1919transcontinentalairrace

For Miller and Mitchell, see
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Crowell

Anther photo of Kirkpatrick is at vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/ref/collection/cdmg21/id/11161

books.google.com/books?id=3IJEBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT445&l... gives Kirkpatrick as Ross Corbett Kirkpatrick, Jr.

Wow Billy Mitchell and a DH-4 in the same photo !

The Ansaldo SVA (named for Savoia-Verduzio-Ansaldo) was a family of Italian reconnaissance biplane aircraft of World War I and the decade after. Originally conceived as a fighter, the SVA was found inadequate for that role. Nevertheless, its impressive speed, range and operational ceiling, with its top speed making it one of the fastest (if not the fastest) of all Allied combat aircraft in World War I, gave it the right properties to be an excellent reconnaissance aircraft and even light bomber. Production of the aircraft continued well after the war, with the final examples delivered in 1918. Two minor variants were produced, one with reconnaissance cameras, the other without cameras but extra fuel tanks.

The Ansaldo SVA (named for Savoia-Verduzio-Ansaldo) was a family of Italian reconnaissance biplane aircraft of World War I and the decade after. Originally conceived as a fighter, the SVA was found inadequate for that role. Nevertheless, its impressive speed, range and operational ceiling, with its top speed making it one of the fastest (if not the fastest) of all Allied combat aircraft in World War I, gave it the right properties to be an excellent reconnaissance aircraft and even light bomber. Production of the aircraft continued well after the war, with the final examples delivered in 1918. Two minor variants were produced, one with reconnaissance cameras, the other without cameras but extra fuel tanks.

Probably the start of the transcontinental air race on October 8, 1919. See

Thank you for the information about the aircraft and for the likely context for the photo. We'll add information when we update the description.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineola,_New_York