This is great video, Russ! I know it’s in the middle of nowhere, but I wish someone would come up with the funds to restore it for the sake of history. Places like this are important.
My brother and I flew in to this airport in 2011, from PAE, in our dad’s Cessna 172, to spread his ashes on his mother’s grave. (You may have noticed “The Trails End” cemetery just down the road). Some of the hangers were still standing then, and the local who came out to fetch us used to keep a centurion in the hanger, which is now just a bunch of standing pilings. It’s unbelievable what the wind does to buildings in Wyoming…. and even more unbelievable the air shack is still standing. Thank you for the wonderful information about the history. We had no idea. It was the last remaining airmail air tower.
It was beacon #33 on the Richmond Va. - Atlanta Ga. Airway. Beacon #32 was almost across the road from the house where I grew up outside Reidsville, NC.
You may already know but in Grants NM there is a museum dedicated to these. It's only open certain times but pretty cool to see. We made our way to a hand full of these sites out west on a road trip a number of years back. Some of them are pretty hard to get to and some of them are literally in neighborhoods. Pretty cool part of history that not many people are aware of.
Thank you so much for sharing this. You are correct when you said a number would be on the top of the generator shed. That number corresponded with the beacon number on the chart. Generator sheds had the route on one side of the roof, and the beacon site number on the other side. The tower you're at could have been beacon site #31. Looking at an aeronautical chart from 1937, there isn't a #32 beacon site along that route in Medicine Bow. The numbering goes from 31 just south of Medicine Bow, to beacon site #33 to the southeast. There would have also been a course light on two sides of the tower next to the rotating beacon. A flashing red course light would indicate the beacon was not collocated on an airport/landing field and green course lights would indicate the tower is located at an airport/landing field. The red and green course lights would flash morse code which corresponded with a number. This was a way for pilots to identify the 2nd digit of the beacon site to know which tower they were at. The order of the letters which corresponded with the numbers is WUVHRKDBGM W is 1, U is 2, V is 3 and so on. Tower 31 would have been located on an airfield and green course lights next to the beacon would have flashed morse code for W which would have identified tower 31. Pilots could keep the letters in order by using the saying "When undertaking very hard routes keep direction by good methods". Those were the letters that corresponded with beacon sites 1-10, 11-20, and so on. Thank you again for sharing this video. There were thousands beacon sites when this system was at its peak. There are only a few remaining towers and even fewer still operating (around 5). It's hard to believe that a system so large is nearly only visible in books and videos like yours.
That was a pretty major element of flying the mail. Many of the aircraft were equipped with large spotlights on the wings to assist with night landings.
Excellent video, the historical background info adds to the production. I was led to the video from the link attached to your DH-4 sketch. I have great interest in the early airmail contract flying and wondering, when your DH-4 painting is completed, is there any possibility that prints would be available ? Thanks
Thanks Tom. I'm certain they do. Its listed as an active airfield on Google, but my drone app doesn't show it as a no-fly zone so its hard to tell what the case is. There was no evidence of recent air activity while I was there.
Yeah you're not too far away. Drive into Medicine Bow and take the only left in the downtown area. You'll cross the RR tracks and head uphill. At the top of the hill you'll see it off on the left.
If your ever in western wyoming there was a additional US air mail postal service route called the star line it was not a route that was flown bye airplanes but driven by snowplanes I own several of the early snow transport craft that where part of the original US postal service routes through Yellowstone National Parks and grand Teton those routes whent to west Yellowstone on the Idaho side as well as Southern Montana. The US postal service programs where also ran with the wyoming fish and game developments as well as many local farmers and Ranchers even with the local law enforcement officers. If your looking for a future historical subject to paint I would like to introduce you to this little not very well known part of American transport history. I have a very famous painter in the family but he like to paint wildlife I would like to fi d a painter that would be interested in doing some paintings of this unique time in history
Those folks were cut from a different sort of cloth, and they were not all guys, e.g. Katherine Stinson - first woman to fly the U.S. Mail and at night.
This is great video, Russ! I know it’s in the middle of nowhere, but I wish someone would come up with the funds to restore it for the sake of history. Places like this are important.
So true Ian!
My brother and I flew in to this airport in 2011, from PAE, in our dad’s Cessna 172, to spread his ashes on his mother’s grave. (You may have noticed “The Trails End” cemetery just down the road). Some of the hangers were still standing then, and the local who came out to fetch us used to keep a centurion in the hanger, which is now just a bunch of standing pilings. It’s unbelievable what the wind does to buildings in Wyoming…. and even more unbelievable the air shack is still standing.
Thank you for the wonderful information about the history. We had no idea. It was the last remaining airmail air tower.
There is one at the Caswell County, NC airport even today. I remember as a kid when it operated.
It was beacon #33 on the Richmond Va. - Atlanta Ga. Airway. Beacon #32 was almost across the road from the house where I grew up outside Reidsville, NC.
You may already know but in Grants NM there is a museum dedicated to these. It's only open certain times but pretty cool to see. We made our way to a hand full of these sites out west on a road trip a number of years back. Some of them are pretty hard to get to and some of them are literally in neighborhoods. Pretty cool part of history that not many people are aware of.
Excellent video. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing this. You are correct when you said a number would be on the top of the generator shed. That number corresponded with the beacon number on the chart. Generator sheds had the route on one side of the roof, and the beacon site number on the other side. The tower you're at could have been beacon site #31. Looking at an aeronautical chart from 1937, there isn't a #32 beacon site along that route in Medicine Bow. The numbering goes from 31 just south of Medicine Bow, to beacon site #33 to the southeast. There would have also been a course light on two sides of the tower next to the rotating beacon. A flashing red course light would indicate the beacon was not collocated on an airport/landing field and green course lights would indicate the tower is located at an airport/landing field. The red and green course lights would flash morse code which corresponded with a number. This was a way for pilots to identify the 2nd digit of the beacon site to know which tower they were at. The order of the letters which corresponded with the numbers is WUVHRKDBGM W is 1, U is 2, V is 3 and so on. Tower 31 would have been located on an airfield and green course lights next to the beacon would have flashed morse code for W which would have identified tower 31. Pilots could keep the letters in order by using the saying "When undertaking very hard routes keep direction by good methods". Those were the letters that corresponded with beacon sites 1-10, 11-20, and so on. Thank you again for sharing this video. There were thousands beacon sites when this system was at its peak. There are only a few remaining towers and even fewer still operating (around 5). It's hard to believe that a system so large is nearly only visible in books and videos like yours.
Great background information. Thank you!
Great video! Thanks for the history.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing!
Great video
Cockpit view, left side of pilot waving to the signal tower operator waving back
www.russellsmithart.com/workszoom/5121021/straight-on-til-morning#/
I wrote a book about the early airmail service. I still need to flesh it out and add something about flying the mail at night.
That was a pretty major element of flying the mail. Many of the aircraft were equipped with large spotlights on the wings to assist with night landings.
Excellent video, the historical background info adds to the production. I was led to the video from the link attached to your DH-4 sketch. I have great interest in the early airmail contract flying and wondering, when your DH-4 painting is completed, is there any possibility that prints would be available ? Thanks
Thanks so much. Very possibly. Let's get the painting finished firs and then we'll see about prints.
thank you, great video
Remarkably intact! Do you know if someone comes by to change the wind sock from time to time?
Thanks Tom. I'm certain they do. Its listed as an active airfield on Google, but my drone app doesn't show it as a no-fly zone so its hard to tell what the case is. There was no evidence of recent air activity while I was there.
Very interesting. I live in Laramie and would love to drive up there. Which direction out of Medicine Bow?
Thanks for the RUclips. We loved it.
Yeah you're not too far away. Drive into Medicine Bow and take the only left in the downtown area. You'll cross the RR tracks and head uphill. At the top of the hill you'll see it off on the left.
Turn left at the train depot, second left other side of the tracks
If your ever in western wyoming there was a additional US air mail postal service route called the star line it was not a route that was flown bye airplanes but driven by snowplanes I own several of the early snow transport craft that where part of the original US postal service routes through Yellowstone National Parks and grand Teton those routes whent to west Yellowstone on the Idaho side as well as Southern Montana. The US postal service programs where also ran with the wyoming fish and game developments as well as many local farmers and Ranchers even with the local law enforcement officers.
If your looking for a future historical subject to paint I would like to introduce you to this little not very well known part of American transport history. I have a very famous painter in the family but he like to paint wildlife I would like to fi d a painter that would be interested in doing some paintings of this unique time in history
Those folks were cut from a different sort of cloth, and they were not all guys, e.g. Katherine Stinson - first woman to fly the U.S. Mail and at night.
I enjoyed that
Thank you Gabriel