California Wings. A History of Aviation in the Golden State.
By William A. Schoneberger. Woodland Hills: Windsor
Publications Incorporated, 1984. Bibliography. Index. Illustrations. 189 pages.
$24.95.
Reviewed by Gary F. Kurutz, Director of Special Collections, California State Library and student of California's pioneer aviation history.
California has enjoyed a colorful and rich aviation history dating back to the days of 1849 when Rufus Porter developed a scheme to take
anxious argonauts to the gold fields from New York in three days via a cigar shaped aerial locomotive. According to author William A. Schoneberger, the
Golden State has contributed more to aviation history than perhaps any other region of the world because of its favorable climate, enterprising people, and
openness to new ideas. Many aviation firsts took place in California such as the first airship flight (1869), first glider (1883), and first international
aviation meet (1910) to name just a few. As well, the state has been blessed with more than its share of aerial heroes including John Joseph Montgomery,
Glenn Martin, Glenn Curtiss, Donald Douglas, Lawrence Bell, Jack Northrop, Charles Lindbergh, Cal Rodgers, Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart, Pancho Barnes,
Jackie Cochran and Chuck Yeager. All were linked in one way or the other with California.
This rich heritage that blends genuine heroes with high
technology, booming business, transportation, sports and Hollywood has, not
surprisingly, inspired a plethora of books, articles, dissertations, films and
exhibits. Despite this, California Wings ranks as the first to summarize
this incredible and complicated story into one volume. It is an ambitious task.
The author readily admits that his volume cannot possibly squeeze into it every
story but it does contain enough to please those interested in business and
technology and those who enjoy social history and good human interest stories.
Schoneberger correctly points out that a definitive history (especially if
illustrations are included) would require a multi-volume series a la Time-Life Books. Thus, not everyone's favorite pilot or airplane can be included
or treated in depth.
Organizationally, Schoneberger divides his text into topics
rather than following a strict chronological format. He offers particularly good
coverage of the beginnings of the industry in California; the role of the key
movers and shakers including Martin, Northrop, Bell, and Lockheed; the
dominance of California in aeronautical manufacturing and its strong
military-industrial complex. Schoneberger superbly documents the amazing
interrelationship of personalities who forged this important industry. For
example, Glenn Martin hired Donald Douglas, Lawrence Bell and William E. Boeing.
What pleases this reviewer is that Schoneberger folds in stories about long
defunct airlines, museums devoted to the lore of flight, schools and
universities with strong programs in aeronautics, military bases, and how
Hollywood glamorized and immortalized California pilots, stewardesses and even
airports.
San Diego receives much attention. Schoneberger covers Montgomery's historic glider flight at Otay Mesa in 1883; the hydroplane
experiments of Glenn Curtiss at North Island; the contributions of Major Reuben
Fleet, T. Claude Ryan, Fred Rohr in industrializing the region; the making of
the Spirit of St. Louis; the role of the military, and a history of Lindbergh
Field. Schoneberger also includes a fine narrative history of Pacific Southwest
Airlines telling of its days as the "Poor Sailors' Airlines" when its DC-3's
flew from San Diego to Oakland for only $15.60 up to the present era of merger
mania. Even though space was tight, it was disappointing Schoneberger did not
mention the giant airship that Charles Toliver
constructed in 1910 at Golden
Hill or the horrifying PSA collision over San Diego.
Sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce, this
pictorial industry history follows the usual Windsor Publications formula and
format. In addition to the narrative it incorporates scores of choice
illustrations and the familiar concluding section of "Partners In Industry"
containing histories of those businesses that helped sponsor this attractive
volume. Considering this, one cannot be too critical of the author for not
noting such figures as Lyman Gilmore of Nevada City (who supposedly invented and
flew an airplane before the Wright Brothers) and the previously mentioned Rufus
Porter. The well-captioned illustrations obtained from aeronautical companies,
museums and libraries, add immeasurably to the volume. However, not one photo
came from San Diego Historical Society's vast picture collection. Schoneberger
provides a bibliography of secondary sources but does not cite useful articles
published in historical journals. All-in-all, California Wings succeeds
admirably in presenting for the first time a general overview of California's
incredible aerial past from the early pioneers and dreamers up to the
sophisticated chief executive officers of the 1980's.
