Cal Rodgers RP 1911 VIN FIZ FLYER Airplane 1ST ACROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT Soda Pop

Item Specifics

Postcard Type

Real Photo

Item Description

Here is a nice REAL PHOTO postcard view showing the FAMOUS VIN FIZ FLYER with PILOT CALBRAITH RODGERS with a CLOSEUP OF HIM in his PLANE on the left, a SHOT OF HIS CRASH resulting in his DEATH on the right----it is a 1911 AZO card. Written on the back: THIS IS ROGERS AS HE GOT INTO HIS MACHINE ON HIS LAST FLIGHT AND THE MACHINE 5 MIN. AFTER HE FELLOnline photos are numerous---look up Vin Fiz flyer and Rodgers....an online search revealed:The publisher William Randolph Hearst had offered a US$50,000 prize to the first aviator to fly coast to coast, in either direction, in less than 30 days from start to finish.Calbraith Perry Rodgers, grandnephew of naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry, and an avid yachtsman and motorcycle racer, had taken about 90 minutes of instruction from Orville Wright in June 1911 before soloing, and had won an $11,000 air endurance prize in a contest in August. Rodgers became the first private citizen to buy a Wright airplane, a Wright Model B modified and called the Model EX. The plane's 35 horsepower (26 kilowatt) engine allowed a speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/hr) at 1000 feet (305 meters). Since the airplane would need a considerable support crew, Rodgers persuaded J. Ogden Armour, of meatpacking fame, to sponsor the attempt, and in return named the plane after Armour's new grape soft drink Vin Fiz. The support team rode on a three-car train called the Vin Fiz Special, and included Charlie Taylor, the Wright brothers' bicycle shop and aircraft mechanic, who built their first and later engines and knew every detail of Wright airplane construction; Rodgers' wife Mabel; his mother; reporters; and employees of Armour and Vin Fiz.The flight began at 4:30 pm, September 17, 1911, when Rodgers took off from the Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Brooklyn, New York. Although the plan called for a large number of stops along the way, in the end there were 75, including 16 crashes, and Rodgers was injured several times. Taylor and the team of mechanics rebuilt the Vin Fiz Flyer when necessary, and only a few pieces of the original plane actually made the entire trip.On November 5, having missed the prize deadline by 19 days, Rodgers landed in Pasadena, California, in front of a crowd of 20,000. On the 12th he took off for Long Beach, California, but crashed at Compton, with a brain concussion and a spinal twist. He was hospitalized for three weeks. Finally, on December 10 he landed on the beach, and taxied the Flyer into the Pacific Ocean, completing the unprecedented journey of over 4,000 statute miles (6,400 km). Actual flying time totalled under 84 hours. Rodgers was killed in an air crash on the Pacific shore of the US shortly after the flight across the US *********The OSTLIE ARCHIVES watermark is NOT ON THE CARD----I have been having a number of people copy the images*********** It is in VERY GOOD CONDITION with light wear, smudging------------SEE THE SCANS. THANKS FOR BIDDING! FOR BUY IT NOW CARDS PAY ONLY ONE SHIPPING CHARGE NO MATTER HOW MANY CARDS YOU BUY---------JUST ADD THE PURCHASE to the SHOPPING CART and when you are done just PAY FOR ALL CARDS AT ONCE with just ONE SHIPPING CHARGE!! Shipping is $3.50 to US DESTINATIONS---packages are shipped FIRST CLASS PACKAGE RATE with TRACKING NUMBERS! International shipping is $13.50 with Hip Standard International Shipping with Tracking---TOO MANY PACKAGES ARE BEING LOST ON FOREIGN SHIPMENTS---at least with this there is TRACKING TO HOPEFULLY SEE WHERE THEY GO----if this doesn't work I WILL STOP ALL FOREIGN SHIPPING. PAY ONLY ONE SHIPPING CHARGE NO MATTER HOW MANY CARDS YOU BUY. 14 Day Return policy if item is Grossly different than the description and the item is returned in the same condition as purchased.

Seller Information

Seller

Chippewacity (685)

Registered Since

05/05/2020

Feedback

100%

Store

Ostlie Archives

• Sales

Item Location

Iowa, United States

Ships To

United States

Shipping Instructions

Shipping is to U.S. locations only, for FOREIGN SHIPPING see my ebay store under ChippewaCity.

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

Must be returned within 14 days in ORIGINAL CONDITION with no damage