hempsteadplains

Harold "Harry" Kantner was an exhibition pilot, airplane builder, and an instructor at the Moisant Aviation School at Hempstead Plains, near Garden City, Long Island: earlyaviators.com/ekantner.htm "In the winter of 1912-13 he designed and built a new Moisant Military Scout. Known as the Kantner-Moisant Bluebird, the machine could be taken apart in four minutes and reassembled in eight. Superbly constructed, the Bluebird was successful from the start." Here Kantner is demonstrating the military plane for Navy officers. The photo negative is dated August 6, 1913. Kantner wears goggles, a sweater, and gloves. Either he has just landed, or is about to go aloft.

Captain (later Admiral) Albert Gleaves was appointed commander of the Presidential Yacht in 1901. He maintained a friendship with President Theodore Roosevelt that lasted until TR's death on January 6, 1919. Gleaves wrote several books on naval history, and an autobiography.

Wikipedia links: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_D._Kantner en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gleaves

Wystan: Thanks for noticing the date on the neg. and for providing us with the full names for these folks. We'll add these to the description next time we update.

Harold Kantner Aero Club of America Pilot # 65 October 14,1911 Capt Albert Gleaves USN Commandant Brooklyn Navy Yard June 1912 - Oct or Nov 1914 The photo can be dated to July 26, 1913 location : Hempstead Plains Aviation Field Garden City, Long Island , New York ".. before a crowd of two thousand .. Navy Aviation Day.. " " .. the purpose of demonstrating to Naval officials the efficiency of the aircraft for purposes of war." ( New York Herald July 27, 1913) article has photo with Kantner, Gleaves,and aircraft

Should read Leighton Hazelhurst (full name - Leighton Wilson Hazelhurst). Hazelhurst was flying as a passenger in a a Wright Model C airplane piloted by Al Welsh, when the plane crashed in College Park, Maryland on June 11, 1912. Both Welsh and Hazelhurst died in the crash. A National Guard base on Long Island's Hempstead Plains was renamed in his honor to Hazelhurst Field. In 1920, Hazelhurst Field was renamed Curtiss Field, which was merged with adjacent Roosevelt Field in 1929.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leighton_Wilson_Hazelhurst,_Jr.

See notes under