williamrandolphhearstprize

That's James "Jimmie" Ward www.earlyaviators.com/eward1.htm Considering that by mid 1912 War was arrested on bigamy charges and Grant lost a battle with Cancer, I would date this pic at 1911.

Thanks for the information! We’ll look into it.

grant died on , July 23, 1885 .. this can't be the US Grant from the Amerian Civil War

This picture together with LC-B2- 2265-8 (Ward and Hudson Maxim) and LC-B2- 2265-9 Ward in his Curtiss airplane) and LC-B2- 2265-5 (Ward taking off from Grosvenor Island New York) all belong together. Pictures were taken on the occasion of the start of the aviator James J. Ward for the Hearst Transcontinental Flight, where he would fly the traject New York - San Francisco. The first who did the transcontinental flight earned the prize allotted by Hearst: $ 50,000. The start in New York of Ward was on September 13, 1911 where he left at 09:00 hours. So the pictures can be exactly dated. According to the record two man in high places were present Major-General Grant (probably 'another' Grant) and Hudson Maxim (the brother of Hiram Maxim, Hudson Maxim was also an inventor). Remarkable is the take off picture which was exactly taken when Ward got the machine loose from the ground. In the background is the Statue of Liberty. As told Ward came not very far and he abandoned his prize flight around the 22nd of September 1911. The whole occassion was reported on in the NY Times September 13, 1911 and following. The report of the start (giving also the names of Major-General Grant and Hudson Maxim) can be found at query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9402E0D91531E2... with the title 'Ward on long flight. Will start from Governors Island Today on a Trip to San Francisco'. Cheers Kees

Varese2002: Thanks for tying the photos together with some added context! We'll see what we can do to reference the event when we edit the description.

That's James "Jimmie" Ward www.earlyaviators.com/eward1.htm I would date this pic at 1911 -- he did a lot of flying then and as arrested on bigamy charges in June of 1912.

The inscribed date on the photo (reversed) reads "9/13/11" (albeit with a poorly inscribed "3"). This dates the photo to September 13, 1911, the day Jimmie Ward took off from Governors Island in his Curtiss Pusher (named "Hearst Pathfinder") in pursuit of the William Randolph Hearst Prize, a $50,000 prize to the first aviator to complete a transcontinental flight of the United States within 30 days by October 11, 1911. Ward's aircraft would suffer an engine failure a three days after this photo. After repairs, Ward would continue his journey, but would be forced to withdraw after his aircraft was wrecked beyond repair (again, after an engine failure and crash landing) on September 22, 1911.

Thanks so much for filling in the picture, TVL 1970. Amazing to think of flying one of those planes. We'll fill in the title information and add the date next time we update the record. We appreciate your help!

Other Bain/LOC photos of Aviator James "Jimmie" Ward on Governors Island: Receiving a sendoff from Governors Island resident General Frederick Dent Grant:: Ward takes off:

Aero Club of America Pilot # 52

That is aviator James J. "Jimmie" Ward (born in Denmark as Jens P. Wilson, b. 1886 - d. December 3, 1923) taking off from Governors Island in his Curtiss Pusher biplane (a Curtiss Model D named the "Hearst Pathfinder") on September 13, 1911, as he started his attempt to win the William Randolph Hearst Prize. Otherwise known as the "Hearst Transcontinental Prize" or "Hearst Prize", $50,000 was offered by William Randolph Hearst in October 1910 to the first aviator to complete a transcontinental flight across the United States in less than 30 days, no later than October 11, 1911. Jimmie Ward would withdraw from the race nine days later after his aircraft's engine failed, causing it to crash land just west of Addison, New York, suffering damage beyond repair. Cal Rodgers in his Wright Model EX "Vin Fiz" would also compete for the prize, becoming the first person to complete a transcontinental flight across the United States. However, Rodgers would fail to win the Hearst Prize because his journey lasted 49 days (September 13-November 5, 1911)

Thanks so much for the information TVL 1970. We'll fill in the title information the next time we update the record.

Ward with Frederick Dent Grant, resident General of Governor's Island: Ward on Governor's Island, prior to takeoff: