Image / Advertisement for William Aikens' Western Flying School of Aeronautics, Los Angeles, 1936-1939

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Title: Advertisement for William Aikens' Western Flying School of Aeronautics, Los Angeles, 1936-1939
Alternative Title: Black Aviation
Date Created and/or Issued: [1936-1939]
1936/1939
Contributing Institution: UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
Collection: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
Rights Information: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Description: The airport located at 135th and Western Avenue was called the Western Avenue Airport from 1936 to 1939.
William Aikens was a pilot during the 1920s, and 1930s. He was a member of the famous African American flying group "The Five Blackbirds." They were known for their airshows. Aikens also taught flying, and gave plane rides for a fee. Several times the money he obtained from air shows were donated to charity.
Advertisement for the Western Flying School of Aeronautics, owned by William Aikens. Atkins is shown in his aviator uniform. Also, there is a photo of a plane outside an airplane hangar.
Caption summary: The Western Flying school of Aeronautics / Western Avenue Airport ... 135th and Western Avenue / Mr. Aitkens is shown standing beside his Meteor High Wing Monoplane, powered with a 100 H.P. Kinner motor. Cruises at 110 MPH / Top speed, 135 MPH. / [...] 20 Women Wanted [...] / 3728 South San Pedro Street [...]
Type: image
Identifier: uclalsc_1889_b19_f29_002.tif
ark:/21198/z19p4jrk
Subject: African Americans in aeronautics
African American businesspeople
Flight schools
Bellanca airplanes
Aikens, William
Source: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
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