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Description
On back of photo: "Ernie Stockton and Ray Sputh Francis, Feb. 1911, 1st and Almadea Road, S. J. Ernie Stockton age 5, Ernie S. Father and Ernie took a flight at the muni airport in 1969. The father's 1st flight since 1911-it really scared him lying on the wing." From Leonard McKay's Collection. This photo, taken in 1911 at the San Jose Driving Park (now the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds), shows pilot Roy N. Francis and his young passenger, Ernest Stockton. With both firmly strapped to their seats, they are ready for the "wild blue yonder." "Ernie," who worked for Santa Clara County until his retirement a few years ago, did not emulate Francis in making flying his life vocation. Francis, who took to flying in 1907, went on to become one of the greatest flyers born in the Santa Clara Valley. He became a flying instructor, an airplane builder, competed with Glenn Curtiss in building a flying boat, and held the rank of captain in the United States Army Air Corps. During World War I, he selected and laid out 75 government air fields and became manager of Mills Field, now known as San Francisco International Airport. (LM)
Type
image
Format
Black & White
Identifier
A413884A-D721-4D31-B4F8-141584428534 1997-292-643
Subject
Biplanes Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport--San Jose (Calif.)--History Airports Stockton, Ernie Francis, Ray Sputh Francis, Roy Noel
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