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OTHER RESOURCES
Your copy of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register with all the pilots' signatures and helpful cross-references
to pilots and their aircraft is available here.
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Ruth M. Reinhold's 1982 book entitled, "Sky Pioneering:
Arizona in Aviation History" (University of Arizona Press,
Tucson. ISBN 0-8165-0737-6). Refer to pages 125 and 203 et
seq. for information on Mr. Gilpin.
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CHARLES W. "BILL" GILPIN
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Pilot Gilpin was a southwest charter operator. Although his
name was Charles, he went by Bill.
In the mid 1920s he was chauffeur for Col. Jack Greenway,
a principal stockholder in Calumet Mining Company. They drove
between Ajo, Phoenix, Tucson, Douglas and Bisbee, AZ for
business. Being rough roads, without air conditioned cars,
they soon acquired an airplane and exploited Gilpin's reputation
as a well-known pilot in southwest Arizona and northern Mexico.
Col. Greenway died in 1926. After that Gilpin carried passengers
mostly along the southern tier between Los Angeles –
Lordsburg – El Paso. It is during these flights we find
him landing at Tucson (right column).
In1930, Greenway's widow went into the passenger business
with Mr. Gilpin under the name Gilpin and Greenway Airlines
Company, Inc., or G&G Airlines. "Gilpin",
as the line was called, grew into one of the largest fixed
base companies in the southwest. G&G flew between Los
Angeles and Tijuana, carrying "parched" Californians
to the tracks and gambling casinos in Mexico (remember,
Prohibition was still the law of the land until December,
1933). Image, left is the front of the Gilpin timetable.
Below is the brochure opened up to reveal the schedules
and pricing.
Bill also flew Mrs. Greenway on some of her business trips
and made charter flights. During one charter to Mexico City
in July 1932, he made a forced landing and was killed instantly
when the plane's engine detached and struck him on the head.
His passengers were unhurt.
Following Gilpin's death, Mrs. Greenway gave control of the
airline to Walter Douglas, Jr., who continued operating the
Tijuana run until the end of Prohibition. Douglas then moved
his fleet to Tucson where he set up operations at the Davis-Monthan
Airfield (see the link for images and text related to
the "Gilpin" operation at Tucson).
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Dossier 2.1.63
UPLOADED: 08/23/05 REVISED: 09/03/06
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BORDER PATROL |
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C.W.
Gilpin landed at Tucson eleven times between November 13, 1926
and June 13, 1929.
Although these dates were before the formation
of G&G
Airlines, his landings drew the attention of the U.S. Border Patrol
more than any other pilot (four inspections in 11 flights, see
the REMARKS columns on his individual landing records), thus setting
his reputation for satisfying "parched" citizens.
See
one of his airplanes at 8003.
Another, Fairchild NC1620 is available on this site here courtesy
of the Cosgrove Collection.
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