Guns & Militaria
Lot 2161b:
Description
Original 8″ X 6″ B&W photo of the WB-2 Bellanca airplane “Columbia” circa 1928-9. The Columbia was set to take off and claim the New York to Paris $25,000 prize but was held up in court over pilot and ownership issues. Lindbergh made the flight just days before the suits were dismissed and made the trip landing on May 21 1929. The Columbia took off on June 3rd and landing near Berlin Germany on June 6th beating Lindbergh’s record by over 500 miles. This photo shows the plane sometime before their historic flight at a refueling stop. Pilot Clarence Chamberlin is on the top wing maning the fuel hose while co pilot Bert Acosta has one foot on the fuel drum manning the pump. Acosta would be replaced by Charles Levine for the historic flight. In VG condition currently under glass.
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