coleflyer

The name of the pilot is Robert Grant "Bob" Fowler, not "Bowler", and he is sitting in a Wright Model B Flyer he named the "Cole Flyer".

TVL 1970: Absolutely. Thanks for pointing this out. We'll make the correction to the name the next time we update the record.

see notes under

This is J.J. Cole's "Cole Flyer", which was a Wright biplane with one of Cole's auto engines driving it. Cole hired Fowler to pilot it in a transcontinental race in September, 1911, the date on the photo.

Another from the same day:

Thanks artolog for the additional information. We will add more details to the description when we update.

Ok im scared all thos people are my ancesters

Robert G. Fowler Pilot aircraft "Cole Flyer" photo of aircraft used during Hearst $50,000 prize transcontinental "race" 1911 -1912 Aircraft was purchased from Wright Brothers in Dayton, Ohio Most likely taken at time of purchase. Fowler began transcontinental flight , for second time, October 19,1911 from aviation grounds near Los Angeles. He arrived February 17,1912 , Pablo Beach , Florida. This is the aircraft he used. Fowler never received a license from the Aero Club of America.

Thanks so much Early Aviation for identifying the plane. We'll add this information to the record the next time we update.

Negative inscription: "9/5/11 no. 2" So this was before the race, identified elsewhere as being at the Wright Brothers, in Dayton, OH. (see next note). JJ Cole bought a Wright biplane and installed one of his automobile engines for the "Cole Flyer". Here's a little more about the Hearst race: In 1911, the Hearst Transcontinental Flight Derby sponsored a $50,000 prize to the first pilot who completed a transcontinental flight across the United States. The two most noted pilots who attempted this crossing were Calbraith (Cal) P. Rodgers, who took off in his biplane from Sheepshead, New York on September 17, 1911, and Robert C. Fowler, who attempted his flight from the opposite direction, taking off from San Francisco on August 12, 1911, with the hope of reaching Jacksonville, Florida." [Though it seems from Early Aviation's post that Fowler re-started in October) www.banninglibrarydistrict.org/banning/documents/airports... It's likely that the W.L. (William L. Colt) and "H.S."(Harry L.) Stratton pictured were the principals of New York's Colt-Stratton Company, an important auto distributor, and perhaps backers of Fowler's flight. They were in 1912 distributors of the Cole car, and Cole supplied the engine for the plane. books.google.com/books?id=Ibk-N4g_vBgC&pg=RA1-PA264&a... earlyaviators.com/efowler1.htm And J.J. Cole is therefore Joseph J. Cole, the early automaker who produced cars in Indianapolis, Indiana. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cole_Motor_Car_Company At that time, C.P. Henderson was Director and General Sales Manager of Cole Motors. books.google.com/books?id=UzMfAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA487&l... R.P. Henderson, and Homer C. Lathrop were also connected with Cole Motor Car. books.google.com/books?id=uEceAQAAMAAJ&q=lathrop+hend... L.S. French was a Cole executive as well. books.google.com/books?id=-LjhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP3&lpg...

see also this Bain photo, apparently taken at the same session:


Yet another photo from this day is at
earlyaviators.com/ecolejj.htm
and identifies Cole and Fowler in the plane in Dayton, OH. The unidentified man is William L. Colt, discussed above.

JOSEPH JARRET COLE www.earlyaviators.com/ecolejj.htm Robert George Fowler en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_George_Fowler

Taken in September, 1911, before the "Cole Flyer", a Wright biplane with a Cole Motor Car Co. engine competed in a transcontinental air race. See notes under this Bain photo, taken the same day: