EARLY AVIATION COLLECTION — AUGUST 1, 1938

EARLY AVIATION COLLECTION — AUGUST 1, 1938 – COL. CLARENCE CHAMBERLIN

EARLY AVIATION COLLECTION — AUGUST 1, 1938 – COL. CLARENCE CHAMBERLIN LANDS IN CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY

Ready to win the 1927 prize to be the first to solo across the Atlantic in a plane, the day before Lindberg began his flight on May 21, 1927, in “The Spirit of St. Louis,” Clarence Chamberlin, was all set to take off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York, in his plane, “The Columbia.” But due to circumstances beyond his control, Chamberlin was barred from his hangar, which made it possible for Lindbergh to fly off into the history books unchallenged completing the first nonstop flight between North America and the European mainland landing in Paris – You may wish to find the YOUTUBE VIDEO on Chamberlin.

I purchased an amazing estate when my shop was in Haddonfield, NJ, and am still working through some ephemera from this one owner collection. In a small envelope marked “Chamberlain’s Plane – Camden 1938” note the misspelling, there are these original snapshots measuring about 2 1/2 inches by about 4 inches. You can see the plane flying in, on the ground, what appears to be the spectators lined up for autographs or to purchase souvenirs, and some poorly composed interior shots.

Pinning down the date, I found a website titled “Abandoned and Little Known Airfields” and they have a page on Central Airport in Camden, New Jersey, and had the Courier Post article/ad announcing Chamberlin’s visit. See last image below. — In June 4-5, 1927, in a Bellanca monoplane piloted by Clarence Chamberlin, Charles A. Levine, a New York businessman, became the first person to cross the Atlantic by airplane as a passenger when he flew nonstop between New York and Germany. Levine had sponsored the plane. You knew about Col. Lindberg, and now you know about Col. Clarence Chamberlin.