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Carl E Recknagel
| Capt Carl E Recknagel UAL (deceased) Born in 1909 in Springfield, Ohio, Carl E. 'Reek' Recknagel became a pilot when aviation itself was just getting off the ground. Carl took his first airplane ride in 1924 in a barnstorming Curtis Jenny. He studied chemistry in College but also joined the Air Corps Reserve. Upon his graduation he was drafted into the Army Air Corps at March Field in California. After only seven hours of flight training from Lt. 'Pop' Weddington, Recknagel made his first solo. Shortly thereafter the avid pilot was flying snap rolls, loops and his favorite, whipstalls in more advanced flying machines like the DeHaviland-4 and the Douglas-02. Carl's class was transferred to Kelly Field in Texas to complete their advanced combat training under the auspices of Lt. Lester Maitland. About 2/3rds of the class washed out or were casualties during training, but 44 did manage to earn their wings in the Air Cadet Class of 1930. Carl's first practical assignment was with the Third Attack Group where he practiced dive bombing, gunnery, and low-level formation flying. He took second place in the Patrick Trophy Race of 1931. Carl also participated in the massive 600 plane Air Corps demonstrations in New York, Baltimore, and in Chicago. These massive displays were publicity stunts necessary to fuel the public's support for the Air Corps. When his tour was over, Carl was released into civilian life during the height of the Great Depression. He was fortunate to find employment as airport manager and chief pilot for Johnson Flying Service in Dayton, Ohio. The Johnson fleet consisted of a Curtis Pusher, a Wright J-5 Waco, a J-5 Travelair., an OX-powered Swallow, an Aeronca, and a Kinner Bird. Recknagel was responsible for running the airport, flying cross-country flights, servicing transient aircraft, and participating in weekly air show demonstrations. Carl did take time off to fly in the 1933 American Air Races where he placed third in a modified one-wheeled Aeronca. That same year Carl, though the urging of a friend, applied for a copilot position at United Air Lines. At United Carl began flying the Cleveland-Newark run as a 'mate,' as copilots were called in those days. His duties included refueling, navigation, and serving meals. While not so glamorous, the job did pay $200 a month, which was a fantastic sum in 1934. Navigation was quite rudimentary in those days because no radar or radio navigation was available. Flying the early 247's and DC-3s was what Carl refers to as 'barnstorming on a schedule.' Recknagel made Captain, but during WW 11 he was transferred to Air Transport Command where he supervised B23 and C-47 flights in the Mediterranean theater. At war's end he flew back to the States in a war-weary B-17, and resumed his career with United. Recknagel remained with United until his retirement in 1966. He lived in Santa Barbara, California where he was active in the Goleta/Santa Barbara Air Heritage Museum. He passed away on 19th February 2002. |
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Staggerwing and Gooney Bird by Stan Stokes. Although it has been more than sixty years since they first flew, the DC-3 and C-47 Gooney Birds are legendary, with more than 1,000 still utilized throughout the world. In the early 1930s Boeing was working on its all metal Model 247, and the first 60 aircraft were promised to United Air Lines. Douglas Aircraft made a bold proposal to TWA, and in combination they attempted to develop an all metal passenger airliner which would out perform Boeings 247. This new prototype airliner was the DC-1, and the first aircraft was delivered in less than nine months. TWA liked what it saw and ordered twenty DC-2s, the first production variant, and the first production model flew in May 1934. The DC-2 was a money maker for the airlines and nearly two hundred were produced. In 1934 American Airlines approached Douglas Aircraft about developing an aircraft with the performance and reliability of the DC-2, but with the passenger comforts of the Curtis Condor bi-plane. Douglas Aircraft moved slowly and reluctantly, fearing that American Airlines might fail during the depression. However, finally an agreement was reached for Douglas to produce ten new DC-3s for American at a price of $79,500 each. The DC-3, although similar in general appearance to the DC-2, was in fact largely an entirely new aircraft. Utilizing new 1,000 HP Wright radial engines, the DC-3 had a cabin more similar to Pullman railway cars. Passenger lavatories were installed and increased insulation was utilized to reduce cabin noise. American Airlines formally accepted delivery of its first DC-3 in April 1936, and by 1937 production of the DC-2 had ceased. Seating was 28 on the DC-3, twice that of the DC-2. Despite a recession induced reduction in the number of passenger aircraft in service in the United States during the second half of the decade, by 1940 more than half of the passenger aircraft in service in America were Douglas DC-3s. With the outbreak of WW II Douglas was flooded with orders for a military transport version of the DC-3, the C-47. Initially called the Skytrain, the C-47 was capable of carrying 28 troops or 6,000 pounds of cargo. With more than 10,000 aircraft produced between 1935 and 1947, the DC-3 and C-47 greatly exceeded any expectations Douglas ever had for the aircraft. With the end of the war many C-47s were converted back to DC-3s, and this aircraft became the backbone of the civilian airliner fleet in almost every nation in the world. During the 1950s the Gooney Birds were slowly shifted to secondary routes as newer high performance aircraft were introduced. In Stan Stokes marvelous painting entitled Staggerwing and Gooney Bird, a United Airlines DC-3 is depicted at Santa Barbara Airport in the early 1950s. Another classic aircraft, the Beech Staggerwing is parked near the Gooney Bird. |
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