Clyde Pangborn
Encyclopedia
Clyde Edward Pangborn also known as "Upside-Down Pangborn" was an American
aviator
who performed aerial stunts during the 1920s. Along with his co-pilot, Hugh Herndon, Jr., Pangborn was the first person to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean
.
near Lake Chelan
. His exact birthdate is uncertain. He used 1893, 1894, 1895, and 1896, on various documents, changing his age to appear older or younger as needed. The 1900 Federal Census lists Clyde Pangborn (b. October 1893) and his brother Percy (b. Jan 1891) living with their mother Ola [sic.] in Spokane, Washington. Census day was June 1, 1900. In 1910 Clyde (age 16) and Percy (age 19) were boarders with the Alfred Heimark family in St. Maries, Benawah County, Idaho. Census day was April 15; Clyde would not be 17 until October. "1895" was used on his World War I
draft registration in Shoshone, Idaho
. When he was two years old, his parents divorced and he moved to Idaho with his mother. He graduated high school in 1914 and enrolled in the University of Idaho
, where he studied civil engineering
for two and a half years.
Following college, Pangborn worked briefly as an engineer for a mining company before joining the Air Service
during World War I
. He completed flight training, and he was subsequently stationed as a flight instructor
at Ellington Field
in Houston, Texas
. While teaching cadet
s how to fly the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplane
, Pangborn learned to roll his plane onto its back and fly upside-down for extended periods, earning him the lifelong nickname "Upside-Down Pang" from his fellow pilots.
. During his time in the Flying Circus, Pangborn flew with over 500,000 passengers and flew nearly 125,000 miles. He also met Hugh Herndon, who would later be his co-pilot in the first trans-Pacific flight.
The Flying Circus disbanded in 1929. Pangborn continued flying with several other businesses he owned, but they all collapsed due to the onset of the Great Depression
. As a result, he turned his attention to breaking world records in flight.
in 1929. Herndon had financial backing from his wealthy New York family. However, while they were still planning their flight, the record was broken by Wiley Post
and Harold Gatty
and re-established at 8 days and 15 hours. Pangborn and Herndon attempted the flight anyway, taking off from New York on July 28, 1931 in their red Bellanca Skyrocket
, the Miss Veedol
, but poor weather conditions forced them to abandon their efforts halfway through the trip, while in Siberia
.
Other complications hampered the flight. Pangborn and Herndon's maps and charts were stolen by a Japanese nationalist
group who wanted a Japanese pilot to be the first to complete the endeavor. They also had extremely precise calculations for their flight, leaving no room for error; Miss Veedol had to be overweighted with fuel, way beyond the manufacturer's recommendation (650 gallons stock was expanded to 950 gallons), and they would need to abandon their landing gear after take-off to reduce drag
.
Pangborn and Herndon finally took off on October 4, 1931 from Sabishiro Beach, Misawa, Aomori
, Japan. Their destination was Seattle, Washington
, just under 5500 miles (8500 km) away, a distance exceeding Charles Lindbergh
's flight from New York to Paris by 2000 miles. Immediately after take-off, a problem arose: the device intended to jettison the landing gear partially failed. The gear was ejected, but the two root struts remained. Pangborn was forced to climb out on the wing supports barefoot at 14,000 feet in the air to remove the struts.
Due to fog in both Seattle and Spokane, Washington
, Pangborn and Herndon landed in Fancher Field in East Wenatchee, Washington
on October 5, 1931, after 41 hours and 15 minutes of flying. A memorial
to the historic flight is located near the landing site, and a propeller damaged from the landing is on display in a Wenatchee museum. The regional airport, Pangborn Memorial
(EAT) in East Wenatchee, also honors his accomplishment.
The Miss Veedol was trucked to Seattle where her landing gear was replaced. Pangborn and Herndon left from Seattle and continued to New York to complete their world flight. Although news of the flight did circulate, Pangborn did not receive much financial benefit as a result; however, he continued to fly as an airmail pilot, air racer, and a test and demonstration pilot.
in the MacRobertson Race. Turner and Pangborn came in second place in the transport section (and third overall), behind the Boeing 247's eventual rival, the new Douglas DC-2.
and major aircraft builders throughout the U. S. and Canada. During his tour with the Ferry Command, Pangborn flew almost every type of multi-engine aircraft used during the war.
Prior to World War II, he also became the Chief Test Pilot for Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, Delaware. In 1937 he demonstrated Burnelli Aircraft in England and Europe for Cunliffe Owen Aircraft Company of Southampton, England. Pangborn remained with Cunliffe-Owen through the late 1930s where he tested military aircraft.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
who performed aerial stunts during the 1920s. Along with his co-pilot, Hugh Herndon, Jr., Pangborn was the first person to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Early life and World War I
Clyde Edward Pangborn, son of Max Pangborn and Opal Lamb Pangborn, was born in Bridgeport, WashingtonBridgeport, Washington
Bridgeport is a city in Douglas County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bridgeport's population was 2,059 at the 2000 census.Bridgeport is located near the Chief Joseph Dam.-History:...
near Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
. His exact birthdate is uncertain. He used 1893, 1894, 1895, and 1896, on various documents, changing his age to appear older or younger as needed. The 1900 Federal Census lists Clyde Pangborn (b. October 1893) and his brother Percy (b. Jan 1891) living with their mother Ola [sic.] in Spokane, Washington. Census day was June 1, 1900. In 1910 Clyde (age 16) and Percy (age 19) were boarders with the Alfred Heimark family in St. Maries, Benawah County, Idaho. Census day was April 15; Clyde would not be 17 until October. "1895" was used on his World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
draft registration in Shoshone, Idaho
Shoshone, Idaho
Shoshone is the county seat and largest city of Lincoln County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,398 at the 2000 census. In contrast to the Shoshone Native American tribe for which it is named, the city's name is correctly pronounced "Show-shown," with a silent 'e'.- History :Shoshone has...
. When he was two years old, his parents divorced and he moved to Idaho with his mother. He graduated high school in 1914 and enrolled in the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
, where he studied civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
for two and a half years.
Following college, Pangborn worked briefly as an engineer for a mining company before joining the Air Service
United States Army Air Service
The Air Service, United States Army was a forerunner of the United States Air Force during and after World War I. It was established as an independent but temporary wartime branch of the War Department by two executive orders of President Woodrow Wilson: on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He completed flight training, and he was subsequently stationed as a flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
at Ellington Field
Ellington Field
Ellington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. While teaching cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
s how to fly the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplane
Curtiss JN-4
The Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" was one of a series of "JN" biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for the U.S...
, Pangborn learned to roll his plane onto its back and fly upside-down for extended periods, earning him the lifelong nickname "Upside-Down Pang" from his fellow pilots.
Exhibition flying
After the war, Pangborn took up exhibition flying and aerial acrobatics at air shows, which he would continue doing for the next nine years. Most of his performances were part of the Gates Flying Circus, of which he was an owner. Early in his career, he was injured when he fell out of a speeding car as he attempted to jump onto a flying plane; this would be his only serious injury. He received national fame after assisting in a mid-air rescue of a young stuntwoman, who had become caught on Pangborn's landing gear while attempting to skydiveParachuting
Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
. During his time in the Flying Circus, Pangborn flew with over 500,000 passengers and flew nearly 125,000 miles. He also met Hugh Herndon, who would later be his co-pilot in the first trans-Pacific flight.
The Flying Circus disbanded in 1929. Pangborn continued flying with several other businesses he owned, but they all collapsed due to the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. As a result, he turned his attention to breaking world records in flight.
Failed attempt to circumnavigate globe
In 1931, Pangborn and Herndon sought to fly around the world and break the current record of 20 days and 4 hours, set by the airship Graf ZeppelinLZ 127 Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was a German built and operated passenger-carrying hydrogen-filled rigid airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. It was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a Graf or Count in the German nobility. During its operating life,...
in 1929. Herndon had financial backing from his wealthy New York family. However, while they were still planning their flight, the record was broken by Wiley Post
Wiley Post
Wiley Hardeman Post was a famed American aviator, the first pilot to fly solo around the world. Also known for his work in high altitude flying, Post helped develop one of the first pressure suits. His Lockheed Vega aircraft, the Winnie Mae, was on display at the National Air and Space Museum's...
and Harold Gatty
Harold Gatty
Harold Charles Gatty was an Australian navigator, inventor, and aviation pioneer...
and re-established at 8 days and 15 hours. Pangborn and Herndon attempted the flight anyway, taking off from New York on July 28, 1931 in their red Bellanca Skyrocket
Bellanca CH-400
-See also:...
, the Miss Veedol
Miss Veedol
The Miss Veedol was the first airplane to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean. On October 5, 1931, Clyde Pangborn with co-pilot Hugh Herndon crash-landed the plane in the hills of East Wenatchee, Washington, in the central part of the state. and they became the first men to fly non-stop across...
, but poor weather conditions forced them to abandon their efforts halfway through the trip, while in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
Trans-Pacific flight
With their eyes on a $25,000 prize, Pangborn and Herndon next decided to attempt the first nonstop trans-Pacific flight. They flew from Siberia to Japan in preparation. In the spirit of documentation, Herndon took several still pictures as well as some 16mm motion pictures, which included some of Japan's naval installations. Because of the photography, combined with their inadequate documentation to enter the country (a fact they hadn't been aware of), the men were jailed. They were eventually released with a $1000 fine, but they were allowed only one chance to take off in Miss Veedol; if they returned to Japan, the plane would be confiscated and the men would return to prison.Other complications hampered the flight. Pangborn and Herndon's maps and charts were stolen by a Japanese nationalist
Japanese nationalism
encompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
group who wanted a Japanese pilot to be the first to complete the endeavor. They also had extremely precise calculations for their flight, leaving no room for error; Miss Veedol had to be overweighted with fuel, way beyond the manufacturer's recommendation (650 gallons stock was expanded to 950 gallons), and they would need to abandon their landing gear after take-off to reduce drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...
.
Pangborn and Herndon finally took off on October 4, 1931 from Sabishiro Beach, Misawa, Aomori
Misawa, Aomori
is a city located in eastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 42,399 and a density of 353 persons per km²...
, Japan. Their destination was Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, just under 5500 miles (8500 km) away, a distance exceeding Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
's flight from New York to Paris by 2000 miles. Immediately after take-off, a problem arose: the device intended to jettison the landing gear partially failed. The gear was ejected, but the two root struts remained. Pangborn was forced to climb out on the wing supports barefoot at 14,000 feet in the air to remove the struts.
Due to fog in both Seattle and Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Pangborn and Herndon landed in Fancher Field in East Wenatchee, Washington
East Wenatchee, Washington
East Wenatchee is a city in Douglas County, Washington, United States along the northern banks of the Columbia River. The population at the 2010 census was 13,190, a 129.1% increase over the 2000 census....
on October 5, 1931, after 41 hours and 15 minutes of flying. A memorial
Pangborn-Herndon Memorial Site
The Pangborn-Herndon Memorial Site is dedicated to the Clyde Edward Pangborn and Hugh Herndon, Jr., the two men who made the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean from Misawa, Japan to East Wenatchee, Washington without stopping. The memorial is northeast of East Wenatchee and consists of...
to the historic flight is located near the landing site, and a propeller damaged from the landing is on display in a Wenatchee museum. The regional airport, Pangborn Memorial
Pangborn Memorial Airport
Pangborn Memorial Airport is a public use airport in Douglas County, Washington, United States. It is located four nautical miles east of the central business district of Wenatchee, a city in Chelan County...
(EAT) in East Wenatchee, also honors his accomplishment.
The Miss Veedol was trucked to Seattle where her landing gear was replaced. Pangborn and Herndon left from Seattle and continued to New York to complete their world flight. Although news of the flight did circulate, Pangborn did not receive much financial benefit as a result; however, he continued to fly as an airmail pilot, air racer, and a test and demonstration pilot.
1934 England-Australia race
In 1934, Pangborn flew, with Col. Roscoe Turner, a Boeing 247Boeing 247
The Boeing Model 247 was an early United States airliner, considered the first such aircraft to fully incorporate advances such as all-metal semi-monocoque construction, a fully cantilevered wing and retractable landing gear...
in the MacRobertson Race. Turner and Pangborn came in second place in the transport section (and third overall), behind the Boeing 247's eventual rival, the new Douglas DC-2.
World War II
When the war broke out in Europe in late 1939, Pangborn joined the Royal Air Force and assisted in organizing the R. A. F. Ferry Command. He recruited pilots throughout the United States and Canada for the Ferry Command and Eagle Squadron. From 1941 through the end of the war in 1945, Pangborn served as Senior Captain, Royal Air Force Ferry Command during which time he made approximately 170 trans-ocean flights (crossing both the Atlantic and the Pacific). In 1942 he brought the first Lancaster heavy bomber to the United States for tests and later returned with the same aircraft and demonstrated it to the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and major aircraft builders throughout the U. S. and Canada. During his tour with the Ferry Command, Pangborn flew almost every type of multi-engine aircraft used during the war.
Prior to World War II, he also became the Chief Test Pilot for Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, Delaware. In 1937 he demonstrated Burnelli Aircraft in England and Europe for Cunliffe Owen Aircraft Company of Southampton, England. Pangborn remained with Cunliffe-Owen through the late 1930s where he tested military aircraft.
Post-War
He was discharged from the RAF in 1946 and continued his career as a commercial pilot. As part of his work, he pioneered commercial flight paths and helped to develop better aircraft, among other accomplishments. At the end of his life, he was instrument-rated to fly any single or multi-engine, land or sea plane and had more than 24,000 flight hours in the cockpit from his 40 years of piloting.Death
Clyde Pangborn died in 1958 and was laid to rest with military honors at Arlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.