Charles Russell Scrapbook Images

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Page 66 Image 1

But soon the Race was on. Plane after plane made the circuit, roaring across close to the ground and going into a vertical bank and then whizzing away beyond the confines of the field to again appear a little later on its next lap.
Page 66 Image 2

When the allotted number of laps had been completed the winner zoomed into a climbing turn and roared off the course to appear later settling down on the field. The battle of the pylons will ever hold the interest. These racers continue where the Roman gladiators left off.
Page 67 Image 1

Back again in old Detroit I find myself as Sales Manager of the Continental Aircraft Engine Company. A test building has been constructed with complete equipment. Harry Kline, Advertising Manager, Robert Insley, Vice-President and General Manager and myself work diligently to bring our new 165 HP radial engine to the aircraft industry. One day we have a noted visitor in the person of Art. Goebel the winner of the Dole flight to Honolulu. Art dropped in for a visit and to learn about our new engine. We made sure that he should see our complete facilities for words from these noted flyers carried much weight in aviation circles. Harry Kline must have just told one of his new jokes as we stood before the test house with an experimental motor on the test block
Page 68 Image 1

Continental’s first appearance at the New York Aircraft Show caused a sensation. We were swamped with pilots and manufacturers – all eager to know about our plans in the industry. We spent a very busy and interesting week in New York where I met Chamberlain, the transatlantic flyer. Waco Aircraft and Stinson both showed great interest and later we received considerable business especially from Waco.
Page 69 Image 1

In order to demonstrate the performance of our engine Continental took delivery of a Stinson cabin monoplane powered by our 165 HP motor. On the day we accepted the plane, Bob Insely, Rene Labadie our test pilot and I went to the Stinson plant.
Page 69 Image 2

In order to demonstrate the performance of our engine Continental took delivery of a Stinson cabin monoplane powered by our 165 HP motor. On the day we accepted the plane, Bob Insely, Rene Labadie our test pilot and I went to the Stinson plant.
Page 69 Image 3

We examined the engine mountings quite minutely. I was really working my scowl overtime but then the day was bright and I had license to squint. Doc Shannon, our chief mechanic and erstwhile Selfridge Field Crew Sergeant, told us the job was in perfect order for the test hop.
Page 70 Image 1, 2, & 3

Labadie climbs into the cabin, the air starter puffs and the propeller turns slowly over. Suddenly a sputtering roar bursts from the throats of the seven cylinders and the slowly rotating propeller melts into a silvery blur. A few minutes of warm-up then he taxies forward, lifts the tail and trundles forward with increasing speed. Faster and faster, then slowly it reluctantly spurns the ground. Higher and high it moves until it is a black dot against the clouds. For several minutes the plane soars aloft and then it planes down into the field and taxies up to us. Labadie climbs out grinning. He is pleased. The test hop is a success.
Page 71 Image 1

One day in August I received an urgent message from the Taylor Aircraft Company in Bradford, Pa. to come down on some service difficulty. It meant that that I should have to be away on August 11th, our wedding anniversary.I resolved that we would celebrate in a novel way. I arranged with our pilot, Paul Wilcox, to bring his wife and I would take Alice and fly down to Bradford in the company Waco. And so our wedding day was spent in the clouds droning down to Buffalo.
Page 71 Image 2

At Buffalo Airport we had lunch and then over the mountains to the city of Bradford tucked into the valley between two ranges. I flew much of the way but turned over the controls to Paul who made the landing on the narrow one-way field. Concluding our business with Taylor, we had an anniversary dinner at the hotel, saw a movie and so to bed.
Page 72 Image 1

Of course no honeymoon is complete without a trip to Niagara Falls, so after leaving Buffalo bound for home we flew down over the great cataract. The old Brownie camera performed faithfully and recordedthe scene as we saw it 2000 feet up. The rapids above the Falls we plainly visible and although the Falls were dwarfed in size due to our perspective, they were wonderfully impressive from the air. The winding length of the Gorge from the Falls on toward Lake Ontario was easily defined. This was a fitting climax to our aerial honeymoon.
Page 72 Image 2

Of course no honeymoon is complete without a trip to Niagara Falls, so after leaving Buffalo bound for home we flew down over the great cataract. The old Brownie camera performed faithfully and recordedthe scene as we saw it 2000 feet up. The rapids above the Falls we plainly visible and although the Falls were dwarfed in size due to our perspective, they were wonderfully impressive from the air. The winding length of the Gorge from the Falls on toward Lake Ontario was easily defined. This was a fitting climax to our aerial honeymoon.
Page 72 Image 3

Of course no honeymoon is complete without a trip to Niagara Falls, so after leaving Buffalo bound for home we flew down over the great cataract. The old Brownie camera performed faithfully and recordedthe scene as we saw it 2000 feet up. The rapids above the Falls we plainly visible and although the Falls were dwarfed in size due to our perspective, they were wonderfully impressive from the air. The winding length of the Gorge from the Falls on toward Lake Ontario was easily defined. This was a fitting climax to our aerial honeymoon.
Page 73 Image 1

A Goodwill Tour of the Midwest has been arranged by the Aeronautical Association and we were interested because an American Eagle cabin monoplane powered by an A70 Continental Motor was entered.
Page 73 Image 2

To show our good will we lent the American Eagle our top flight mechanic Doc Shannon. I went out to see them off at Ford Airport. Doc went sporty on me with his Plus Fours. It was a good trip and then engines performed very well with Docs expert ministrations.
Page 74 Image 1

St.Louis was quite a center for aircraft activity. I found it necessary to go there to confer with some of the companies concerning the use of our engines.
Page 74 Image 2

Fred Gould, Archie Niven, Bob Insley and Ralph Dubois were out to see us leave. We had a very uneventful trip to St. Louis and were soon looking down Lambert Field. This trip was just an overnight hop and were back Detroit the next afternoon.
Page75 Image 1

The Great Lakes Trophy Race attracted much attention among the aircraft minded gentry. Many special jobs were developed all of which had to be powered by the cirrus engine. Lee Gelbach was the final winner.
Page 75 Image 2

One of the fastest and certainly the sportiest looking entry was the Granville Geebee, a low-wing monoplane with wonderful performance. It was later built with a wasp engine and could travel 250 milesper hour. It could almost go straight up in its climbing angle.
Page 75 Image 3

One of the fastest and certainly the sportiest looking entry was the Granville Geebee, a low-wing monoplane with wonderful performance. It was later built with a wasp engine and could travel 250 milesper hour. It could almost go straight up in its climbing angle.
Page 76 Image 1

Capt. Frank Hawkes was a lover of speed. He had won many races and was now employed by the Texaco Company as an exponent of their aircraft gasoline and oil. With a special Travelaire with low wings and beautiful streamlining he said goodbye to Bill Stout, the aircraft designer, at Ford Airport before leaving on a speed hop to New York. He made the trip in about 2-1/2 hours which broke all existing records for distance. I has already met Hawkes in California and wished him well before he took off. He is a pleasant chap and a rel fellow.
Page 77 Image 1

1929

Once again the National Air Races have rolled around. This year they are held in a more centrally located spot – the Cleveland Municipal Airport. A great deal of effirt has been expended to make this attractive. A band on an especially built truck dispenses music while the stands lining the field are filling. What a mass of air-minded enthusiasts have turned out to see the wonders of aviation displayed.Truly is it a marvelous reception to these famous pilots who will vie with one another in these speed contests.
Page 77 Image 2

1929

Once again the National Air Races have rolled around. This year they are held in a more centrally located spot – the Cleveland Municipal Airport. A great deal of effirt has been expended to make this attractive. A band on an especially built truck dispenses music while the stands lining the field are filling. What a mass of air-minded enthusiasts have turned out to see the wonders of aviation displayed.Truly is it a marvelous reception to these famous pilots who will vie with one another in these speed contests.
Page 77 Image 3

1929

Once again the National Air Races have rolled around. This year they are held in a more centrally located spot – the Cleveland Municipal Airport. A great deal of effirt has been expended to make this attractive. A band on an especially built truck dispenses music while the stands lining the field are filling. What a mass of air-minded enthusiasts have turned out to see the wonders of aviation displayed.Truly is it a marvelous reception to these famous pilots who will vie with one another in these speed contests.