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Aviation Foundation
of America, Inc.
121 5th Ave. N.W.
Suite 300
New Brighton, MN 55112
651-255-1999
A 501(c) (3) public charity
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The year 1927 found commercial aviation needing all the help it could get. In 1926 only a paltry 5,782 passengers had flown on commercial airlines in the United States, and one of the major carriers had left the business. Then, in May of '27, Lindbergh flew the Atlantic -- all of a sudden everyone became "airminded" and the National Air Tours were more popular than ever. Here, Lindbergh converses with Henry Ford, Bill Stout and others in August of 1927.
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The Roaring '20s were a zany time and 1927 perhaps personified the period best of all. Charlie Meyers and his mascot "Whirlwind Jimmy" were part of the cast of characters on the '27 tour. Charlie was a professional thru-and-thru, what ever the kind of mascot he had; 1927 was his first of four National Air Tours. In '27 Meyers flew a Waco 10 sponsored by Embry-Riddle. T. Higbee Embry was one of his passengers.
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Rosemarie Schlee was only ten years old when she flew on the 1927 National Air Tour. She was a passenger in her father's Stinson Detroiter, piloted by none other than Eddie Stinson. It was her first of two National Air Tours and she must have brought Stinson good luck as he won the tour that year. Today, Rosemarie is the only living person we have found who flew on the National Air Tours -- and she is a wonderful lady!
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The only Ford tri-motor (initially) in the 1927 competition was this 4-AT-4, NC-3022, tour number 23 powered by three Wright J-5 engines. In addition to Harry Brooks and Dean Burford as pilots, it carried seven passengers other passengers. It was withdrawn from final competition. Why was it withdrawn after all that work? It is one of those little mysteries we are presently trying to solve.
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The Mercury Arrow, a Curtiss C6 powered bi-plane, stands ready to take off in the "stick and un-stick" competition of the National Air Tour in 1927. Stick and un-stick were takeoff and landing tests, part of the performance formula used in the later tours. This aircraft, NC-2396, was 1927 tour number 7, piloted by Harvey Mummert. It averaged 122.8 m.p.h. and finished third overall in the tour that year. Mummert was involved in the Aerial Service Company of Hammondsport, New York beginning in 1924 and worked on many innovative aircraft and engineering projects. Four of his companies Mercury aircraft took part in the tours on different years.
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