South China Air Force.(Koumingtang.)

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Ladies and Gentlemen:
Two weeks ago I was approached by an individual who is writing a biography of Major General Young Sen-yat, the founder of the Republic of China Air Force. Young Sen-yat had recruited my Father, Harry Wayne Abbott to instruct a group of Chinese-American how to fly and maintain Curtiss aircraft.(Courtland, California, 1922). As it turned out there was more to it than this group of Americans of Chinese ancestry how to fly, Young wanted my Father to be his second in command. In October 1922, the Courtland group, my Father and Mother went to Shanghai,China. In November my Father was commissioned a Captain and the others, Lieutenants. In September 1923, General Young was killed while on a bombing mission. My Father, by this time was a Lt.Colonel and 23 years old, became the Commander of the Aviation Bureau and head of the Republic of China Air Force. During the next few months, my Father was engaged in combat and in two instances, Waichow and Shuclung was wounded. I still don't know trhe details of these engagements.
Because of my Father's position in the ROCAF, a chapter is set aside to tell his story up to his meeting General Young. And the following chapters will cover both men and their accomplishments.
Coincident with the biography, there will be a documentary movie. Behind the book and the movie are the goverments of The People Republic of China, Republic of China,Taiwan and the state government of Hawaii. The movie will be filmed in Hawaii and China. It will cover the Sun Yat-sen period of history.
In 1913, Sun Yat-sen suggested to the Overseas Chinese to learn the technical art of flying as it will be military strength of the future!
I am very excited about this. I have tried to establish my Father's place in history. Now ,I can see it will come to be.
Very Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Lufbery]

Dan-San,

That's wonderful that your father's work is being honored this way. Please keep us posted as publication draws near. I've always been very interested in the between-the-wars years.

Regards,

[buzz1941]

Young Sen-Yat, I believe, first met Sun-Yat Sen in Hawaii during Sen's second sojourn in the islands. Young was the first Hawaii citizen to earn a pilot's license (at the Curtiss school) ... in fact, of the first five Hawaii people to earn such licenses, four were of Chinese ancestry.

Trumpeter Models is making noises about producing a 1/32 kit of Rosamonde, the Young-designed aeroplane that was the first Chinese-built aircraft. The Peking aviation museum has a replica.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Buzz1941:
I would appreciate your source for the data. A Brit who immigrated to the USA after WW1 and settled in Alameda,across the Bay from San Francisco named Guy Colwell was the designer of the Rosamonde. Arthur (Pop) Wild was the constructor. My Father, Harry Wayne Abbott and his Chinese-American Courtland students built the Rosamonde. It was completed on 12 June 1923 at the aircraft factory on Honam Island across the river in Canton. My father did the test/first flight on 12 June 1923. The "Rosamonde" went throught propeller tests first with a Curtiss N-9 prop. They finally used a Flothorp Propeller. Experiments were made with extentions on the ailerons. (not balances.) They settled on the original ailerons.
On 9 August 1923, the dedication ceremony was held and Dr.Sun Yat-sen christened the airplane, "Rosamonde" in honor of his wife, Sun Soong Chingling (Rosamonde). The next day at 7; 00 am I was born. Later in the day, my Father took Madame Sun Soong Chingling up in the "Rosamonde" for her first airplane ride. Dr.Sun ordered three more machines were to be built.
General Young recruited my Father, Guy Colwell and Arthur Wilde in the SF Bay area in early 1922. They were scheduled to arrive in Shanghai in early 1923. General Young, my Father and his boys went to Canton in February 1923 with Dr. and Madame Sun. Guy Colwell and Arthur Wilde went to Canton in April 1923, when the warring had settled down. Guy Colwell was instructed to design a reconnaissance-bomber using an engine, parts and matyerials at hand. He was given 30 days for the design and 30 days for the construction. The fuselage was suspended between the wings like a Bristol Fighter. Colwell had worked at Bristols during the war. Arthur Wilde, superintended the construction. Wilde was Lincoln Beachy's mechanic before WW1.
Guy Colwell taught my Father aircraft design, in turn, My Father taught Colwell how to fly. Instruction was in Curtiss N-9s and Curtiss HS2L.
General Young was not the designer, Colwell was. General most likely established the requirements of the design. The engineering and drawings were done by Guy Colwell. A very strong bond was created between my Father, Guy Colwell and Arthur Wilde. My younger brother was named after Guy Colwell. The Chinese scholars that I have worked with, do not acknowledge the contributions of the Americans, Abbott, Colwell (naturalized), Wilde and the Americans of Chinese ancestry. They contend it was designed and built by Chinese, period. My father's name was transliterated into Cantonese becoming Hali Ah-bota. My Father swore allegiance to Sun Yat-sen when he wa commissioned a Captain in the South China Air Service, predecessor of the Republic of China AirForce. Had he been caught, he could have lost his American citizenship.
If any of you Formites, have any information about the Chinese Air Force in 1922 to 1924 period, it would be most appreciated.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Taz]

Dan-San- This is a fascinating story and please keep us informed. Your interest in aviation seems to come from the same source as mine, immersion. Your father's career was unbelievable and definitely needs documenting. Did he know Bert Hall, who was in China at the same time but perhaps (kind translation) not as well intentioned?

Terry Phillips
Taz

[buzz1941]

Hmmmm

I have a number of sources that credit Young Sen-Yat with the design of Rosamonde, including "Over the Pacific," "Aviation in Hawaii" (published in the mid-'30s), a history of Chinese aviation (published in Taiwan, where I grew up, BTW) and yes -- Young's family, who promote the idea.

You're right, there's not much in Young's background that indicate skill in engineering or aircraft design. And Rosamonde looks distinctly "British."

My guess -- Young was initially credited with being "responsible" for the production of Rosamonde, and that was assumed to be the same as being the designer.

Were any more built? And do you have any gen on that Brisfit used by Sun Yat-Sen?

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Buzz1941:
On the Dedication Day, 9 August 1923, Dr. Sun, instructed General Young to build 3 more. At this time, the South China Air Service had 3 Curtiss N-9, 6 Curtiss JN4D, 1 Curtiss F boat, 1 or 2? Curtiss HS2L and 1 Aeromarine 39b.
My Mother started to write a book in 1937 on this piece of history, I have used her notes from her outline on Guy Colwell and Arthur Wilde and the Rosamonde. I don't doubt that for a minute that General Young established the specification for the Rosamonde, but it was designed by Guy Colwell and the Constructor was Arthur Wilde, and was built by my Father and his Courtland Boys.
I am curious, is there any mention of my Father, Guy Colwell and Art Wilde in either, "Over the Pacific" and "Aviation in Hawaii"? Who are the authors?
I want to get copies of both books.
One of the things that I have been trying to get is the names and bio of the 9 Chinese-Americans my Father trained in Courtland ,California.
Are they mentioned in either book? I am looking forward to viewing these 3000 documents, that will be exciting and should answer all my questions.
I have more questions than answers at this time.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[buzz1941]

Originally Posted by Dan_San_Abbott

On the Dedication Day, 9 August 1923, Dr. Sun, instructed General Young to build 3 more. At this time, the South China Air Service had 3 Curtiss N-9, 6 Curtiss JN4D, 1 Curtiss F boat, 1 or 2? Curtiss HS2L and 1 Aeromarine 39b.

I'd be fascinated to find out more about WWI types used in Asia. Thailand used Nieuports and SPADs, as did Japan. China, with its complicated internecine politics of the period, is harder to find out about.

Originally Posted by Dan_San_Abbott

My Mother started to write a book in 1937 on this piece of history, I have used her notes from her outline on Guy Colwell and Arthur Wilde and the Rosamonde. I don't doubt that for a minute that General Young established the specification for the Rosamonde, but it was designed by Guy Colwell and the Constructor was Arthur Wilde, and was built by my Father and his Courtland Boys.

The book (in English) of early Chinese aviation history is sorely needed. Those Chinese pilots, like Tom Gunn, were the original barnstormers.

Originally Posted by Dan_San_Abbott

I am curious, is there any mention of my Father, Guy Colwell and Art Wilde in either, "Over the Pacific" and "Aviation in Hawaii"? Who are the authors?
I want to get copies of both books.

I don't think so, they are strictly about Hawaii. "Above the Pacific" is by William Horvat and long OP ... check abebooks.com

The Great War did manage to touch the Pacific ... Taubes in China, Japanese bombing raids in 1914, Wolfchen on the German raider, attacks on Tahiti .... overlooked!

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Buzz1941:
Burl I have received an e-mail from the wife of Mr.Owen R. Stanley, (who was writing this book about Young Sen-Yat and my Father) to inform me that Owen has died suddenly. Have you met Owen? I don't know much about Owen, except he had a hobby shop in Honolulu. Although I had only talked to Owen twice, he seemed fine and did not complain about any problems, apparently his death was sudden. My wife, Patti I feel very sorry for his wife.
The problem I now have is, getting in touch with Mr.Leigh-Wai Doo, the grandson of Young Sen-Yat. I don't want this chance for my Father to die on the vine.
I have several different phone numbers for Mr.Doo, hopefully one will connect.
Burl you fill me in on any of this?
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[buzz1941]

Dan-San

I knew Owen quite well as a hobby shop proprietor for at least two decades. His death was sudden and unexpected. Like everyone, he was a master of unfinished projects. My model of G-8's SPAD caused him to guffaw with delight!

I didn't know he was working on a Chinese aviation book, but he did get hold of you through me -- I showed him your email on this newsgroup. As far as I know, he'd never produced any sort of manuscript before, but he was certainly bright enough to do so.

Leigh-Wai Doo's phonebook number is 808-732-0006.

Here's a link to a story I did a couple of years ago that mentions Young and Doo -- and erroneously credits "design" of Rosamonde to Young:

http://starbulletin.com/2003/12/11/special/story1.html