Mills Field

[Big Man]

I've posted a lot of pictures in various threads that came from the old photos of my great uncle Briscoe Brown. These old photos are some of his, as well.

These photos were in an album, and were labeled by my great uncle as "Mills Field". I can be sure all the photos in this one particular album date from 1925 to about 1932. Given that, and that Mills Field began operation in 1927, these photos may very well be from "opening day", and if not, at the least they are from the very early years of Mills Field.

As I'm sure most of you know, Mills Field later changed it's name to San Francisco International Airport, so I think these photos may be of some significance in the history of that place.

Can any of the fine folks here at the Fedora Lounge identify any of these aircraft? And, if so, do you think you could help me narrow down the date when the photos may have been taken? Also,anyone have any interesting photos, stories, or other information on the early years of Mills Field?

This one was labeled "our first ride."

 

[Haversack]

Third up from the bottom is a Keystone LB-5A Light Bomber.

Haversack

 

[Absinthe_1900]

A very early Lockheed Vega at the bottom.

 

[Big Man]

A very early Lockheed Vega at the bottom.

Third up from the bottom is a Keystone LB-5A Light Bomber.

Haversack

Thanks for the identification on these two. Would either of you venture a guess as to a possible date?

 

[Big Man]

Third up from the bottom is a Keystone LB-5A Light Bomber.

Thanks to Haversack's lead, when I looked for information on the Keystone Light Bomber, I found the following:

In September 1928, soon after entering service nine of the LB-5As took part in a cross-continental movement, from Langley Field to Los Angeles to take part in the National Air Races. The trip out was badly affected by the weather, and took six days, but provided the Army Air Corps with valuable experience of operating over long distances.

Does anyone think that part of the 1928 National Air Races could have taken place at Mills Field? If so, then the September 1928 date would match very nicely with the rest of the pictures in my great uncle's old photo album.

 

[Haversack]

Here is a colour photo of a flight of 14 LB-5As over farmland near Sacramento. California. It is a postcard in the State Library. No date unfortunately.

http://www.sacramentohistory.org/admin/photo/173_512.jpg

And another photo from the same source of a large formation of mixed Army Air Corps aircraft flying over the state Capital taken in 1926

http://www.sacramentohistory.org/admin/photo/214_698.jpg

Haversack

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Maybe it was a stop on the 1928 Ford Reliability Tour.

http://www.dmairfield.org/events/fordreliabilitytour/index.htm

 

[Big Man]

Maybe it was a stop on the 1928 Ford Reliability Tour.

http://www.dmairfield.org/events/fordreliabilitytour/index.htm

That's possible. My great uncle lived in Napa, CA. In 1928 the Ford Tour was at Mills Field in July and the National Air Race was the last of September. In 1928, my great uncle drove from California to North Carolina and then back. He was in NC in August, so either venue would have been possible. The old photos were at the end of his photo album, and as it would appear all the other photos in that book are in some form of chronological order, I am leaning to the National Air Race. Too bad he didn't specify why he was at Mills Field when he took the pictures.