This airplane is a Douglas O-2H observation plane, 29-388. It landed at Tucson Friday, July 12, 1929 flown by one Lt. Watson. He was accompanied by a single passenger, a Pvt. Ellis. Based at Indianapolis, IN they were eastbound from Rockwell Field, CA. They remained on the ground for ten minutes, then continued their voyage to El Paso, TX.
Below, courtesy of site visitor J.W. Tretter, is a terrifically clear profile of 29-388 on the ground at Indianapolis. Lt. Earl William Sweeney is in the pilot's cockpit up front, with a Lt. Stowell in the gunner/observer's seat. Neither of these officers is in the Register. This photograph is from Ms. Tretter's father's album. She says about the photo, "The photo of Capt. Sweeney & Lt. Stowell ...I think was taken at Camp Knox, Kentucky which being the predecessor to Fort Knox, was near Louisville. Had to have been taken during the 2-weeks August training camp for the 38th Division, 113th Ob. Sq." Please direct your browser to 29-343, 29-348, 29-392 and to the Indianapolis, IN airfields link cited above to see other images by Ms. Tretter's father. The airplane was assigned to the Indiana National Guard at the time.
Douglas O-2H at Indianapolis, IN, Date Unknown (Source: Tretter)
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Magnification of the original photo shows details of stenciled placards, wheel chocks in place, the airplane is tied down, and there is a glass bottle with a rubber bulb applicator just forward of the port main wheel hub. According to Joe Baugher's site, 29-388 and its sister ships, 29-375 through 404, were all Douglas O-2H models with serial numbers 575 through 604. They were all designated for National Guard service.
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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 12/03/10 REVISED:
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