Photo Album featuring Amelia Earhart on her First World Flight Attempt.
UNSEEN PHOTOS
Earhart, Amelia. Photograph Album Featuring Amelia Earhart and her Lockheed Electra Grounded
in Hawaii on Her First World Flight Attempt .. Pearl Harbour: 1937.
Oblong folio album; over 150 black and white photographs, measuring approximately 3 x 2.25 inches
through 5 x 4 inches; mounted double sided to 16 leaves; leather covers, stamped in gilt; string-tied; near
fine.
Photograph album of Hawaii, in which unexpectedly appear eight original photographs of Amelia Earhart
and her damaged aircraft, the “Electra,” each approximately 5 x 3.5 inches, with a white border. 154
further photographs illustrate military operations, barracks of the QMC detachment, members and planes
of the Air Force, island scenes, and leisure time with comrades.
The photographer was Private Wilrose P. Dufault of the QMC Detachment, stationed at the Schofield
Barracks in Hawaii.
Very rare images of a historic event, and most probably a singular printing for this album only. Earhart was
a highly photographed iconic figure, but these images are unique as she was not posing for the press or
publicity. Here, natural photographs show Earhart focused on the task at hand: the repair of her aircraft
which was intended for her first around-the-world flight. Earhart is seen in four of the eight photographs.
The aircraft was brought to the US army base in Luke Field on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor for servicing,
over a three day period. A night photo clearly shows a damaged propeller, and work continuing in the late
hours. Views an audience for her departure from the island. Also seen alongside Earhart is Albert Paul
Mantz, air racing and movie stunt pilot, acting as a technical advisor, whom had tutored her in longdistance
flying and navigation, and whom had accompanied her as a co-pilot for this monumental
endeavour.
Other photographs of aviation interest include three views of the China Clipper (NC14716), the first of
three Martin M-130 four-engine flying boats built for Pan American Airways, which was used to
inaugurate the first commercial transpacific air service from San Francisco to Manila in November 1935.
An aerial formation by the United States Army Air Corps shows fifteen planes in perfect alignment in the
sky.
The album renders further historic photographs of the US military in Hawaii, such as the Schofield
Barracks Craftsman Design Housing, canons pulled by soft-top trucks, S-type cars, horseback cavalry,
various field tanks, a drill taking place on a train platform, and obsolete weaponry. (In the late 1930s
Schofield became the Army’s largest single garrison due to rising tension in the Pacific, and subsequent
increase of defence mobilization.) Six photographs are taken at an equestrian event, and a scant few
illustrate views from Hawaii – the luxury ocean liner SS Lurline, harvested pineapple, volcanic hills, and
ll
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traditional labor performed with donkey-pulled wagons, altogether forming a most captivating visual time
capsule.
(#4655564)
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