Vanderbilt Cup Races

What a mish-mash of old and fake but great fun, nevertheless.  Thanks, Howard.  Sam, III

From Film of the Week-The Classic Races:The Vanderbilt Cup (1904-1960) and the 1966 Bridgehampton 200

“Garage:” then (and well through my childhood in Manhattan - 30’s-40’s) had multiple meanings, including sales, repair, and storage of automobiles.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Korner: The Vanderbilt Cup Garage

Lindbergh taking off in the Spirit of St. Louis at Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927.

Photo is facing slightly Southeast towards East Meadow.

Merrick Ave. is where the phone lines are.  In the distance are the Salisbury links. 

The LIMP ran immediately adjacent to the airfield, running West - East.  Very nearby would have been the East Meadow Lodge and the bridge over Merrick Ave.

The Vanderbilt car racing track was constructed in the same area as the plane is taking off.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

The location is Roosevelt Field Long Island and the photographer is facing east.
The road could be Merrick Ave.
The background could be Hempstead Plains.
The airplane is the Ryan NYP (Spirit of St. Louis) piloted by Charles Lindbergh.
The photo was taken May 20, 1927.
Part of Roosevelt Field was sold and became Roosevelt Raceway where the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt Cup races were held.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

If I may amend my previous response, the photo was probably taken across from land that was to come Roosevelt Raceway, Home of the reconstituted Vanderbilt Cup races

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Mystery Foto #27… the photo shows the Ryan built Spirit of St Louis, flown by Charles Lindbergh taking off at Roosevelt Field on The morning of May 27 1927 on his record breaking trip across the the Atlantic.
I was at Roosevelt Field mall in 1957 when the movie replica of the Spirit of St Louis took off on the perimeter roads of the mall. Sadly no photos.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

On May 20th, 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off heading East, passing over Merrick Ave, in the RyanAircraft “Spirit of Saint Louis.” What is now Eisenhower Park is just past the road. In 1927 Eisenhower Park was known as Salisbury Park. The photographer was facing south easterly probably about where “Fortunoff’s garage” now stands.  I believe that was part of the Roosevelt Field airport.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

This looks like the take-off of Charles Lindbergh from Roosevelt Field on the morning of May 20, 1927.  By the orientation of the photo, the photographer was standing north of the runway closer to Old Country road looking west.  The road along the telephone lines is Merrick/Whaleneck Avenue.  I believe the background area was either the Ladenburg Estate or the Hempstead Plains. 

Lindbergh would frequently take the motor parkway to the airport and would get off at the Garden City toll booth.

Happy 4th everyone.

Dave

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Are the young ladies in the distinctive blouses stewardesses, or employees wearing a branded uniform of some kind?

From Beutenmuller Family Collection: The People of the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

From Art Kleiner:
Two more photos of the Renault - this one won the Sept., 1907 Morris Park 24 hour race. The winning driver was M.G. Bernin and Paul Lacroix shown in the photo above as well.  From “Automobile Topics” of September 14, 1907.

From Mystery Foto #26 Partially Solved: Lewis Strang's P46 Renault during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

From Art Kleiner:
As per Dick Gorman’s comment above, Willie K. ordered 10 of the 35/45 hp Renaults for his friends.  Here’s a photo from “Automobile Topics” of August 24, 1907 noting this purchase and where they were intended to be used.  And thanks Dick for the information provided.

From Mystery Foto #26 Partially Solved: Lewis Strang's P46 Renault during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Thanks Howard for the alert on fake plates being sold online. Speechless, and have choice words about the practice. Thanks for the update

From Fraud Alert Update: Guide to Identifying Authentic Versus Reproduced Long Island Motor Parkway and Roosevelt Field Porcelain Plates

Total guesses.

The location: Roosevelt Field. The photographer is looking east.
The road along the telephone lines: Merrick Ave.
The area in the background: just looks like clouds over the Hempstead Plains. (Today’s East Meadow)
The airplane and its pilot: The Spirit of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh.
Date: May 20, 1927. Lindy was starting his historic flight.
Connection to Motor Parkway: It ran adjacent to the airport.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

That sure looks like the Ryan NYP “Spirit Of St. Louis” with Charles Lindbergh at the controls taking off on May 20, 1927 and heading east over Merrick Avenue on his way to Paris. The exact place that the wheels lifted off the ground is very close to where the temporary extension of Ellison Avenue was built to connect Old Country Road to the LIMP for the 1908, 1909, and 1910 V. C. Races. It was part of the airfield complex commonly referred to as Roosevelt Field. Additionally, the course for the 1936 and 1937 V. C. Races was built there also. I suppose one could also argue that the photographer was standing in the vicinity of the 1960 course too. I believe the area in the background was owned by Joseph J. Lannin who was in the process of extending his Salisbury Golf Links northward from south of the LIMP. This later became part of Salisbury (Eisenhower) Park.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Happy 4th - Lucky Lindy taking off from Roosevelt Field eastbound and soo full of fuel he almost clipped the wires on Merrick Ave over Eisenhower Park (or the Ladenburg Farm back then).

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Hello Howard,
For my research on Franz Heim I bought several old newspapers of “la vie au grand air” and I found a page that might be interesting for you (file attached) . The book HEIM& CIE is released now (heimpage.de), the german TV even made a short report.
Heim originally came to New York in September 1910 to work for Benz Auto Import, where he oversaw the preparation of the Benz racing cars for the Vanderbilt Cup, Grand Prize and Fairmount Park Race in Philadelphia. After Robertson’s accident during the tests for the Vanderbilt Cup, the accident car was repaired and Franz Heim started with it. He was also intended to be a driver for the Grand Prize, but this was redecided after the race was shifted to Savannah. He became co-driver of Hémery.
(the picture is a scan from No 583, 20 November 1909, page 363. The pictures are at free disposal for you.)

kind regards
Dietrich

From Search: Information and Photos of Franz Heim. Submitted by Kurt Heim (January 9, 2015)

Lindy.  East end of Roosevelt Field.  Merrick Rd.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Wow, great historic and intricate details Al. Thank you for sharing to all of us. The historic picture is becoming clearer

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Good find!

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Your welcome, Art. I’m always learning something new here!

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway in Maps - Part IV