Vin Fiz Flyer

__NOTOC__The "Vin Fiz Flyer" was an early Wright Brothers Model EX pusher biplane, that in 1911 became the first to cross the North American continent by air.

The publisher William Randolph Hearst had offered a US$50,000 prize to the first aviator to fly coast to coast, in either direction, in less than 30 days from start to finish.

Calbraith Perry Rodgers, grandson of naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry and a risk-taking sort of sportsman, had taken about 90 minutes of instruction from Orville Wright in June 1911 before soloing, and had won an $11,000 air endurance prize in a contest in August. Rodgers became the first private citizen to buy a Wright airplane, a Wright Model B modified and called the "Model EX".

Since the airplane would need a considerable support crew, Rodgers persuaded J. Ogden Armour, of meatpacking fame, to sponsor the attempt, and in return named the plane after Armour's new grape soft drink Vin Fiz. The support team rode on a three-car train called the "Vin Fiz Special", and included Charlie Taylor, the Wright brothers' bicycle shop and aircraft mechanic, who built their first and later engines and knew every detail of Wright airplane construction; Rodgers' wife Mabel; his mother; other family members; reporters; and employees of Armour and Vin Fiz.

The flight began at 4:30 pm, September 17, 1911, when Rodgers took off from Sheepshead Bay, New York. Although the plan called for a large number of stops along the way, in the end there were about 70 or so, at least a dozen of which were crashes, and Rodgers was injured several times. Taylor and the team of mechanics rebuilt the "Vin Fiz Flyer" at least twice, and only a few pieces of the original plane actually made the entire trip.

On November 5, having missed the prize deadline by 19 days, Rodgers landed in Pasadena, California, in front of a crowd of 20,000. On the 12th he took off for Long Beach, California, but was forced down twice and broke an ankle. Finally, on December 10 he landed on the beach, and taxied the "Flyer" into the Pacific Ocean, completing the unprecedented journey of over 4,000 statute miles (6,400 km).

The aircraft was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1934, and eventually joined the collection of the National Air and Space Museum, after being fully restored for display by the Smithsonian in 1960.

Mail

In addition to the Vin Fiz endorsement, Mabel Rodgers used the flight to promote an airmail service, and sold special 25-cent postage stamps for items to be carried on the airplane. They were semi-official - the Post Office tolerated them, but insisted that mail carry regular stamps as well. The stamps were large, inscribed "RODGERS AERIAL POST" and "VIN FIZ FLYER", with a picture of the airplane in the center. It is believed that they were ordered by Cal's brother, Robert S. Rodgers, from a printer in Kansas City, Missouri, and they were probably first available around October 14.

Twelve Vin Fiz stamps are known to exist today - seven on postcards, one on a cover, and four individuals. One of the cards sold in 1999 for $88,000. Another one of the cards was only recently discovered; it was bought at an Internet auction for several hundred dollars, then auctioned by Siegel in December 2001 for $44,000.

Shreves Philatelic Galleries, Inc. ( [http://www.shreves.com] ) held a specialized auction "The Pioneers Of Flight Collection" on Nov. 29, 2006 selling 4 stamps:the only one on cover for $ 70,000 and 3 on postcards (for $ 60,000, $ 60,000 and $ 47,500).

References

* Eileen F. Lebow, "Cal Rodgers and the Vin Fiz: the First Transcontinental Flight". (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989)
* E.P. Stein, "Flight of the Vin Fiz" (New York: Arbor House, 1985)
* Richard L Taylor, "The First Flight Across the United States: the Story of Calbraith Perry Rodgers and His Airplane, the Vin Fiz" (New York: F. Watts, 1993)
* "New 'Vin Fiz Flyer' card found and auctioned", "Linn's Stamp News" January 14, 2002, p. 14

External links

* [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/wrightex.htm The National Air & Space Museum's page on the Vin Fiz]
* [http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Explorers_Record_Setters_and_Daredevils/Vin_Fiz/EX6.htm Centennial of Flight account]

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