GEORGE A. PAGE, JR. -1983

Flight Instructor About 1918

EB Trustee Early Birds of Aviation 1959

EB President Early Birds of Aviation 1970

ST. LOUIS' CURTISS-WRIGHT AIRPLANE COMPANY, 1936 The Curtis-Wright Airplane Company, which in 1936 had been renamed the St. Louis Division of Curtiss-Wright Corporation began to concentrate strictly on military aircraft in the mid-1930s. Its last personal models, the "Sport" and the "Speedwing" were discontinued in 1936, following the demise of the "Condor."      One of the company's more permanent and more successful designers was George A. Page, Jr., who in 1943 became director of engineering for the entire airplane division of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. From his headquarters in St. Louis he was credited with designing some sixty models for the company. Perhaps his most celebrated achievement was the C-46 "Commando," the cargo-carrying bulwark of the war effort. From CITY OF FLIGHT

 

Trustee, George A. Page, Jr. George A. Page, Jr., made his first solo flight at Baldwin, Long Island in 1913. He was one of the earliest pilots to fly scheduled planes for foreign destinations when he flew for American Trans-Oceanic from Miami to Bimini and Nassau in 1920-21. Except for brief leaves for flying, he has been engaged in aviation engineering capacities. Following 19 years as Chief Engineer and Director of Engineering for Curtiss-Wright, he was Vice-President, Engineering for Aeronca Mfg. Corp. until his retirement in 1957, but continues as consultant today. From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP, January, 1960, Number 62

 

EARLY BIRD MEETING, WISCONSIN, 1969 You will find the story of the meeting by clicking on: George Page

 

AT BOSTON REUNION, 1974 George Page had a long and illustrious career in aviation. Asked to speak at the reunion, he began with a description of the first airplane he saw leave the ground. It was Doc Walden's monoplane of 1910 flown near Mineola. George's next great thrill came when he climbed the iron fence at Belmont Race Track and got inside to see the 25 or more airplanes of various types and from several nations, competing for the Gordon Bennett Trophy, the Statue of Liberty Race, and other prizes. Meanwhile he was an enthusiastic member of the New York Model Aero Club and enjoyed competing with the other lads, flying his rubber-powered, A-framed, twin pusher, which at time might fly as far as a quarter mile. His skill as a modelmaker caused him to be selected by Captain Tom Baldwin to work on the Baldwin Red Devil and learn to fly, but George's father would not approve that. When George became 21 he was on his own and decided to take flying lessons with the Heinrich brothers. Room and board nearby cost $6 per week. Their airplane, made by them, resembled the French Deperdussin and was powered with an Anzani fan engine of about 35 h.p., with a Chauviere prop. One of George's jobs which helped to pay his tuition was the carving of a spare prop from a glued-up spruce blank. The airplane was single place so George's instruction consisted of being told what to do, and then being cautiously permitted to taxi the airplane, with the throttle restricted with a wooden plug. After a week or so of that, the plug was moved a bit so that he could taxi with the tail up. Then came low-altitude lift-offs, and finally he was permitted to rise as much as a hundred feet and try turning at the far end of the field. His test for the Federation Aeronautique Internationale license, mandated by the Aero Club of America, required him to make five separate flights at 100 meters diameter. George demonstrated that he could do this on his birthday, December 13, 1913, and was issued his license three weeks later. Harold Kantner gave him a job in the Moisant factory, building Bleriot copies, but this folded in a year. George worked at Aeromarine for a year as a draftsman, then went back to the Heinrichs and helped design airplanes.      When Curtiss established a branch in Garden City, L.I., George began his34-year career with that company, assisting during World War I with the design of the MF flying boats and the H-A, the Navy's first seaplane fighter, named the "Dunkirk." After the war he helped with the conversion of the H-A to a mailplane for the Post Office Department. He also helped the Curtiss Racers, winner of the Pulitzer Races for 1921, 2, 3, and 5; and of the Schneider Races for 1923 and 1925. During the post war slump, George went to Florida, dividing his time between house building and flying an H-16 Navy Patrol Boat, which was converted for carrying 11 passengers. During the winter season he flew this between Florida and the Bahamas and Cuba, and then north to fly over the Hudson River and New York lakes. George's final story of that interesting decade concerned one of his southern passengers who apparently was trying to smuggle some mysterious white powder into the States after a flight to Cuba. George tossed it overboard. We could use more Georges today to help with the dope problem. From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP, January, 1975, Number 81

 

AUTOGRAPHED AIR MAIL COVER      This envelope which originated from the SECOND ANNUAL AIR CIRCUS, JULY 18-19, 1931, LANSING, MICHIGAN, and was signed by EB Geo A. Page, Jr., is postmarked LANSING, MICH., JUL 19 It has been donated through the courtesy of Stéphane Sebile.

 

George A. Page, Jr. died in 1983 From The Early Birds of Aviation ROSTER, 1996

 

RECOMMENDED READING     City of Flight : The History of Aviation... The History of Aviation in St. Louis by James J. Horgan The Patrice Press.

 

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