goggles

Christian Frank Schilt (1895-1987)? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_F._Schilt guides.grc.usmcu.edu/content.php?pid=306904&sid=2518135 Benjamin F. Belcher, Naval aviator, is mentioned in this: bluejacket.com/sea-service_nap_index.htm John E. Davis, army pilot, is mentioned making a 4000-mile solo flight in 1918: books.google.com/books?id=GUNTAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA309&...

The photo dates from 1927

B-59 Oh good, that makes a lot more sense for Schilt's dates and for his bio too. (He could be 19 in the photo, but it's a lot more believable that he's a man in his 20s.)

As pointed out, this is a photo from 1927. The four men standing in front of the Loening OL-2 amphibian are Benjamin F. Belcher, James E. Davis, Christian F. Schilt (awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroics in Nicaragua in 1928, and ultimately rising to the rank of four-star Marine Corps general upon retirement in 1957), and Hubert H. Dogan (the caption of "Dogant" is incorrect), all Marine Corps aviators who would take part in a surveying mission photographing the northern coast of Cuba in 1927. The surveying mission is cited on page 26 of the October 2, 1927 edition of the San Antonio Express ("Types of Plane for the New Aircraft-Carriers"): "The Navy Bureau of Aeronautics is well satisfied with the work of Marine Corps flyers in the West Indies, during which they photographed 400 miles of Cuba's northern coast. Two Loening amphibians were employed; Capt. James E. Davis and Lieut. Christian F. Schlit were the pilots. Sergeants B.F. Belcher and H.H. Dogan completed the expedition's personnel. "Most of the region between Cardenas - 75 miles east of Havana - and Nuevitas in Camaguey Province is fringed with islands called cayos. The survey extended from Havana to Nuevitas, and it has given the Hydrographic Office (a Navy bureau) a more nearly accurate map of that sector."

B-59: Thanks for catching the date on the photo!

On 15 May 1928, John Flynn's dream became a reality with the opening of the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service in Cloncurry, Queensland (later to be renamed the Royal Flying Doctor Service). From the first flight in a single engine, fabric covered bi-plane, the RFDS steadily grew in size, scope and reach. Over the next few years, the RFDS began to expand across the country: Source: www.flyingdoctor.org.au/about-the-rfds/history/rfds-secti...

Men in short trousers and long socks. Must be North Queensland!

Upson was one of the builders of the Goodyear Blimp.
See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-class_blimp and

See also en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Hazlett_Upson
and

A cropped version of this photo appeared in the Evening star., September 16, 1917, Image 56 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1917-09-16/ed-... Another version of the same photo ran in the East Oregonian, September 14, 1917, DAILY EVENING EDITION, Image 7 with the caption: "Ralph H. Upson, the young aviaitor, recently flew 320 miles from Chicago to Akron, O. in a new dirigible being tried out by the war department. During the trouble with Mexico he served on the border as scout for the Ohio Field Battery, and operated kite ballons over the Mexican forces." oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn88086023/1917-09-14/ed-1/seq-7 The photo is also in fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2023/Chicago%20IL%20Tribune/...

B-59: Thank you for providing this information. We'll add it to the record next time we update.