
Chapter 20
Frank Johnson makes Woodland’s first flight – Ivy Baldwin races a train – Thad Kerns flies an exhibition – Woodland’s wartime airport – Charlie Stoffer barnstorms Woodland – The Yolo Fliers Club – O. H. Pratt – Yolo Fliers Club has first air meet – Flier Club Floral Festival Air Meet – William Sanborn killed flying the mail – Best Field – Ernie Moe
Abbreviations
Endnotes
Bibliography
Photograph Credits
Index
About the Authors
Stansbury Publishing is an imprint of Heidelberg Graphics
