royknabenshue

Great picture of an early dirigible, maybe 1904. I will show the picture to experts in this field of aviation history, but the name is misspelled it was Roy Knabenshue (1875-1960)

As promised I would consult an expert in early dirigible history and I got far more detailed information about the type of machine and the actual place and time. The picture shows the "California Arrow" designed and built by Captain Baldwin. The dirigible was flown by Roy Knabenshue. Machines were continually modified and this picture shows the second modification fitted with a 8 hp (!) Curtiss engine. The location is Chutes Park in Los Angeles, a baseball station. We are looking in at 30 January 1905. Flyers in those times needed to be very courageous as they only could stand up on small wooden platform in the metal tube construction underneath the gas envelope. Newspapers of the time reported the marvel of flying extensively. As an example here is a reference to a report in the Los Angeles Herald which reports on the event and gives extra pictures covering the event. [chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042462/1905-01-30/ed-...]

Kees Kort Great info, thanks!

A remarkable collection of early aviators (as described on the photo) in St. Louis in October 1911. From left to right: Walter Brookins A. Roy Knabenshue Howard Gill Dr. Henry W. Walden Andrew Drew George W. Beatty Albert B. Lambert Phil Parmelee Cliff Turpin Alfred Elton John D. Cooper

This is A. Roy Knabenshue (1875-1960). See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Roy_Knabenshue