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Image / Gilmore Red Lion plane

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Title
Gilmore Red Lion plane
Alternative Title
Security Pacific National Bank Photo Collection
Date Created and/or Issued
1930
Contributing Institution
Los Angeles Public Library
Collection
Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection
Rights Information
Images available for reproduction and use. Please see the Ordering & Use page at http://tessa.lapl.org/OrderingUse.html for additional information.
Description
A Lockheed Air Express at United Airport (Bob Hope Airport), owned by famous pilot Colonel Roscoe Turner. Turner was known as a serious racing pilot, a Hollywood stunt pilot and showman. In 1930 he took on a new and unexpected flight partner--a lion. A year before, Turner had secured sponsorship by the Gilmore Oil Company, who had a lion as a corporate logo (see rear of plane), and realizing the potential publicity for both him and his sponsor, Turner acquired a lion cub and began flying with him. "Gilmore," the lion became a well-known national figure and, like Turner's uniform, one of the aviator's trademarks. Gilmore was on aboard when Turner set two transcontinental speed records in May 1930, one traveling eastward and the other westward. Turner flew from Los Angeles to New York in 15 hours, 37 minutes. The journey back to California took 18 hours, 42 minutes. To celebrate his achievements, Turner decided to set yet another record, this time across three countries. Photo dated: June 14, 1930.
Type
image
Format
1 photograph :b&w
Photographic prints
Identifier
00069689
Security Pacific National Bank Collection
Transportation-Aviation-Airplanes.
CARL0000073535
http://173.196.26.125/cdm/ref/collection/photos/id/110010
Subject
Bob Hope Airport (Los Angeles County, Calif.)
Airplanes--California--Burbank (Los Angeles County)
Lockheed aircraft
Airports--California--Burbank (Los Angeles County)
Endurance flights--California--Burbank (Los Angeles County)
Turner, Roscoe,1895-1970
Burbank (Los Angeles County, Calif.)
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation
Source
Smith, Robyn.

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