With thanks to listener Sam Dawson who has such interesting relatives and to Betty Goerke, the author of a book about Baz Bagby, A Broken Propeller. I am pleased to present the story of Sam Dawson’s Great Uncle Baz.

Stunt pilot Lincoln Beachey at Niagara

The 1st Aero Squadron

Early Aerial Reconnaissance

The 88th Aero Squadron

General Billy Mitchell

The start of the Great Transcontinental Air Race

Great Uncle Baz

Images under creative commons licence with thanks to the Library of Congress, the USAAC, the USAF, the RFC, the US Army, the National Archives and SADSM.