Vanderbilt Cup Races

Attached is a hand drawn map previously featured in August, 2013 from a Sept. 1907 issue of Automobile Topics.  Interesting caricatures depicting how politics and economic issues impacted the route of the Motor Parkway.  And a rare view of the never to be built route between Lake Ronkonkoma and Riverhead.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/anatomy_of_a_1907_cartoon_how_the_motor_parkway_becam_kinky

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part III)

Could that be Willie K.‘s Douglas Dolphin “Amphibion” at the Sands Point Seaplane Base on Manhasset Bay? This was the location where the first Trans-Atlantic commercial passenger flight took off on June 28, 1939. It then became Pan-Am’s headquarters during 1939-1940 for regular flights to Europe with the Boeing 314 “Clipper”. It had been Pan-Am’s Executive Airport from 1934 to 1937. Regarding the kudos photo: is that Amelia Earhart standing next to a Sikorsky S-39?

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Mystery Foto#13… The seaplane is William K. Vanderbilt’s Sikorsky S43, registration # NC16925.
The other photo with the tall guy in the white shirt and hat shows Howard Hughes with his Sikorsky S-39C plane.
Can’t determine the location of the first pic.
Could it be at LaGuardia marine air terminal
or at the Port Washington Marine air terminal???

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Now that I am approaching 70 in June, I have great appreciation for history, especially for automobiles and old automobile advertising; as well as for airplanes and aviation history.  Which is fortunate, because I work as a volunteer for the Nassau County Photo Archives at Old Bethpage Village. 

Over the last year and a half, I have been archiving photos and documents, which display the history of aviation on Long Island.  I note with interest your collection of aviation by way of advertising cards.  Some of the info conveyed in your current newsletter, add the names of those early aviators who were active in Mineola and the Hempstead Plains.  Thanks for publishing this information, along with the LI Motor Parkway.
JF Purcell
Oceanside, NY
Volunteer, Nassau County Photo Archives

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway in Advertising Part II

The Frank Femenias call outs of the aerial photo of June 24 1938 did not expand after the click on like the other’s photo were able to do? why?
_______________________________

Howard Kroplick

Mark, give it another try.

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens

Booth Memorial Avenue was formerly known as North Hempstead Turnpike? Interesting. Parts of NY 25A are now known as North Hempstead Turnpike. Today there is no trace of the old North Hempstead Turnpike south and east of Horace Harding Blvd./the LIE.

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens

Another give-away.  Too big to be Willie’s Douglas Dolphin.  Unmistakeably Howard Hughes special Sikorsky S-43, now restored and at Kermit Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight Museum in Florida (NASM has a JRS-1).  Also unmistakeable is Hughes himself, walking away from an older Sikorsky S-39.  Location ISN’T Eagle’s Nest in Centerport - too flat.  Hangar doesn’t look like Port Wash./Manorhaven/Tom’s Point seaplane base.  North Field (LaGuardia) Marine Air Terminal (Term. A)  didn’t open until 1939.  Pearl Harbor?  Hmm?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

“Auto Polo”?  OMG!  I’d forgotten all about that.  I saw auto polo played at Cedarhurst Stadium or the Freeport track with late ‘30s cars (junkers) and a huge (6’?) ball, ca. 1948.  How I love these posts!  Keep ‘em comin’, folks.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway in Advertising Part II

Broken record!  I’ve never found those missing photos showing the RoW extending west to 193rd or so but I clearly remember them showing cars on an extra lane on the south side of Nassau/HH Blvd. between Peck and 193rd/194th.  ???  Sam, III

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens

Howard, I’m sure anyone with even just a passing interest in the Motor Parkway appreciates the posting of these maps. Particularly interesting on this one is the terminus planned in 1912.  At the time Black Stump Rd. in this part of Queens,  was the best connection for eastbound automobile traffic. When the decision was made to extend the Parkway westward from Rocky Hill Rd., things had changed.  The plan now was to have the western terminus of the Parkway at the new Nassau Blvd. The problem with taking the Parkway north from the original Black Stump Rd. terminus was the Fresh Meadow Golf Club on the north side of Black Stump Rd. Vanderbilt had Kienzle write the club to inquire about the possibility of taking the Parkway north thru the golf course to reach the proposed Nassau Blvd.  You can guess what the club’s response was. It was at this time the decision was made to take the Parkway northward east of today’s 199th St. The Parkway was fortunate in that there were only two parties to deal with in acquiring the ROW to reach Nassau Blvd. The plan at first was to take the ROW straight north. Then the Parkway discovered it would have to build a bridge over the old but still existing Central Railroad ROW before they could get to Nassau Blvd. To avoid this very expensive situation the Parkway approached the Fresh Meadow Club about the possibility of acquiring a small piece in the northwest corner of the course. This would allow the Parkway to angle the ROW and the North Hempstead Tpke. bridge north westward to Nassau Blvd. without crossing over the Central Railroad ROW. Fresh Meadows agreed to do so but it cost the Parkway dearly, but still much cheaper than building another bridge. The Parkway acquired an acre paying $10,000 for the parcel. The cost to purchase the other properties for the new ROW was $3500 an acre. The Parkway also had to rebuild a green for the golf club which cost the Parkway another $1000 and paint the south side of the North Hempstead Tpke. bridge white and on a regular basis. Again, thank for posting the maps.

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens

The hat, the age, the slouch, the plane. It was either Howard Hughs, or a good impersonator. By the way, the plane looks like the forerunner of the PBY used during the War.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

The person to the right,I believe,is Amelia Earhart.The photo maybe Oyster bay near Sagamore hill.And I’m going to guess that the plane is a Grumman design,though I have no proof.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

The notes at the top indicated that Queens Rd. was renamed to Hollis Hills Terrace. However, it was renamed Hollis Ct. Blvd. first, and then became Hollis Hills Terrace sometime after the LIE cut off Hollis Ct. Blvd; possibly when the Cleraview went through in 1964. I grew up in a newly built home (1953) on 199th St and 51st Ave. The future site of my boyhood home can be seen on two of the maps. PS 162, where I went to Public School, opened in 1936 and can be seen in the photos. It is at 53rd Ave and 201st St. Before the LIE was constructed, the intersections of Horace Harding Blvd., Francis Lewis Blvd. (which was subsequently extended south to Hillside Ave. and opened just after the War) and Hollis Ct. Blvd. was a nightmare.

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens

nice job

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens

Here’s a picture of the interior for the Sikorsky

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Best guess on the seaplane: it’s a Loening owned by Roy Grumman.

Or a Sikorsky flying boat

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Sikorsky S-43 , don’t know, North Beach or Port Washington? Howard Hughes, Pan Am got started?

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Listing Showing S-39A with a registration # of N807W.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Conflicting answers on previous blogs between the seaplane being Willie K’s. or Harold Vanderbilt’s.  But I’ll go with it being Willie K’s Sikorsky S-43, NC16925 of which he took around the world and eventually was destroyed in a crash in Trinidad.  Photo taken at Centeport.

Other seaplane (807W) is a Sikorsky S-39A.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: Willie K's Seaplane at Port Washington Marine Base in 1938 & Howard Hughes

Wonderful material, as always. I’ve inquired for many months as to why can’t the images be larger, via the links, as many are of no value to really see, especially the maps)? No response. Do others concur with this issue? Best, Steve
__________________________________________________

Howard Kroplick

Steve, thanks for the comment. The website was built 12 years ago and is currently being upgraded to a new platform. Hopefully, it will increase the size of the images.

From Motor Parkway Survey Bookmap C: The Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens