New Britain herald., 1929-06-15
Charles Hamilton of New Britain
 Wa, Greatest Aviator of His Day
llobbei by Japaaeae

In 1908 hs transferred his activi- ties to . small type dirisibls nd took one to Japan. where nc made the first flight ever seen in the land of the Aikado. There he was mobbed by ehiAtoists. who assumed that their religious faith was vio- lated by this pagan who flew to- ward heaven.
 On his return to this country. he thrilled crowds at Brighton Beach by navigating his airship over wa. ter. He balanced and steered his craft by running hack and forth on . platform. suspended under the elongated bag. A small powered gas engine propelled the ship. When [. failed. as 1t often did. the pilot had to land in . hurry to keep from being carried out to sea.
 Twice Hamilton was rescued far out on the water by passing craft. Once he extracted himself from a net work of power wires on which he landed.
 Such was Hamilton's air educa- tion. His self-directed experiments with umbrellas. the course of sprouts through which Captain Thomas Bald Twin put him with bal- looms, parachutes and dirigibles, and what he learned about balance under tho tutelage of Israel Ludlow constituted . wide variety Of air ex- perience which aided him in con- quering the aeroplane at his first attempt to fly one.
 Coupled with his daring Hamil- ton had color" which made him popular hero and good copy" for the newspapers. He was slightly red d-headed. slim. and small of stature. He probably never weighed over 125 pounds. His ears protruded and. unlike Lindbergh. he was not a handsome fellow. But. like the Flying Colonel. Hamilton knew his air stuff.
 Relative Of American Founder
 He vas born May 30. 1885. of pioneer stock. His great great grandfather was the brother of AL exander Hamilton. His middle ini- tial stood for "Keeney," his moth- CTS family name.
 When Hamilton turned away from balloons to try his luck with aeroplanes. the country was Ire mendously excited over the flying machines of Curtiss and the Wrights. There were not more than a half dozen pilots qualified to fly. There was a great opportunity for ! man who knew as much about the air as did our local hero. "Stole" First Flight
 In November. 1909, Hamilton went to Hammondsport. N. r., to seek | job with Glenn Curtiss. The aviator was away when ''C. K." ar- rived. Hamilton did not wait for his return but had a mechanic trundls out the June Bug" and start the motor. After few minutes of in- struction in the use of the controls, Hamilton taxied tho plane up and down the field until he got the feel of 1t. Then he took the ship into the air and circled the field. much to the amazement of the mechanics.
 Set World Records On Curtiss's return he was 70 impressed with the new pilot that he sent Hamilton to the Pacific coast on an exhibition tour. There the birdman immediately achieved renown for hts daring and flying skill. He was ono of the dozen avi- ~A> At held in this country m January. 1910, at Los Angeles. 4 month later he low. cred the record for . mile. which had been established by French flyer.
 This was the beginning of . long list of records that the local man piled up to his credit. Early in the same year he flew from San Diego. California. across the Mexican bor- der. thereby being the first aviator to fly out of the United States Into . foreign country. On this hop he passed over the ocean, out of sight of land. which constituted record in itself.
 Invented Air Stunts In meeting emergencies he per formed miracles in controlling his plane under conditions that theo- retically doomed the plane. When a propeller shaft broke, he brought his ship safely to the ground and thus invented what is now known as dead stick" landing. He got 70 much thrill out of this experience that it became his favorite stunt to descend from the sky with the pow CT shut off. After the Los Angeles meet. Hamilton worked his way to Texas giving exhibition flights in many of the western states. He made tn. first flights seen in Arizona. re- ceiving 32.000 for an exhibition at Tucson. In the Panhandle state. rather than disappoint the assem- bled crowd. he took his ship into the air after fire had burned away half of the wing fabric.
 He. was in Florida when Glenn Curtiss announced that he would try for the New York Worlds prize of S1o.0o0 for . flight between New York and Albany. Immediately Hamilton packed his plane. put 1t on board . steamer and started to New York city. hoping to arrive there before Curtiss started and with the intention of trying for the prize himself. But the inventor made the first long distance hop in America. the day after Charlie landed in New York. Hamilton congratulated Cur tiss but propheaed that the record would not stand long. Two weeks later he broke 1t himself.
 Won 1x, ,OO0 Prize
 The New York Times and Phila- delphia Ledger prize of Ss.ooo for a round trip. dawn-to-dusk flight be- tween the metropolis and the Qua L. &ts,