GUSTAV STROMER AKA Gustav Stromer

George W. Stromer, Driving Hy- dro-Airplane of Own Construc- tion, Above Willamette River, at Foot of Nevada Street

Aviator Stromer Makes Flights Daily--Special Attraction Is Tomorrow July 10, 1914      The greatest disappointment in connection with the Chehalis celebration was the non-arrival of G. W. Stromer on the evening of the third or fourth . He started for Chehalis from Tacoma at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the third, making a beautiful start. He reached an elevation of 2000 feet and made a bee line for Chehalis. His machine was in perfect working order. However, he was flying against the wind which heated his engine and forced him to land near Yelm. The winds from the south continued too strong for him to try to fly against and on the afternoon of the Fourth he attempted to complete his journey. Breezes still being against him he was forced to land again near Tenino until about 7 o'clock to allow his engines to cool. He landed on the Taylor ranch just this side of Tenino and in trying to rise to complete his flight the right hand lower plane struck a knoll and several ribs were broken. This made it impossible for him to reach Chehalis Saturday and complete his engagement. However, Sunday he repaired the planes and Sunday afternoon about 3:30 completed his flight from Tenino, arriving in Chehalis and landing in the state training school grounds. Hundreds of visitors went out to see his machine.      The Festo commitee made arrangements with the aviator to make flights each evening this week from 7:30 to 8:30 o'clock and has arranged for a number of special flights for Saturday (tomorrow) afternoon.      The committee in charge of this specialty was extremely disappointed in that it was impossible for the flying machine to be here as advertised but as it had no control of the elements and the delicacy of such a machine, the delay was absolutely unavoidable and no one felt the delay any keener than did Professor Stromer, who worked until after dark Saturday night trying to repair his machine in order to get here on the evening of the Fourth. Mr. Stromer's flight Sunday afternoon to Chehalis was a beautiful one.      When Mr. Stromer arrived in Chehalis following the beautiful flight over the city it appeared at first that he had wrecked his machine as when he landed in the oat field he struck some soft ground and the machine turned completely over. He was momentarily stunned, but not injured, and climbed out before anyone arrived. The injuries to his machine as a result were a broken stay and a smashed rudder. Those were repaired, however, and Stromer made his first flight Monday evening when he circled the city twice making two beautiful flights and attracting much attention.      As this is the first flying machine to operate in this section, the flights have been viewed during the week with much interest by thousands and there will be hundreds of visitors in and near Chehalis to see the special flights tomorrow afternoon. As many of our reader have never seen a flying machine we advise them to take a little time off and come to Chehalis within the next two days either in the evenings or tomorrow afternoon.      Stromer is making Milett Field his starting and lighting place and probably will be there all this week. He will make one of two illuminated flights at night, probably one of them Saturday night. He also intends to make a flight towards the Boistfort country and one towards Winlock, returning possibly by way of Cowitts prairie.       Newsclipping from the Chehalis Bee-Nugget July 10, 1914 Courtesy of Karen L. Johnson, 12-3-04

 

BIPLANE IS NOW TOTAL WRECK Tangled With Wires While Trying to Ascend From Waunch's Prairie July 24, 1914      Gustav Stromer, the Tacoma aviator, added another to his long list of miraculous escapes last Thursday morning when he started his flight from Centralia to Tacoma. Stromer rose from Waunsch's prairie, just north of the city, but failed to attain a height that would permit his clearing wires that enclose the field. The under part of the aeroplane caught on a wire, causing it to turn a somesault and crash to the ground.      The small crowd that had turned out at the early morning hour to watch the flight ran to where the bipalne lay, a mass of wreckage, expecting to find Stromer dead, but the aviator was on his feet before help arrived. After ascertaining that the machine could not be repaired on the spot, Stromer and his manager drove to Tacoma by automobile. Newsclipping from the Chehalis Bee-Nugget July 24, 1914 Courtesy of Karen L. Johnson, 12-3-04

 

LONG FLIGHT IS PLANNED PORTLAND MAN WOULD TAKE HY- DRO-AEROPLANE TO NEW YORK. George W. Stromer Constructs Own Machine and Tries It Out Daily on Willamette. June 18, 1917       George W. Stromer, whose houseboat and machine shop swings in the river at the foot of Nevada street, has announced that he will attempt about August 1 a transcontinental flight from Portland to New York, using a hydro-airplane of his own construction       Accompanying Mr. Stromer on the trip will be T. H. Lipps, secretary to Mayor Harley, of Astoria, who is interested with the young mechanic in the embryo concern, known as "Oregon Aircraft Company."      The two expect to arrive in New York with a record for the first flight of a hydro-airplane across the continent, though several have been made by ordinary airplanes, and have carefully mapped out their route. It they reach New York they will enter the transcontinental flight contest from New York to the Pacific Coast, which has been announced for next September.      Mr Stromer has constructed two machines of the bi-plane type in his river workshop, and flies every day. He has been in the game for more than four years. His partner is Emil Komm, who is now attached to one of the United States Naval stations in the East. Newsclipping from the Morning Oregonian (Portland) June 18, 1917 Courtesy of Karen L. Johnson, 12-3-04

 

I have no information as to the dates of his birth or of his death.   If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper

 

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