George Thompson (aviator)
Encyclopedia
George W. Thompson was a self-taught aviator
, and is one of the first Coloradan flyers. He was born near Sharon Springs, Kansas
. Thompson built a Matthewson biplane, a Curtiss
design, and soloed it on January 4, 1911.
. The company name later became the Mathewson Aeroplane Company. Thompson made several flights on his first flying day, and in the first year, about 100 flights during 1911. He was known to travel with his aircraft throughout Colorado and also in Wyoming
, especially at county fairs with aerial shows.
In his short life, he built and flew nine "headless biplanes". He also helped to organize the American Federation of Aviators, and served as president in 1911-1912.
Thompson's primary flights took place at the Sable airstrip, a primitive airfield and auto racing track, located between the Fitzsimmons Hospital and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
, the area of the old Stapleton Airport. For some of his Colorado travels, he disassembled his aircraft and shipped it in a boxcar to his destination.
George Thompson made a number of early contributions to Colorado aviation, but his 24-year life was cut short by a crash at the Prowers County
Fair at Lamar, Colorado
on August 21, 1912. During a flight he hit a treetop which threw him out, to fall about 40 feet to the ground, with the aircraft falling upon him.
George Thompson's headstone at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheatridge
are engraved with the words "George W. Thompson, Colorado's First Aviator". He was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame
in its first ceremony of 1969.
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...
, and is one of the first Coloradan flyers. He was born near Sharon Springs, Kansas
Sharon Springs, Kansas
Sharon Springs is a city in and the county seat of Wallace County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 748.-History:The community is named after Sharon Springs, New York, some of whose families founded its Kansas namesake....
. Thompson built a Matthewson biplane, a Curtiss
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was an American aircraft manufacturer that went public in 1916 with Glenn Hammond Curtiss as president. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States...
design, and soloed it on January 4, 1911.
History
His early career was working for the Mathewson Auto Company, Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. The company name later became the Mathewson Aeroplane Company. Thompson made several flights on his first flying day, and in the first year, about 100 flights during 1911. He was known to travel with his aircraft throughout Colorado and also in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, especially at county fairs with aerial shows.
In his short life, he built and flew nine "headless biplanes". He also helped to organize the American Federation of Aviators, and served as president in 1911-1912.
Thompson's primary flights took place at the Sable airstrip, a primitive airfield and auto racing track, located between the Fitzsimmons Hospital and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Rocky Mountain Arsenal
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal was a United States chemical weapons manufacturing center located in the Denver Metropolitan Area in Commerce City, Colorado...
, the area of the old Stapleton Airport. For some of his Colorado travels, he disassembled his aircraft and shipped it in a boxcar to his destination.
George Thompson made a number of early contributions to Colorado aviation, but his 24-year life was cut short by a crash at the Prowers County
Prowers County, Colorado
Prowers County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is named in honor of John W. Prowers, a leading pioneer in the lower Arkansas valley region. The county population was 14,483 at U.S. Census 2000...
Fair at Lamar, Colorado
Lamar, Colorado
The City of Lamar is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Prowers County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 8,869 at the U.S...
on August 21, 1912. During a flight he hit a treetop which threw him out, to fall about 40 feet to the ground, with the aircraft falling upon him.
George Thompson's headstone at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheatridge
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
The City of Wheat Ridge is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Wheat Ridge is a western suburb of Denver. The Wheat Ridge Municipal Center is approximately west-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
are engraved with the words "George W. Thompson, Colorado's First Aviator". He was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame
Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame
The Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame was established by the Colorado Aviation Historical Society in Denver, Colorado, USA, on November 11, 1969 for the State of Colorado. The original and first ten Colorado aviation pioneers were inducted into the Hall on that date. Guest speaker for the event was...
in its first ceremony of 1969.