Breguet's Crashfile Challenge #364

[Miroslav Pokorny]

Two cards Shank signed in 1960s, one from Kelly Field times, the other likely in Standard cockpit. But I can't believe Kees doesn't plan a surprise as far as exact info on crash and pilot concerned Cheers Mirek

[SCMc]

Kees may be waiting for RBaily to tell us why (or how) it "Looks a lot like a Standard E4 airmail derivative - JR1B," so that he can award him the point.

Steve

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by Miroslav Pokorny

Two cards Shank signed in 1960s, one from Kelly Field times, the other likely in Standard cockpit. But I can't believe Kees doesn't plan a surprise as far as exact info on crash and pilot concerned Cheers Mirek

It is clear that Shank is not sitting in a Standard JR-1B Mailplane cockpit, the typical headrest is not there. Must be another plane.

What is surprising about both the pictures is that the machine is not correctly identified and that two mail fliers are given as the pilot of this crash.

The first picture originates from Flickr here. It is part of the Smithsonian picture collection.

Description: Robert Shank was hired in 1918, the first year of airmail service, as a Post Office Department airmail pilot. He was assigned to the Belmont Park, New York, airfield. He was one the first four pilots hired to fly the mail that year. As good as these pilots were, crashes were sometimes unavoidable. Shrank survived this crash of his Curtiss-Jenny JN-4H aircraft, which landed nose down into a woody area. Shank is pictured standing on the airplane, peering into the cockpit.

The second picture (via Miroslav) originates from here, also the Smithsonian, but now the National Postal Museum.

Not all of the Army's flights were successful. This Jenny, flown by Lieutenant Torrey Webb, crashed. Fortunately, Lieutenant Webb was unhurt.

So we have two times a Jenny and two candidates for the same crash, Shanks and Webb, so far for accuracy.

Looking at the machine in these very clear photo reveals immediately that this is no Jenny (headrest, tail/rudder, wings), in no way. Considering the rounded rudder and the headrest it makes out a Standard JR-1B Mailplane, which was built in small numbers, but was not very succesfull.

The mail machines were actually in service with the USAAS (United States Army Air Service), hence the markings on the wing and the tail.

The 'scramble' between Shanks and Webb can only be settled when some first hand (official) documentation comes alight giving the date of the crash (not very serious, thus the JR-1B would be repaired, to fly soon again).

I leave it to Breguet to decide any points and/or winners for the next instalment, noting that Froggy identified the machine but voluntarily ruled himself out. The naming of the unlucky pilot cannot in all honesty be done.... I first took the name Shanks in the Smithsonian text as correct, to be sidekicked by the information of Miroslav originating from the same august Smithsonian.

I leave it at that

Cheers

Kees

[Rbailey]

Although it looked like a Standard E4 (especially the fin and rudder shape along with the overall appearance) except for the wing cut-out, which looked like the JR1B, I did not expect to see military insignia on that and not sure that this variant fit the time-frame.

[Breguet]

Rbailey first saw the Standard characteristics, froggy got the info but ruled himself out. I say .5 to each of them with Rbailey to post next.

[Varese2002]

That gives the following

Scoreboard at the end of #364:

42.50 FOKKERJ Feuchtwanger ¤ Ace of Aces ¤
35.55 Froggy ¤
30.10 Rbailey ¤
27.90 Flamingo ¤
23.40 Breguet
19.90 Richard B
18.15 YavorD
11.75 Aquilius
09.70 Varese2002
09.25 AROTH
08.10 Rod_Filan
08.00 ONEALM
07.90 Gregvan
07.00 matte_kudasai
06.80 '14-'18aviationcollector
05.75 Ross
05.70 Jeroplan
05.50 Expositor
05.50 Gilles
05.00 Dan_San
05.00 Kilian ................................Have to wait three hours!
04.00 Edmond ..............................May start immediately!
04.00 Eric
04.00 Laserlloyd
04.00 Patrick
03.50 sergio_vitalio
03.30 PaulForster
03.20 Colin A Owers
03.20 Crankcase
03.00 Crimso
02.70 Tbstreet
02.00 Albatros_Ace
02.00 Cruze
02.00 Rickenbaron
01.80 gregorydquist
01.80 Tom L
01.50 Nieuport 14
01.45 Ransom E. Olds
01.00 Ampovandak
01.00 Berman
01.00 brisfitworks
01.00 Cliff
01.00 Pvernon
01.00 rammjaeger
01.00 Rexee
01.00 RONNY BAR
01.00 Troy Raines
00.60 Catfish
00.50 Miroslav Pokorny
00.10 SCMc

And Challenge #365 is for RBailey.

By the way, on August 12, 1918, the Post Office Department took over airmail service from the U.S. Army Air Service (USAAS), making it clearly within the time limits of this Challenge.

The collection of post-machines consisted of Curtiss JN-4H, Standard JR-1B, De Havilland DH-4 and a few others still a probable (no fact at that) the L-W-F Type V Tractor Biplane. Miroslav Pokorny is still hunting after the evidence if an example was used in the official carrying of the mail. Perhaps there are any more hints where to look for hard facts (archive data?).

Cheers

Kees