Last Official Open Cockpit Airmail Flight (My Grandfather)
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:47 pm
Found this pic of my grandad - thought it was pretty neat. I have the envelope of the letter he delivered framed with the plaque he's receiving here.
"Eddie Rickenbacker, pilot Capt. James Shelly Charles, Lilly Ponds? and two unidentified people at an Eastern Air Lines ceremony retiring their last open-cockpit Pitcairn Mailwing plane. Caption on verso reads, "1935 at ceremony retiring the last open cockpit mailwing - "The pony express of the air"." The Pitcairn Mailwing was manufactured by Harold F. Pitcairn, founder of Pitcairn Aviation (later Eastern Air Lines). Captain James Shelly Charles, who flew the last open cockpit airmail flight in the US in a Pitcairn Mailwing on October 14, 1935, was an early airmail pioneer."
Summary
A special broadcast from the Plaza at Rockefeller Center that covers the ceremonies marking the retirement of the last open-cockpit U.S. airmail plane. The same type of plane was used since the inception of the airmail service; the final one made its last scheduled flight, between Chicago and Jacksonville, on October 14, 1935. After the announcer describes the scene, Paul H. Bratton, assistant general manager of Eastern Airlines, introduces Charles P. Graddick, superintendent of airmail service. Graddick discusses the history of the airmail service, also referred to as "The Pony Express of the Air," and details current advances in airmail service. Lily Pons, opera star, then presents a commemorative plaque to J. Shelly Charles of Eastern Airlines, who was the pilot of the final flight. Next, Eddie Rickenbacker, World War One flying ace and general manager of Eastern Airlines, proceeds to discuss the history of airmail service and the ways that developments in aviation have eliminated many problems. During his speech, he points out such aviation luminaries in attendance as Major Alfred Williams, former Navy ace and holder of eight consecutive world records, Captain Frank Hawkes, who recently completed a forty thousand mile tour of the U.S., and Laura Ingalls, holder of the cross-country flight record. Rickenbacker then officially retires the plane from service as Navy buglers plays "At Sundown." The announcer concludes the program while commenting on the ceremony, and the broadcast is followed by three minutes of piano music.
Here's the plaque he's receiving in the photo above.
"Eddie Rickenbacker, pilot Capt. James Shelly Charles, Lilly Ponds? and two unidentified people at an Eastern Air Lines ceremony retiring their last open-cockpit Pitcairn Mailwing plane. Caption on verso reads, "1935 at ceremony retiring the last open cockpit mailwing - "The pony express of the air"." The Pitcairn Mailwing was manufactured by Harold F. Pitcairn, founder of Pitcairn Aviation (later Eastern Air Lines). Captain James Shelly Charles, who flew the last open cockpit airmail flight in the US in a Pitcairn Mailwing on October 14, 1935, was an early airmail pioneer."
Summary
A special broadcast from the Plaza at Rockefeller Center that covers the ceremonies marking the retirement of the last open-cockpit U.S. airmail plane. The same type of plane was used since the inception of the airmail service; the final one made its last scheduled flight, between Chicago and Jacksonville, on October 14, 1935. After the announcer describes the scene, Paul H. Bratton, assistant general manager of Eastern Airlines, introduces Charles P. Graddick, superintendent of airmail service. Graddick discusses the history of the airmail service, also referred to as "The Pony Express of the Air," and details current advances in airmail service. Lily Pons, opera star, then presents a commemorative plaque to J. Shelly Charles of Eastern Airlines, who was the pilot of the final flight. Next, Eddie Rickenbacker, World War One flying ace and general manager of Eastern Airlines, proceeds to discuss the history of airmail service and the ways that developments in aviation have eliminated many problems. During his speech, he points out such aviation luminaries in attendance as Major Alfred Williams, former Navy ace and holder of eight consecutive world records, Captain Frank Hawkes, who recently completed a forty thousand mile tour of the U.S., and Laura Ingalls, holder of the cross-country flight record. Rickenbacker then officially retires the plane from service as Navy buglers plays "At Sundown." The announcer concludes the program while commenting on the ceremony, and the broadcast is followed by three minutes of piano music.
Here's the plaque he's receiving in the photo above.