Order of Daedalians

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Some of this information comes from the biographical file for pilot Briggs, CB-724000-01, reviewed by me in the archives of the National Air & Space Museum (NASM), Washington, DC.

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Your copy of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register with all the pilots' signatures and helpful cross-references to pilots and their aircraft is available at the link. Or use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author. ISBN 978-0-9843074-0-1.

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http://www.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifThe Congress of Ghosts is an anniversary celebration for 2010.  It is an historical biography, that celebrates the 5th year online of www.dmairfield.org and the 10th year of effort on the project dedicated to analyze and exhibit the history embodied in the Register of the Davis-Monthan Airfield, Tucson, AZ. This book includes over thirty people, aircraft and events that swirled through Tucson between 1925 and 1936. It includes across 277 pages previously unpublished photographs and texts, and facsimiles of personal letters, diaries and military orders. Order your copy at the link, or use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author.  ISBN 978-0-9843074-4-9.

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JAMES ELBERT BRIGGS

J.E. Briggs, After August 1, 1959 (Source: U.S. Air Force)

 

James E. Briggs was born May 5, 1906. From the rank of 2nd lieutenant, which he was when he landed three times at the Davis-Monthan Airfield, hewas promoted to lieutenant general in an Air Corps and U.S. Air Force career that ran from 1928-1963.

Briggs' first visit at Tucson was Saturday, December 27, 1930 at 11:00AM. He was solo in Boeing P-12-B 29-437. All three of his landings were solo, and most were between San Diego, CA Rockwell Field and Riverside, CA March Field and return from Tucson. Only his second landing, Flying a Boeing P-12-B, 30-30,on Saturday, June 18, 1932 at 10:00AM, was to a place farther east: San Antonio, TX Kelly Field.

Briggs' official U.S. Air Force biography, with photograph, right, is at the link and won't be copied here. A quote from that biography places context around his landings at Tucson, as follows:

"After his transfer to the U.S. Air Corps in 1930, Lieutenant Briggs joined the 95th Pursuit Squadron at Rockwell Field near Coronado Calif. He stayed with the 95th through its move in 1931 to March Field, Calif., and until he received orders in 1934 to attend the 10-month course at the Air Corps Technical School, Chanute Field, Ill."

 

 

 

 

 

Another citation that places context around his landings is the following from Popular Aviation (PA) magazine, March 1931.

Popular Aviation Magazine, March 1931 (Source: PA)

 

 

Murad Cigarettes (Source: Web)

 

Stranger things probably happened to Golden Age pilots and aircraft. But for me, learning about the "Murad" was the most interesting. Murad was a brand of Turkish cigarette, valued for its high quality.

Notice, right, the aviation theme on the product artwork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Briggs' third landing, on Wednesday, June 22, 1932 at 10:00AM, was in an unidentified Thomas-Morse O-19B. Below, an image of the O-19B type from aerofiles.com.

Thomas-Morse O-19B Type (Source: aerofiles.com)

Briggs flew West on February 25, 1979, age almost 73. He was a member of the Order of Daedalians (logo, upper left sidebar). He has a sparse Web presence, with a high-quality photograph at the link, and with short biographies at Wiki, and the U.S. Air Force link, above.

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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 07/30/14 REVISED:

 
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I'm looking for information and photographs of pilot Briggs and his airplanes to include on this page. If you have some you'd like to share, please click this FORM to contact me.

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OTHER BOOKS FOR YOU

Military Aircraft of the Davis Monthan Register, 1925-1936 is available at the link. This book describes and illustrates with black & white photographs the majority of military aircraft that landed at the Davis-Monthan Airfield between 1925 and 1936. The book includes biographies of some of the pilots who flew the aircraft to Tucson as well as extensive listings of all the pilots and airplanes. Use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author. ISBN 978-0-9843074-2-5.

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Art Goebel's Own Story by Art Goebel (edited by G.W. Hyatt) is written in language that expands for us his life as a Golden Age aviation entrepreneur, who used his aviation exploits to build a business around his passion.  Use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author. ISBN 978-0-9843074-1-8.

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Winners' Viewpoints: The Great 1927 Trans-Pacific Dole Race is available at the link. Use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author. What was it like to fly from Oakland to Honolulu in a single-engine plane during August 1927? Was the 25,000 dollar prize worth it? Did the resulting fame balance the risk? For the first time ever, this book presents the pilot and navigator's stories written by them within days of their record-setting adventure. Pilot Art Goebel and navigator William V. Davis, Jr. take us with them on the Woolaroc, their orange and blue Travel Air monoplane (NX869) as they enter the hazardous world of Golden Age trans-oceanic air racing. ISBN 978-0-9843074-3-2.

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