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Contributed by Marc Ruegamer, 6-19-10 |
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Contributed by Marc Ruegamer, 6-19-10 I am sending you a photo in the hopes you may be able to help, or can pass it on to someone who can. The photo is a picture of my grandmother and her brother beside an aircraft I have identified as a Laird Swallow. The name can just be read on the tail with a magnifying glass. My grandmother was born in 1910 and is about 15 in this photo, so my estimate is the photo was taken around 1925. For the rest of the story, click on the title |
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via email from Walt House, 6-28-10 Thanks for checking with the Kansas Aviation Museum on your photo. It is a Laird Swallow. Are you sure that it says "LAIRD SUPER SWALLOW on the tail? I never saw "SUPER" used on the Laird. In 1926,The Swallow Mfg. Co. did produce about 50 "SUPER SWALLOWS", but they looked a lot differehnt than the 1920 - 1923 Laird Swallow. The Department of Commerce did not start to issue registration numbers until 1927, so only about ten of the Laird Swallows built lived long enough to receive numbers. The only one that I have found listed in California was Serial No. 126, the 26th of 43 produced. IT was registered to William Shonts in Long Beach. The tail skid location on the one in your photo tell me that it was Serial No. 111 (Number 11 built) or later. Most likely built in 1922 or 1923. Hope this helps. Regards, Walt House Historian, Kansas Aviation Museum |
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Contributed by Dan W. Proctor, 1-10-11 |
Transcribed by Dan W. Proctor, 1-10-11 "The crash came after the Swallow biplane had gone into a tailspin at about 3,000 feet, witnesses said. It was righted temporarily at about 300 feet but went into another spin and crashed into a hayfield on the farm of R. E. Estes, about one-quarter of a mile off Eighty-first street at Blue Ridge road. WAS IN REAR COCKPIT Tobiason was in the rear cockpit of the plane piloting it, according to A. A. Yeomans, general manager of the Commercial Airways school. Under department of commerce rules Tobiason’s license did not entitle him to instruct, according to Yeomans, who said the pilot threw the plane into a spin intentionally. Woods was about ready for his commercial license, which is not granted until a pilot has brought a plane out of a spin. Yeomans explained. He said Tobiason had taken Woods up as a passenger to accustom him to spinning before he attempted it himself." |
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Contributed by Dan W. Proctor, 1-10-11 |
via email from Dan W. Proctor, 1-10-11 My grandfather, Humphrey Woods, was killed in the crash of a Swallow on August 14, 1929 which was covered by The Kansas City Star on August 15 & 16. The pilot, Thomas Tobiason, died on the day of the crash, and my grandfather passed away the next day. I include a transcription of part of the front page story in The Times (morning) edition on the 15th. Would you please confirm my suspicion that this is a Laird Swallow. Thank you for your help in this matter. I am the only member of my family who has any recollection of stories about my grandfather (I was born in 1933) and I am trying to preserve them from my children and grandchildren. Dan W. Proctor Shelby, NC 28152 |
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