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YOUR PURCHASE OF THESE BOOKS SUPPORTS THE WEB SITES THAT BRING TO YOU THE HISTORY BEHIND OLD AIRFIELD REGISTERS
Your copy of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register 1925-1936 with all the pilots' signatures and helpful cross-references to pilots and their aircraft is available at the link. 375 pages with black & white photographs and extensive tables
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The Congress of Ghosts (available as eBook) 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 It includes across 277 pages previously unpublished photographs and texts, and facsimiles of personal letters, diaries and military orders.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.
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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, while supplies last.
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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. Available as a free download at the link.
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Winners' Viewpoints: The Great 1927 Trans-Pacific Dole Race (available as eBook) 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, while supplies last.
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Clover Field: The first Century of Aviation in the Golden State (available in paperback) With the 100th anniversary in 2017 of the use of Clover Field as a place to land aircraft in Santa Monica, this book celebrates that use by exploring some of the people and aircraft that made the airport great. 281 pages, black & white photographs.
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YOU CAN HELP
I'm looking for information and photographs of pilot Bicknell and his airplane 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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Thanks to Guest Editor Bob Woodling for help researching this page.
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ORRILLE EMMET BICKNELL
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Orrille "Shorty" Bicknell was born August 4, 1900 and passed away February 19, 1975 (obituary below). The 1910 (name given as "Oral," and 1920 Census have him living with his parents on a farm in Elk Creek, Nebraska. In 1920 his occupation was listed as "auto repairman."
Bicknell is recorded three times in the Register at Parks Airport, each time flying the Travel Air he identified as NC5293. He listed no passenger names.
An article in the Malone (NY) Farmer of Wednesday, December 19, 1928, right, gives us insight into Bicknell's presence at Parks Airport. He was a student at Parks Air College at the time. In the article, near the Christmas holiday, he and two of his fellow students flew a Waco 10 from East St. Louis to his home in Nebraska. The airplane belonged to his two friends, who were recently graduated from Parks Air College. From their itinerary, it is not clear where they spent the Christmas holiday, which would be on the Tuesday before their return to East St. Louis on Thursday.
Beatrice (NE) Daily Sun April 16, 1929 O. E. Bicknell, who is attending |
About four months later, again having flown to Nebraska, his airplane was wrecked in a storm in April, 1929 (left) as it was parked in a field near his home. He transported the wreckage to Wichita, KS, which suggests his airplane was a Travel Air (maybe NC5293?), Cessna or Stearman, all of which had factory facilities in Wichita.
Bicknell's first appearance in the Register was about a year later, on Wednesday, May 14, 1930 at 4:15PM, flying NC5293. He cited his home base as Elk Creek, NE, but cited no other geographic information.
His second visit was about a year after that, on April 11, 1931. This time he listed his home base as Starkville, MS. He was enroute to Lincoln, NE near his home.
Finally, his third landing was on April 19, 1931. Still based at Starkville, he cited his destination as Memphis, TN. No reason was given for this flight, or any of his others.
Beatrice (NE) Daily Sun February 19, 1975 |
The 1940 U.S. Census cited him as living in Lincoln, NE with his wife Teresa. His occupation was identified as a clerk in an office at Antelope Park, Lincoln, NE. The 1940 Census indicates they were living at the same house in 1935.
His simple obituary appeared in the Daily Sun of February 19, 1975, left.
Bicknell's Web presence is nil. I have no photographs of him, or information about his personal life. If you can help fill in the blanks, please let me KNOW.
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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 01/24/14 REVISED: