Hap Arnold “The Father of the Air Force” - Episode 7

09/05/22 • 29 min

Today’s show is a conversation with Robert Arnold, the grandson of Hap Arnold – the Father of the air force. Arnold urged an independent air arm which he lived to see authorized in 1947 – he started flying with the Signal Crops in what could be described as a ‘wild west’ era in aviation - setting altitude records, and in WWI was the first aerial observer to report his observations using Radio.

In WWII, he directed air activities for the nation's global war against Germany and Japan. Under him the air arm grew from 22,000 officers and men with 3,900 planes to nearly 2,500,000 men and 75,000 aircraft. An amazing accomplishment that shows how much was changing during this time, and Arnold’s influence on the development of air power.

Key Takeaways:

Hap learned to fly in the Wright Brothers ground school and became one of the first military pilots worldwide.
Hap grounds himself after a near death experience in a Wright Model C flying the first ever aerial spotting of artillery during an accelerated stall.
After testifying for Billy Mitchell and leaking information to the press, Hap and his family are forced to decamp for Fort Riley Kansas after Mason Patrick refuses Haps own request to court marshal himself after getting caught.
He directed the expansion of the US Air Force upon entry into WWII to create the most powerful air force in the world.
Hap Arnold was the only officer to hold a five-star rank in two different US military services, the United States Army Air Forces and the United States Air Force.

References:

Key Takeaways:

Hap learned to fly in the Wright Brothers ground school and became one of the first military pilots worldwide.
Hap grounds himself after a near death experience in a Wright Model C flying the first ever aerial spotting of artillery during an accelerated stall.
After testifying for Billy Mitchell and leaking information to the press, Hap and his family are forced to decamp for Fort Riley Kansas after Mason Patrick refuses Haps own request to court marshal himself after getting caught.
He directed the expansion of the US Air Force upon entry into WWII to create the most powerful air force in the world.
Hap Arnold was the only officer to hold a five-star rank in two different US military services, the United States Army Air Forces and the United States Air Force.

References:

Previous Episode

Family Insights on Aviation Pioneer Jimmy Doolittle - Episode 6

Today’s show is a conversation with Jonna Doolittle, the granddaughter of James H. Doolittle – who shares great insights into the American military general and aviation pioneer. It was great to get the family insights from Jonna, and as always, the historical context. Doolittle won air races, was a test pilot, completing the first outside loop, something most people thought was impossible. In WWI he was active with the Signal Corps’ Aviation Section, but never saw combat. In WWII, Doolittle was chosen by Hap Arnold – the subject of our next episode, so stay tuned - to lead the planning of the first aerial raid on the Japanese mainland and retaliation for Pearl Harbor.

Key Takeaways:

Jimmy Doolittle was highly educated, as a mechanic, engineer, and pilot, which set up his career as an aviation pioneer
Doolittle's innovation with blind flying and landing paved the way for landing in bad weather
Doolittle helped organize the Air Force Association and was elected its first president
Doolittle lobbied successfully to make the Air Force its own branch of the military

References:

Next Episode

The Radical Life of Legendary Aviatrix Amelia Earhart - Episode 8

We are all familiar with the name Amelia Earhart, but do we really know what she was like or what she believed in?

Today’s show is a conversation with Sammie Morris. Sammie is the Head Archivist at the Purdue University archives and special collections where they hold some of the most extensive collections on Amelia Earhart, one being donated by Amelia’s husband, George Palmer Putnam, himself. Amelia also worked with and taught at Purdue University just before her last flight.

We are going to discuss the interesting and radical life of legendary aviatrix, Amelia Earhart! She was the first woman and second person to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932. Now, that was one of her most famous records, but she set so many more! Of course, a lot of us know her for her mysterious disappearance, but in this episode, we are going to dive deeper into the woman behind the mystery, how she blazed her own path in early aviation, and the legacy she left behind.
Key Takeaways:

The Purdue University Archive is a great resource for researchers interested in the life and legacy of Amelia Earhart. They hold two collections on Amelia Earhart, one collection on her husband, George Palmer Putnam, and one on her navigator, Fred Noonan.
Earhart's energetic, adventurous, brave personality was ahead of her time. She shared her radical beliefs about women's roles in the home and in the field of science, for example, yet she was able to not shock the public and alienate herself.
The Friendship Flight in 1928 was the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman. Amelia was a passenger, alongside co-pilots Wilmer Stultz and Louis Gordon. The journey took 20 hours and 40 minutes, which is also the title of the book she wrote about this flight.
Amelia Earhart was the first woman and second person to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932.
Amelia Earhart befriended First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who became an advocate for aviation, women in flight, and Amelia's endeavors
Amelia Earhart co-founded the 99's - an organization still around today that is dedicated to inspiring women pilots since 1929 - and became their first president
Multiple factors influenced Amelia Earhart's disappearance on the last stretch of her world flight, such as low fuel, weather, and lost radio connection

References: