Army Air Corps Photographs

The Army Air Corps Photographs is comprised of fifty-nine (59) black-and-white photographs, forty-nine (49) of which relate to the 1923 Pulitzer Air Race and ten (10) of which depict the Sacramento Air Depot and an aerial view in 1940.

The bulk of the collection focuses on the 1923 Pulitzer Air Race held in St. Louis, Missouri and features forty-seven (47) images of the aircraft, race entrants in their aircraft or posing next to it, and race markers, such as pylons. Additionally, there is one (1) image of two men parachuting to the ground and one (1) image of a group of young men holding was appears to be model airplanes.

Most of the photographs have an identifying number on the front right corner of the image, such as "11147 A.S." that denotes the images were taken by United States Army Air Service. Most of the images also have a stamp on verso "Official Photograph Property of U. S. Army Air Service Reproduction of this Photograph is Prohibited Except when and as Authorized in Writing by The Chief of Air Service, Washington, D. C." Additionally, many of the images have a brief handwritten notation on the reverse identifying specific aircraft and people.

Identified aircraft include the U.S.S. Shenandoah, a ZR-1 dirigible, a Goodyear TC-3 non-rigid airship, Vought UO-1 (UF-1), Wright (Aero) F2W, Engineering Division NBL-1 Barling Bomber, Curtiss R2C-1 Racer and Curtiss R3C-1 Racer, Hartzell FC-1, and Fokker A-2 (F.IV). Identified people include John D. Corkville, Alexander Pearson, Lawson 'Sandy' Sanderson, Alford J. Williams, and Mason M. Patrick.

Some particularly notable photographs include an image of 1st lieutenant John D. Corkill taking off (he finished 2nd in the 1st heat of the trophy race); Marine Lieutenant Lawson "Sandy" Sanderson with his Navy Wright F2W, the aircraft he crash landed after winning the first heat; Lt. Alex Pearson and his Verville-Sperry R-3; and parachutists on their way to landing.

At the end of the collection are nine (9) photographs taken inside the Sacramento Air Depot (SAD) [present-day Sacramento Air Logistics Center] in 1940. Most of the photographs have a printed caption on the lower front right corner that identify the division within SAD, such as "Engine tear down & parts inspection, Eng. Dept S.A.D., 3-20-40." Other departments include "Ignition - Starters & Generators" and "Machine Shop." The images feature employees working on either scrapping or reworking the Martin B-10 for training. There is also one (1) aerial photograph of an unidentified body of water and surrounding landscape.

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