Birdman of the Prairie: The life and death of an Iowan Aviator (Billy Robinson)
Channel: Drake Community Library
Date: 16/01/2019

This 10 minute video documentary on Billy Robinson was created by Natalie Vander Ploeg for the National History Day Documentary contest in 2013. It provides a wonderful overview of the accomplishments of pioneer aviator Billy Robinson who died in 1916 while attempting to set a new altitude record.  He was a handyman, tinkerer, and bicycle repairman who designed and built his own flying machine. In 1911 he developed a 60 horsepower radial motor that was a revolutionary development for the aviation.