curtissmodelh1

great capture from over the pond. my grand father 99 this year worked on developing the flying flea of the same era in the UK.

Other Bain/LOC photos of the flying boat, "America": and another Curtiss boat:

Looks like the edge of the negative is frayed; the guy in overalls is identified as "Hallett" in another photo.

Other Bain/LOC photos of the flying boat, "America": and anoher Curtiss flying boat:

I started an entry for Hallett: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Eustace_Amyot_Hallett Porte was added a while back: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cyril_Porte

"The bottle was wired tightly between two horseshoes to facilitate its breakage while also symbolizing good luck." After four failed swings (two by Masson, two by Porte) the bottle slipped out of its horseshoe sling and rolled on the ground..."As a last resort, the bottle was trussed to the prow and Porte grimly assaulted it with a sledgehammer. Both the hull and Porte's wearing apparel were doused with foaming champagne, to the 'considerable merriment' of the onlookers." from "Glenn Curtiss, Pioneer of Flight," by C.R. Roseberry. Syracuse University Press, 1972. p.373-74

In contrast to Porte's overkill sledgehammer, Glenn Curtiss appears to be holding a small ball-peen hammer. The right tool for the job, as always.