Warbird Information Exchange

I just saw a reference to Al Williams having flown through the airship Shenandoah's hangar, in one end and out the other. I suspect it's a myth, since I can find no other reference to it, and I have recently done a ton of Al Williams reading in preparation for an Aviation History article I'm writing.

Does anybody know if this ever occurred?

I can't address Williams, but it if you read Don Dwiggin's biography of Paul Mantz, much was made of a stunt Mantz did for the 1932 film Air Mail.
In it, he flew through both ends of a short hangar with limited wing tip clearance.

I'd think that flying through a longer hanger would be more challenging, and thus would be better known if it happened.

Stephen, I recall an article about Williams in an old (early 70s) issue of Flying, but don't know much more about him.
I look forward to your article.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

I know that a guy flew thru the Tillamock, OR airship hangar in I think a T-6, but can't remember his name

_________________
GOOD MORNING, WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Press "1" for English.
Press "2" to disconnect until you have learned to speak English.

Stoney, you're thinking of Swede Ralston who took an AT-6 through the Tillamook Hangar B in August 1950.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/co ... through_a/

.
IMDB info:

"Air Mail" (1932) ..the first movie to feature an airplane flying through a hangar...performed by pilot Paul Mantz at Bishop, California ... (Travel Air Model 16K)

That might have been Frank Tallman's article on restoring the original Curtiss Hawk Gulfhawk, in the August 1970 issue. (It's not that I have a remarkable memory--yours is obviously way better than mine, John) but I came across that piece during my research.

Stephen
You're right, it was the piece by Tallman on the Curtiss. It also appears in Tallman's book, Flying the Old Planes which I occasionally re-visit.
I was impressed with Williams non-flying talents, a writer and pianist, IIRC.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Who can forget Tallman taking a Twin Beech thru the hanger in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World? Btw, the hanger is still there and used by a museum.

https://youtu.be/xsu3hiP1ikQ -video clip of the Twin Beech aerial sequences

He also was a member of the New York Giants, hired by the famous manager John McGraw, for two years. He never played in a major league game, but he did pitch batting practice, etc. He also got a law degree from Georgetown Law School and passed the New York bar exam--the most difficult bar exam in the country.

So ultimately he was a test pilot, aerobatic air-show pilot, speed-record setter, pro baseball play, lawyer, author of several major books and hundreds of Scripps-Howard newspaper columns, radio commentator...and, largely forgotten, the designer of two (unsuccessful) Schneider Cup racers, the Kirkham-Williams and the Williams-Mercury.

Yet Roscoe Turner is far better=known, because he owned a toothless lion. Go figure.

Corkey Farnoff did it in a BD-5J for the 007 movie "Octopussy".


ed; for picture re-host

_________________
remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

This is a then and now I shot at Akron Fulton...the smaller picture was from a film on youtube titled "Navy Day in Akron 1931" . Years ago the old timers at the airport swore up and down that Al Williams flew threw the Air Dock. Some even said he did a roll...in my mind I can't see Goodyear Aircraft, or the Navy condoning this. I also think, as popular as aviation was back then, there would be photos or film. I've been doing a lot of digging for photos of Akron Fulton from the 30's and there isn't even a photo of him here. Shorty Fulton was an avid photographer as well as airport manager. His collection is extensive, featuring Jimmy Doolittle in his home on Triplett Ave across the street from the airport. I would never say it didn't happen but it sure wasn't documented easily. I wonder if Al Williams has a logbook or archive? Maybe the Smithsonian would be a place to start since they have both of his prominent airplanes.

Jim

fulton1 by jim harley, on Flickr

_________________
www.spiritof44.com

.
...tighter clearances than a hangar...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlC1Fboq5vI

RE: Lt. A. J. "Al" Williams flying through Hangar 1 at Lakehurst. According to the book "Sky Ships" by William F. Althoff:

Quote from book:
The noontime event, however, proved to be "the biggest thrill of the day". The Hangar had been cleared except for Williams's airplane, a Vought VE-7. At 11:55, the biplane was taxied outside and Williams took off. He circled South and approached from the East, but swerved away. On his second approach, at almost exactly noon, the plane dove straight for the Hangar and roared into the East end of the cavernous room. Keeping about 50 feet above the deck and midway between the walls, the fighter shot through the Hangar and zoomed out of the West end before the startled and delighted onlookers. The stunt was a sensation. Officially, the Navy could hardly condone this kind of flying by it's Aviators, so the incident was disingenuously recorded in the Station log: 1155 Lt. Williams took off and did special stunts. 1205 Lt. Williams landed."

There is a picture accompanying the passage that clearly shows an aircraft exiting Hangar 1.

_________________
Expert:
Ex: Former.
Spurt: A drip under pressure.

Awesome...that puts that to rest. Thanks for posting that.

_________________
www.spiritof44.com

Interesting...if it was a Vought, that probably was the airplane he borrowed from Rodger Wolfe Kahn, the only world-famous jazz musician to become a test pilot, and later a VP, for Grumman.