1928 PHOTOS+ CURTISS-ROBERTSON ROBIN BROADSIDE to H.M. BIXBY~LINDBERGH FINANCIER

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1928 PHOTOS+ CURTISS-ROBERTSON ROBIN BROADSIDE to H.M. BIXBY~LINDBERGH FINANCIER:
$387.59

**SEE MY OTHER LISTINGS FOR MORE GREAT HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS & ARTIFACTS**1928 PHOTOS + CURTISS-ROBERTSON ROBIN BROADSIDE to H.M. BIXBY ~ LINDBERGH FINANCIER

Harold Bixby\'s very own personal CURTISS-ROBERTSON AIRPLANE Mfg. Co. Curtiss Robin Broadside PosterGiven to him by legendary Lindbergh boss Major William H. Robertson!!!!

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is one of the most historic airports in the United States. It is named forAlbert Bond Lambert (1875 -1946). He learned to fly with the Wright Brothers, received his pilot’s license in 1911, and served in the U.S. Army in World War I, reaching the rank of Major. Throughout his life he worked tirelessly to make St. Louis a leader in aviation.

In 1920, Major Lambert and the Missouri Aeronautical Society leased 170 acres of farm land in St. Louis County to serve as an air field for St. Louis. Major Lambert paid the rent and had the site cleared, graded and drained, and a hangar built at his own expense. He then offered free use of the field to anyone wishing to use it. World War I veterans William and Frank Robertson accepted this offer, and began operation at what became known as St. Louis Flying Field. In 1923, the Missouri National Guard formed the 110thObservation Squadron at the field, commanded by William Robertson.

Major Lambert was responsible for bringing the 1923 International Air Races to St. Louis, and the airfield was christened “Lambert St. Louis Flying Field” in recognition of his achievements. Twenty-one year old pilot Charles Lindbergh flew to St. Louis to attend the Air Races, and decided to remain at Lambert as an instructor.

When the lease expired in 1925, Major Lambert bought the airfield property. In that year the Post Office awarded Robertson Aircraft Corp the contract for air mail service between Chicago and St. Louis, and they hired Charles Lindbergh as the chief pilot. This mail route is the earliest predecessor of American Airlines. St. Louis voters approved a $2 million bond issue for airport improvements in August, 1928 (THIS BROADSIDE POSTER WAS MADE & GIFTED TO BIXBY BY WILLIAM ROBERTSON IN 1928!!!). The City used the proceeds to buy the property from Major Lambert at his cost, and began extensive land acquisition and improvements, including paved runways, taxiways and apron areas, hangars and support facilities. The Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company was formed with William Robertson as its President to build the Curtiss Robin light airplane at Lambert. Curtiss-Robertson later became the St. Louis Division of the Curtiss-Wright Airplane Company, which produced a wide range of civil and military aircraft at Lambert during the 1930\'s.William Robertson left the Robertson Aircraft Corporation in 1928 to form theCurtiss-Robertsondivision ofCurtiss-Wrightto produce aircraft such as theCurtiss Robin, which RAC sold.

Charles Lindbergh worked as an airmail pilot. In 1925 Robertson Aircraft Corporation, owned by brothers Bill and Frank Robertson, was one of five companies to obtain a US airmail contract. These contracts were the first step in turning the operations of the nation’s airmail service over from the Post Office Department to private companies.Among Robertson Aircraft’s stable of pilots was 23-year-old Charles Lindbergh, who received flying instructions at a Nebraska flying school from veteran airmail pilot Ira O. Biffle. The Robertson’s had successfully offer on Contract Air Mail Route (CAM) #2, which operated between the Robertson’s home base of St. Louis, Missouri to Chicago, Illinois. Lindbergh flew the first mail on that route (from Chicago to St. Louis) on April 15, 1926.He decides to compete for the Orteig Prize for the first non-stop flight between New York and Paris, and gains support from Albert Bond Lambert, William and Frank Robertson, and several air-minded St. Louis businessmen, including H.M. Bixby.

Lindbergh earned his nickname, “Lucky Lindy,” years before his trans-Atlantic flight. While flying the mail for the Robertson brothers, Lindbergh was forced to bail out of his mail plane not once, but twice!

Description:

THIS LOT INCLUDES: (1) POSTER-BROCHURE, (2) B&W PHOTOS, & (1) CIGAR BOX LABEL.

ALL DISPLAY TOGETHER PERFECTLY!!!

From the archives of a prominent private collection & never before offered, or possibly even seen, by the public -- is this truly magnificent & RARE large 2-sided Broadside Poster (Foldable Brochure) for the Curtiss Robin Airplane. This 24\" X 18\" (when fully open) 2-sided broadside poster came from the personal files of Harold Bixby, & I have NEVER seen another one like it! It was given to Bixby in 1928 by his close personal friend & Lindbergh backer, Major Wm. Robertson, who had just left his brother\'s Aircraft Company to form his own joint venture with the Curtiss Aviation Company. Their first aircraft to produce was the famous Curtiss Robin....which Charles Lindbergh test flew (as seen on the poster).

Also included with the poster are two approx 8\" X 10\" (see pics with ruler for exact sizes) B&W original photographs of very sharp image quality -- both showing the Curtiss Robin airplane. One photo shows Lindbergh with Major Robertson & was taken at the same time as the one on printed on the poster. (The poster states: Colonel Lindbergh inspected & test flew the Robin, performed stunts including seven consecutive loops -- then he flew with Major Robertson from New York to St. Louis). The other original B&W glossy photo taken by \"W.C. Parsons, St. Louis\" is a sharp detailed side view of the \"Robin\".

One side of the large broadside poster shows many full-body & close up views of the \"Robin\" both in flight & on the ground, along with price ($4,000) & detailed technical data. The other side of the poster shows many detail views of the interior of the plane plus a whole bunch of great detail views of the Curtiss-Robertson factory buildings, both at Garden City, New York, & Anglum, Missouri. Both factory & office spaces in action are shown.

THIS MAY BE THE ONLY KNOWN SURVIVING COPY OF THIS RARE BROCHURE-POSTER!!! -- AND IT WAS BIXBY\'S COPY.

Charles Lindbergh was an Air Mail pilot & worked for Robertson Aircraft Corp. of St. Louis before he flew on his epic flight. RAC President Frank Robertson (1898-1938) famously signed Lindbergh\'s last paycheck (see history below) as an Airmail Pilot in 1927 prior to Lucky Lindy deciding to quit & make the cross Atlantic attempt.

Any H.M. Bixby or Robertson Bros. original 1920\'sitems and /orLindbergh-related material are considered most scarce to find!! Nearly non-existant!!

The last known Lindbergh-related material of this caliber was the Otto Kallir collection that sold at Sotheby\'s in 1993!!

Bixby suggested that Lindbergh name the plane the Spirit of St. Louis. Harold had more in mind than honoring his own city. “What most people don’t know is that the patron saint of Paris was Louis IX,Saint-Louis,” Bixby says, “so the French were just thrilled when this plane arrived. Besides honoring the backers and the community, there was that wonderful connection to the French people.”

Also included with this lot is a handsome & rare original circa 1920\'s Spirit of St. Louis cigar box large inner lid label in mint unused condition (by the Mazer-Cressman Cigar Co. Inc. Detroit Michigan). Would frame & display great with these historic items!!

This incredible 2-sided Broadside Poster (Folding-Brochure) was originally given to Harold M. Bixby who financed & brain stormed Lindbergh\'s plan. It is interesting to hear about the first meeting with \"Bix\" in Slim\'s own words:

Bixby - Chapter 2 of Lindbergh\'s book \"The Spirit of St. Louis\"

Harry Knight suddenly swings around in his chair, and picksup the telephone. \"Get me HaroldBixby at the State National Bank,\" he says --- \"Bix, how about comingover here for a few minutes? --- sure you can --- okay --- in my office.\"

\"He\'s only a block up the street,\" Knight tells meafter hanging up, \"--Fourth & Locust. You know he\'s president of theChamber of Commerce.\"

Within ten minutes Bixby knocks on the door. He\'s a man you like right away -- smiling andfull of humor. But his penetrating browneyes size you up and warn you that you\'d better pass inspection. You know you can depend on Harold Bixby, andthat if he can\'t depend on you he won\'t be around you very long.

Harry Knight outlines my project for flying an airplane fromSt. Louis to New York to Paris.\"You think a plane with a Whirlwind engine can make a flight likethat?\" Bixby asks. \"Slim,don\'t you think you ought to have a plane with more than one engine for thatkind of flight?\" Bixby asks. Bixby breaks in. \"Yes, you\'ve only gotone life to lose, Slim. But don\'t forgetI\'ve got a reputation to lose.\"\"You let us think about this for a day or two, and talk to some ofour friends. If you\'re going to make theflight, we\'ve got to get started right away.Come down and see me next Wednesday.How about 10 a.m., at my ofice?\"

From Charles Lindberghand the Spirit of St. Louis by Pisano & Van Der Linden pg. 31

After meeting with aircraft designer Giuseppe Bellanca atthe Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, he next visited Harry Knight H. Knightof Knight, Dysart, & Gamble, a brokerage firm in St. Louis. Knight asked Harold Bixby, a vice presidentof the State National Bank in St. Louis and president of the St. Louis Chamberof Commerce to consider joining him in financing the young pilot\'sattempt. In a matter of weeks, Knight& Bixby made the decision to back Lindbergh. While Lindbergh continued to look for asuitable craft, they came up with the $15,000 needed to finance theflight.

It was Bixby who suggested toLindbergh that he name his so-far-nonexistent aircraft the Spirit of St.Louis. After the deal fell through withBellanca, Lindbergh went to see B.F. Mahoney in San Diego at Bixby\'s urging.

Harold M. Bixby or \"Bix\" (1890 - 1965) - ObituaryNovember 1965

After Lindbergh\'s flight, Bixby & other St. Louisansformed a $3 million aviation development corporation(this brochure is part of those joint efforts!). Later in his career he served as manager ofChinese National Airways in Shanghai, & during World War II as vicepresident of Pan American World Airways. He was also a banker in St. Louis.Twice he flew the Atlantic with Mr. Lindbergh. Bix was possibly in the balloonCorps in World War I, (unverified needs more research), but I know he\"flew\" balloons after the war, he had some great stories to tell.

A one-of-a-kind aviation treasure.

Condition & Sizes:

Overall conditions of all 4 items are excellent-near mint (see pics). Poster when unfolded measures approx. 24\" X 18\" (inches).

The poster is in NEAR MINT condition!

\'Property of seb9\' does not appear on actual items (for image theft prevention).

I have more vintage historic aviation currently listed!

See photos & scans for exact conditions & detail.

FOR COMBINED SHIPPING ON MULTIPLE PURCHASES- PLEASE ADD TO CART & \"REQUEST TOTAL FROM SELLER\".

Please email any questions/concerns to me prior to close of sale.Thank you. Payment must be made within 3 days of purchase. PAYPAL ACCEPTED.

Wiki History of (RAC) Robertson Aircraft Corporation

Robertson Aircraft Corporation was a post-World War IAmerican aviation service company based at the Lambert-St. Louis Flying Fieldnear St. Louis, Missouri, that flew passengers and U.S. Air Mail, gave flyinglessons, and performed exhibition flights. It also modified, re-manufactured,and resold surplus military aircraft including Standard J, CurtissJenny/Canuck, DeHavilland DH-4, Curtiss Oriole, Spad, Waco, and Travel Airtypes in addition to Curtiss OX-5engines.

RAC also operated facilities in Kansas City, San Antonio,Houston, New Orleans, and Fort Wayne. The company was owned and operated bybrothers Maj. William B. Robertson (1893–1943) and Frank H. Robertson(1898–1938) who were both former US Army aviators. William Robertson left thecompany in 1928 to form the Curtiss-Robertson division of Curtiss-Wright toproduce aircraft such as the Curtiss Robin, which RAC sold.

Mail & air carrier operations

Charles Lindbergh\'s last pay check as an RAC Air Mail pilot was signed by Frank Robertson.

The 1957 motion picture The Spirit of St. Louis featured anRAC DH-4 mailplane in flying sequences as well as Maj. Robertson (played byJames Robertson, Jr.) and company Air Mail pilots Lindbergh (James Stewart) andHarlan A. \"Bud\" Gurney (Murray Hamilton) among its characters.

On April 15, 1926, Robertson Aircraft started Contract AirMail service over route CAM-2 from Lambert Field to Chicago, with stops inSpringfield, Illinois and Peoria, Illinois;Charles Lindbergh was employed aschief pilot for the service. RAC started service with four converted DH-4aircraft (#s 109-112) acquired from the U.S. Postal Service\'s Air Mail fleettwo of which were lost in accidents in September and November, 1926, whilebeing piloted by Lindbergh. RAC added service over CAM-29 between St.Louis andOmaha in May 1929. By 1928 RAC was providing daily passenger and expressservice as well over the St. Louis - Chicago mail route flown in 12-passengerStout Ford Tri-Motors. During the Great Depression Robertson\'s flightoperations were merged into Universal Aviation Corporation along withContinental Airlines, Northern Air Lines, and Paul R. Braniff Inc., whichbecame Braniff International Airways Universal Aviation became a component ofThe Aviation Corporation in 1930, merging many companies into American Airwaysin 1934, eventually becoming American Airlines.A Robertson DH-4 used on theCAM-2 Air Mail route.

Glider crash (1943)

On August 1, 1943 an \"all St. Louis-built\" WACOCG-4A-RO military troop and cargo transport glider (S/N 42-78839) built underlicense by RAC suffered in-flight structural failure and crashed during ademonstration flight at Lambert Field in St. Louis before a Sunday afternoonair show crowd of over 5,000 people when its right wing separated shortly afterit had been released at about 2,000 feet by its Army C-47 tow plane killing allten souls on board. The glider was flown by CPT Milton C. Klugh (pilot) and PFCJack W. Davis (co-pilot/mechanic) of the USAAF 71st Troop Carrier Command, andthe eight VIP passengers were St. Louis MayorWilliam D. Becker, RAC PresidentMAJ William B. Robertson, RAC VP/Chief Engineer Harold A. Krueger, Deputy CityComptroller Charles L. Cunningham, St. Louis Army Air Forces Material CommandSupervisor LTC Paul H. Hazelton, Director of Public Utilities Max H. Doyne, St.Louis County Court Presiding Judge Henry L. Mueller, and St. Louis Chamber ofCommerce President Thomas N. Dysart. James Robertson, the 17-year-old son ofMAJ Robertson, had been a passenger on a successful test flight of the glidermade immediately before the fatal flight. The failed wing strut component,which had been manufactured by Robertson subcontractor Gardner Metal ProductsCompany of St. Louis, a firm that normally built metal caskets, was found to bemade of metal that was too thin for the purpose.