COUNT VISITS MINNESOTA; SETS DESTINY
IT WAS 1863 and a well-connected German count was on military leave in America. On a trip in the Upper Midwest, this adventurous lieutenant and his party traveled by canoe, … Continue reading
A COLLAGE OF CAMELS—INCLUDING SNOOPY’S
“CURSE YOU, RED BARON,” declares one of America’s most recognizable World War I pilots, at least in his imagination. However, Snoopy can be proud that in real life Sopwith Camels … Continue reading
CHARLES WEYMANN, PART 2—EVENTFUL 1928, PUZZLING 2010
PIONEER AVIATOR and coachbuilder for the finest classic cars, Charles Weymann had other adventures too. In 1928, a brandy-related adventure earned him $25,000 at Indy and later not a little … Continue reading
CHARLES WEYMANN, PART 1—AVIATOR, COACHBUILDER
IT’S AS THOUGH nature endowed the talents of Glenn Curtiss, Enzo Ferrari and Sergio Pininfarina in a single person. As a pioneer in aviation, Charles Terres Weymann set records for … Continue reading
CAPRONI NOVIPLANO—A FLYING CRUISE SHIP
IN EARLY days of aviation, some thought anything might be urged aloft, given sufficient wing area and propelled by enough propellers. This fanciful idea graced a magazine cover in 1910. … Continue reading
FLYERS OR FREAKS?
A DECADE after the Wright Bros. first flight, Jane’s all the World’s Aircraft 1913 published 220 pages of aircraft information. The book also contained an appendix titled “Historical Aircraft.” Its … Continue reading
DE SEVERSKY—A REAL FIGHTER
TODAY’S TITLE is multi-tasking. There’s Alexander de Seversky, the Russian-American aviation pioneer. And there’s his P-35, a precedent-setting aircraft that showed the best and worst of government procurement processes. The … Continue reading
TONY FOKKER’S POST-WAR SCAMS
THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES ended World War I, but had implications far beyond its 1919 signing. Indeed, on a macro level, the treaty planted seeds that were to grow into … Continue reading
FLYING BAVARIANS
ONE OF the world’s most familiar automakers traces its heritage to Bavaria and to aviation. However, BMW, Bayerische Motoren Werke, wasn’t originally the company’s name. And there was good reason … Continue reading
ANDREW DEWAR’S FLYING ORIGAMI
TO CALL Andrew Dewar’s designs merely paper airplanes is a disservice to the planes and to this Canadian-born librarian residing in Japan. The airplanes are flying examples of origami art. … Continue reading
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