Aviator Autograph Collection.

SIKORSKY, Igor; Eddie Rickenbacker; James H. Doolittle; Alford J. Williams; Anthony Fokker; Charles E. Rosendahl; Sherman Fairchild; Roscoe Turner; Thomas Sopwith; George Stainforth; Richard Atcherley; Clyde Pangborn; Ruth Nichols; Glenn L. Martin; Hugh Herndon.

$2,800.00

Item Number: 147210

Autograph collection with signatures from eighteen of the world’s famous aviation pioneers and fighter pilots. Octodecimo, eighteen pages mounted on carbon paper, the collection includes: postcard signed by Igor Sikorsky, “I. Sikorsky,” illustrated with a photograph of the Sikorsky S-42 flying boat; card signed by Edward Rickenbacker, “Capt Eddie Rickenbacker 1936,” mounted with a photograph of Rickenbacker in uniform; card signed by Major James Harold Doolittle, “J.H. Doolittle,” mounted with a photograph of Doolittle; card signed by Major Alford J. Williams, “Major Al Williams / U S Marine Corps (R)”; card signed by Anthony Fokker in green ink, “Fokker,” mounted with a newspaper clipping adhered to the verso of the carbon paper ‘Edsel Ford Dead of Old Malady – Head of Auto Company, 49, Expanded Vast Industrial Empire’; card signed by Lieutenant Commander Charles E. Rosendahl, “C.E. Rosendahl Commander U.S. Navy,” mounted with a photograph of Rosendahl in uniform; collector’s typed letter signed by Sherman Fairchild on the verso, “Sherm / Sherman M Fairchild”; card signed by Roscoe Turner in green ink, “Roscoe Turner 1935,” mounted with a photograph of a signed photo of the NR257Y; card signed by Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith, “T.O.M. Sopwith,” mounted with a news clipping portrait of Sopwith adhered to the carbon paper; card signed by Flight Lieutenant George Stainforth, “G.H. Stainforth” and Richard Atcherley, “R.R. Atcherley,” mounted with a diagram of Stainforth’s supermarine seaplane S6B; autograph letter signed by Stainforth to the collector on ‘Experimental Section Royal Aircraft Establishment’ stationary, “13 Aug. 35. Eric Brett. I have just found … your letter in sorting papers … or send an autograph in case it was not sent before. G.H. Stainforth”; typed letter signed by Wing Commander Clyde Pangborn to the collector on ‘Bill Barnes Air Trails’ stationary, ‘July 8, 1935 … Requests for autographs since my London-to-Melbourne flight threatened me with writer’s cramp … I’d have to find some way to fly without gasoline, and use only airmail covers for petrol … “Clyde Pangborn,”‘ news clipping portrait of Pangborn adhered to the lower left corner; card signed by Ruth Nichols, “Ruth R. Nichols”; card signed by Glenn L. Martin, “Glenn L. Martin,” mounted to a typed letter signed by his secretary to the collector on ‘Glenn L. Martin Company’ stationary; card signed by Hugh Herndon, Jr, “Hugh Herndon, Jr,” mounted with a clipped photograph of Herndon, Jr. beside his Stinson; card inscribed by Frank Hawks, “Sincerely Frank Hawks Feb 22 1935,” mounted with news clipped images of Captain Hawks, his Texaco No. 13, and his Texaco Sky Chief; card signed by Billy Bishop, “W.A. Bishop,” ink stamped with a flying cross, accompanied by a clipped magazine photograph of Bishop; and a clipped signature of Giuseppe Mario Bellanca, “GMBallanca,” adhered to a card featuring photographs of Bellanca and his aircraft. In very good to fine condition. A unique collection.

Just coming into military use at the outset of World War I, airplanes were employed mostly for reconnaissance before gathering use in more specialized ways as fighters, bombers, and trench strafers.