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Sikorsky Christening: 1925

May 8, 1925. Washington, D.C. " 'Yorktown.' Christening of Sikorsky plane." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative.

May 8, 1925. Washington, D.C. " 'Yorktown.' Christening of Sikorsky plane." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative.

 

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Connection to Howard Hughes!

This aircraft is indeed the S-29A (The A stands for first Sikorsky model built in America). It was eventually sold to famed stunt pilot Roscoe Turner, who in turn sold it to Howard Hughes. Hughes had it disguised as a WWI German Gotha bomber, and it was crashed (spun in) during the filming of Hells Angels.
I have a later original print of the same airplane with Roscoe Turner in it. Shorpy is an amazing website!

Yorktown Airplane Service Instituted

Washington Post, May 9 1925

Yorktown Airplane Service Instituted

Six days were required by messengers on horseback to carry news of Cornwallis' defeat from Yorktown, Va., to New York in 1781. Yesterday the same distance was covered in a few hours by the giant Sikorsky transport which instituted airplane passenger service between New York and Yorktown, and was christened with brief ceremonies at Bolling field.

The plane left New York at 10 o'clock. At Logan field, Baltimore, it was forced to earth on account of a water leak, which was quickly remedied by workmen. The plane loomed into sight above Bolling field at 1:45 o'clock, ten minutes before it was expected. Army officers and guests welcomed the passengers. An address was delivered by Gen. R. Allyn Lewis. Count Igor Sikorsky, designer and builder of the plane, who piloted the craft to Washington, also spoke.

A bottle of water was broken across the bow of the plane by Miss Elizabeth Owens, who christened the plane the "Yorktown."

Following the christening, the plane flew to Yorktown, where zero milestones commemorative of the event are to be placed. The service has been established for New York business men who spend week-ends in Virginia.

The Designer

That's Igor Sikorsky himself third from the left in the Homburg (his personal trademark).

Sikorsky

Interesting mix of clothing, from the knickers on the left to the women's coats and hats to the brass and the big wigs--plus the mechanics/engineers on the craft. Is the girl standing on the chair going to do the honors?

S-29-A

this appears to be the Sikorsky S-29-A.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-29-A

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