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| View Original: | JN-4H_US_Air_Mail_inauguration_Polo_Field_1918.jpg (4661x3180) | |||
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| Keywords: JN-4H US Air Mail inauguration Polo Field 1918.jpg A Curtiss JN-4H Jenny is prepared for takeoff during the inauguration of U S airmail service in Washington D C USA 15 May 1918 <br> The U S Congress had appropriated 100 000 for the first regularly scheduled airmail service The route was to cover 349 kilometers between Washington D C and New York Fleet chose four experienced army pilots including Lieutenants Howard P Culver and Torrey H Webb The U S Post Office insisted that Fleet add two more pilots who had political and family connections Lieutenants George L Boyle and James C Edgerton Both had completed pilot school but had barely flown The plane in Washington shown was piloted by Boyle who took off 45 minutes late as it was forgotten to fuel the plane He carried 3 300 letters weighing 64 kilograms and barely cleared the trees Boyle circled and then flew south Just 38 kilometers away on a farm near Waldorf Maryland USA Boyle landed and flipped over He was unhurt but his mail had to be unloaded and put onto a train to Philadelphia LOC-image hec 10830 1918-05-15 Harris Ewing photographer No known restrictions on publication frame removed PD-USGov Curtiss JN-4 Postal aircraft United States Postal Service aircraft | ||||
