“MY FLIGHT FROM HAWAII”: AN EXTRAORDINARY ARCHIVE OF FLIGHT PLANS AND CHARTS PREPARED FOR AMELIA EARHART’S USE ON HER RECORD-BREAKING 1935 FLIGHT FROM HONOLULU TO MAINLAND CALIFORNIA, STAMPED ON THE VERSO BY THE U.S. NAVY CENSOR

EARHART, Amelia and WILLIAMS, Clarence S. Navigational Archive for 1935 Honolulu to Mainland U.S. Flight, including photostat navigational plans and charts prepared for Earhart's flight, framed with three pages from Earhart's article "My Flight from Hawaii," in National Geographic magazine, May 1935. Together with a complete issue of National Geographic for May 1935. Los Angeles: Clarence S. Williams, Consultant in Navigation, December 22-28, 1934. Two large framed pieces, each with multiple matted items (photostat navigational charts and plans, three pages from National Geographic magazine article, and a photograph); one measures 34 by 36 inches, the other 34 by 42 inches.

Flight plans and timing charts designed by Lieutenant Commander Clarence S. Williams, “Consultant in Navigation,” for Amelia Earhart and used by Earhart as she attempted her record-breaking first solo flight from Hawaii to the United States mainland in 1935. She was the first person, man or woman, to make this flight solo; this was also the first flight where a civilian aircraft carried a two-way radio. The charts are stamped with a U.S. Navy censors mark on the reverse, demonstrating that they were cleared by the Navy for Earhart’s use. An extraordinary archive: neither the National Air and Space Museum nor the Purdue University Collection of Earhart Papers has a set of these charts.

Amelia Earhart recorded a number of firsts in her extraordinary aviation career: she was the first person, man or woman, to fly solo from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland—2408 miles from Honolulu to Oakland on January 11, 1935, a trailblazing feat commemorated by this wonderful pair of framed pieces. She was the first woman to fly the Atlantic in a plane (1928); the second person, and the first woman, to fly solo across the Atlantic (1932); and the first woman to fly solo across the continental U.S. Earhart's National Geographic article—a portion of which is included in this framed piece—highlights the paramount importance of proper navigational aids for such a long flight: "The subject of navigation looms large on long flights. To keep going is useless unless one knows how to get where he wishes to be. My navigation charts were prepared by Lieut. Comdr. Clarence S. Williams, of the U.S. Naval Reserve, of Los Angeles. On them were worked out alternate courses, one to San Francisco, a second to Los Angeles, and a third providing a shift from the northerly route to the southerly, should Pacific coast weather conditions make a midocean change of destination desirable." All three of these vitally important charts are included in the larger framed piece, along with the original title page. In the end, Earhart landed at her original destination, Oakland, after a relatively relaxed flight with no mechanical complications in her faithful modified Lockheed Vega 5b, nicknamed "Old Bessie."

In addition to the alternate course "cutoff to Los Angeles," is a chart titled "Variable Time Analysis Sheet Ground Speeds 120-180 Honolulu, T.H. (Territory of Hawaii) to Oakland, Calif." Another chart is titled "Navigation Data Honolulu-to-Oakland Flight" which dictates the place of departure, how to set the pilot's watch, distance traveled, time on course, etc. There is also a "Radio Position Sheet" showing the time for each course change with the latitude and longitude, and a "Graphic Course Analysis." These charts reference the date of preparation December 28, 1934, and the fact that they were prepared especially for Amelia Earhart. They are also stamped with a U.S. Navy censors mark on the reverse, demonstrating that they were cleared by the U.S. Navy for public use as the U.S. at that time was keeping a watchful eye over growing unrest in Asia.

"The charts called for fourteen changes in compass course, each to be made at intervals slightly over one hour. To facilitate time calculations, I had three clocks in the cockpit, one set on Honolulu time, another San Francisco time. The third was set at zero when I started and thereafter recorded the exact elapsed time of the trip. All of which is another answer to the question, 'what does a transocean flyer think about?" In her article Earhart also discusses what she prophetically saw as the future of flight and navigation: radio direction finders. "To me it seems that regular air transport across both oceans is inevitable, and will probably come about sooner than most people suspect. Probably used in such long-range service will be the new radio compasses. These are extraordinary 'gadgets,' which actually lead a pilot to a selected point, guided by radio operating at that destination." Both predictions soon came true. These two framed pieces are accompanied by a complete issue of Volume LXVII, Number Five of The National Geographic Magazine, which contains Earhart's complete article "My Flight from Hawaii," with four photographs. A color copy of the U.S. Naval Censor's stamp and signature is also included, as this is present but not visible in the framed pieces.

Fine condition. A splendid and very large pair of framed pieces commemorating this historic flight.