Pilot Reg Robbins and mechanic James Kelly start 172 hour flight in Fort Worth, Texas. They set a new endurance flight record. Monoplane 'Fort Worth' takes off. Ryan Brougham monoplane named 'Fort Worth' in flight. Fort Worth monoplane refueled by another aircraft during flight. The plane lands and taxis. Crowd runs out to aircraft. Pilot Robbins and James Kelly with their wives at the Fort Worth air port. The crowd greets them. Pilot Robbins and James Kelly wear garlands.
Pilot Reg Robbins and James Kelly set a new endurance flight record in Fort Worth, Texas. Reg Robbins and James Kelly at Fort Worth air port. Ryan Brougham monoplane christened 'Fort Worth'. Reg Robbins bids goodbye to his wife and son. Fort Worth monoplane in flight. Fort Worth monoplane refueled by another aircraft during flight.
Loren Mendell and Pete Reinhart 'Tough Hombres' set a new flight endurance record. Loren Mendell and Pete Reinhart before their flight in Culver City, California. Ground check for the Wright powered Buhl monoplane before the flight. Refueling gear and living quarters of the plane 'Angeleno' in view. Monoplane takes off. The monoplane refueled by another aircraft in flight.
John Cobb, a butcher, rides an ornithopter bicycle with wings in San Fernando Valley, California. John has a collar to flap wings when he raises his torso. The bicycle has a rocket to assist takeoff. William Modes helps him as he starts riding. Ralph Spergis lights the rocket. The heat of the rocket sets tail on fire. Tail sets John's pants on fire. He purposely falls down, yelling for water. John is caught in the collar wires and can't get away. The rocket breaks loose, which it was do after takeoff, and sets wings on fire. A man throws water from a bucket to extinguish John's pants. (William Modes later became a director at Northrup Aircraft Company. Ralph Spergis later became longtime manager at Agua Dulce Airpark. Ralph and William, at the time this was taken, were roommates in Santa Monica, both working as aircraft mechanics at Douglas Aircraft Company.)
Early attempts at flight during history of aviation. The Pitt Sky Car ornithopter device is seen: A car equipped with an umbrella-like rotor intended for vertical takeoff. 'Sky car' written on a cloth sign on the chassis of the aircraft. A man in aviator's clothing seated at the controls of the machine. The powerful motions of the pulsating rotor cause the machine to rise several inches. But it simply drops to the ground again. This happens with each oscillation of the rotor. (The motor-rotor devise was invented by John W. Pitts, of Detroit, Michigan, and patented in 1926. However, as seen in these images, it was a failure.)
52nd American Derby horse race in Arlington Heights, Illinois. A large crowd gathers at Arlington Park to witness the 52nd American Derby. Horse named "Black Sheep" wins the race and a prize amount worth $ 71,000.
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