Bud Mars | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

Bud Mars was the first man to fly an airplane in Hawaii on December 31, 1910. (The Tuttle boys flew in a glider shortly before Mars’ powered flight.)

Piloting a Curtiss B-18 biplane, he flew to 500-feet over Moanalua Polo Field, Oahu. He repeated the flight the next day to the thrill of thousands of spectators.

On December 19, 1910, a “real birdman” arrived in Honolulu aboard the Manchuria. Whipple Hall, agent for the Curtiss Aircraft Company, debarked with an excitingly strange proposal. He announced that within a week two airplanes and men to fly them would arrive by ship.

Hawaii was to be the first stop on the group’s 30,000-mile demonstration tour which included Japan, China, the Philippines, Siam, Singapore, Java, Persia, Africa, the Holy Land, Egypt, Spain, France, England, and “anywhere else bird men had not been seen before.”

The Curtiss agent proceeded with arrangements for the entourage’s arrival and the exhibition flights. During an interview, Hall explained that his Curtiss flying machine was a speedster, requiring 35 miles per hour to stay off the ground, while the competitive Wright planes, with their greater lifting power, would go backwards and keep climbing in a strong wind.

Honolulu’s imagination was stirred by Hall’s words. Residents looked forward to the arrival of the men and flying machines. Announcements continued in daily newspapers, plus features on flying.

On December 27, 1910, J. C. “Bud” Mars, pilot for the demonstrations, arrived on the Wilhelmina. Their strange looking metal birds were taken to Samuel Damon’s Moanalua polo field for assemblage. Each was a pusher craft with propeller and engine behind the pilot; there was no cabin or compartment for the man.

Bud Mars had the reputation of being the most daring flyer in the United States. A case was cited to the press of him swooping under the bridges across the Mississippi River.

Tickets for Honolulu spectators went on sale at the Empire Theater, the M.A. Gunst cigar store and the Alexander Young Hotel, at one dollar each. One airplane was assembled by December 29th, two days later, all was in flight readiness.

People arrived on the scene by auto, bus, carriage, drawn by horses, bicycles and afoot. Most of the 3,000 fans that paid admission charges were in full attendance at Moanalua polo field. Hundreds more gathered on surrounding hilltops.

The tent hangar was filled with curious people observing the plane’s odd assemblage of spruce, ash, bamboo, steel tubing, and rubberized silk wing covering (an invention of Baldwin). Several feet wider than the ordinary Curtiss biplane, Shiver’s design gave it about 30 feet of wing span, its wings five feet wide and the same distance apart.

Soon after 2 pm, December 31, 1910, the mainland group finished preparations and the slight young man, Mars, climbed aboard the biplane. The marines who guarded the plane moved to one side and the manned box-kite made its way bumpily down the grass “runway.”

By Captain Baldwin’s watch, it took Mars nine seconds to get airborne. Thousands of people burst into a yell of approval to see their first airplane flight. They were watching history being made in a feat—unknown to them at the time—which would alter the destiny of Hawaii and, along with other places, the world.

Climbing to 500 feet, Mars flew to the hills then back over Moanalua field. Within minutes, he brought the airplane to a standstill on the ground and the crowds gathered in close to see the new hero dismount his iron bird. The test flight was a complete success.

The group then set up a christening ceremony, with the designer’s wife doing the honors. There was no champagne available but someone went to get some by motorcycle. When it arrived, Mrs. Shriver christened the plane “Skylark,” as Mrs. Mars stood by elated at her husband’s performance.

Now more relaxed, the young pilot mounted his Skylark and proceeded to make another flight. This time he flew higher and farther. His route was to Red Hill, which commands a superb view of Pearl Harbor and the military plains of Leilehua beyond. A third time, he pleased his promoters by dropping paper souvenirs over Moanalua field.

The following day, Mars’ statement appeared on the front page of the SUNDAY ADVERTISER: “I am proud to have been the first man to fly over the soil of these beautiful Islands.”

Then added, “I am proud to hold the pioneer air record for Honolulu and I am glad, too, that the new Skylark has taken her maiden flight here. She is after this the Honolulu Skylark and I will call her that wherever we go on our trip towards the Far East. I find your Hawaiian air currents rather tough ones, but everything else was lovely.”

Watching the flight activity, one local boy referred to Mars’ airplane as “Pinao” (Hawaiian for dragonfly.) Another cried out, “Aloha, Mokulele!” (sky-boat, aircraft).

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

Mars made several flights that day.

As the biplane with its gigantic winds swept over the grass field and rose into the air there was a general whoop of exultation and spontaneous applause from spectators.

Curtis B-18 biplane made of spruce, ash, bamboo, steal tubing and silk; piloted by J. C. Bud Mars. Took 9 seconds to get airborne and climbed to 500 ft before landing safely.

First flight in Hawaii 1-1-1911 in Honolulu (Moanalua)

‘The biplane swooped down like a monstrous hawk charging on its prey. . .’ Honolulu Advertiser 1-1-1911

First flight in Hawaii 1-1-1911 in Honolulu (Moanalua)

JC Bud Mars’ biplane was christened Skylark after its maiden flight.

First flight in Hawaii 1-1-1911 in Honolulu (Moanalua)

Bud Mars biplane on grass at Moanalua Field where approximately 3,000 people witnessed the 1st flight of a heavier than air machine over Hawaii soil.

Mars is interviewed before his hsitoric flight at Moanalua Polo Field. “I am proud to have been the first man to fly over these beautiful islands.” Hon Advertiser 1-1-1911

Mars landed in the center of the polo field after the flight and was interviewed and photographed by the press.

JC Bud Mars’ biplane on his history making flight was an entirely new machine which had never been in the air before. It was christened Skylark after its maiden flight.

Promoters sold tickets to Honolul spectators for $1 each. Some 3000 people paid the admin charge, and hundreds of others watched from nearby hillsides.

Residents gather to watch the first flight in Hawaii by Bud Mars

Spectators lined the polo field as Mars flew over the field.

Bud Mars was the first man to fly an airplane in Hawaiʻi, on December 31, 1910. Piloting a Curtiss B-18 biplane, he flew to 500-feet over Moanalua Polo Field, Oʻahu. He repeated the flight the next day to the thrill of thousands of spectators.

The first aircraft accident in the Islands was on the Big Island, dating back to June 10, 1911 when Clarence H Walker came to Hilo for an exhibition flight in his Curtiss Biplane. There were no airports on the island, so Hoʻolulu Park was selected for the runway.

Walker was able to get a few feet off the ground in his trial flight. Later Walker attempted to fly over the city. The engine began missing and he lost altitude. He crashed minutes later into a lauhala tree as he attempted to land, destroying the plane but surviving the crash.

On August 31, 1925, John Rodgers (Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor from 1923 to 1925) and his crew left San Francisco to attempt the first flight across the Pacific Ocean from the Mainland US to Hawaiʻi. The seaplane was forced to land in the ocean after running out of fuel, about 365 miles from Oʻahu.

After three days of waiting to be picked up, the crew crafted sails from the wings of the plane and sailed toward Hawaiʻi. On the tenth day, they spotted Kauaʻi. Ten miles off shore they met a submarine which towed them safely to shore.

Lieutenant Lester J Maitland (pilot) and Lieutenant Albert F Hegenberger (navigator) were selected to fulfill the Army’s dreams to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean to Hawai‘i. Shortly after 7 am on June 28, 1927, the Army pair shook hands with their crews and climbed into positions in the airplane. 25-hours and 49-minutes later the three-engine plane touched down at Wheeler.

That year, Hawaiʻi’s first airport was established in Honolulu and dedicated to Rodgers. When Inter-Island Airways (now Hawaiian Air) began the first commercial passenger flights between islands in 1929, their hangar was one of two on the airport.

“Honolulu has seen the evolution of transportation from the Chinese junk and the Yankee clipper in ye olden days to the palatial liner, the fast freighter – and now the airplane. The dedication of the John Rodgers airport near Honolulu is a significant milestone in Honolulu’s transportation history.”

“The event virtually signalizes the inauguration of commercial aviation in Hawaiʻi. At least, it makes possible the innovation and symbol of twentieth century progress. In years to come it is destined to become a center in this new era.”

“It is the pioneer of the many big commercial stations that will ultimately be located in Hawaiʻi. And because of that fact, it will find its rightful place in history—not only of Hawaiʻi—but of the American nation as well. That aviation will enter the commercial life of Hawaiʻi, there is no doubt. Definite steps to that end are already being taken. The John Rodgers airport is one of these steps.” (Editorial, Honolulu Advertiser, March 22, 1927)

Immediately after the Pearl Harbor Attack (December 7, 1941) all airports were taken over by the US armed forces. Some of these airfields were considered vulnerable to attack and unusable, and the others were placed under strict control of either the Army or Navy (the US Air Force didn’t start until after the war when it was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947.)

All civilian aircraft in Hawaiʻi were grounded. Within a few days, Hawaiian Air was approved by the Military Governor to make emergency flights under military direction, carrying engineers, medicines, munitions, etc to the neighbor islands.

During the early days of the War, Hawaiian’s Sikorsky planes were converted to cargo planes, carrying critical medical supplies and equipment to the other islands and bringing back cargo of fresh vegetables and beef. Thus began the first US air-freight service.

The military began to construct airfields for its own use, for seaplane and land plane operations, across the Islands. Following the war, many of these facilities were returned/turned over to the Territory for commercial and general aviation.

On December 13, 1955 Honolulu International Airport became the first civilian airport in the nation to get a preview of commercial jet aircraft operation when the British DeHavilland Comet III jet-liner arrived on a good will flight around the world.

1959 brought another welcomed change. Scheduled service with the Boeing 707 started in June 1959 by Qantas Airlines; flying time from California to Hawaiʻi was cut by nearly a half, from 9 hours by propeller to less than 5 hours by jet.

Pan American Airways followed in September and United Airlines jet service arrived at Honolulu in January 1962. In October 1962, all airline operations moved from the Honolulu terminal building built by the Navy during World War II on Lagoon Drive to new passenger terminal buildings on the North Ramp of the airport.

Planning for the Reef Runway at Honolulu International Airport began in 1967; its primary purpose was to mitigate noise during aircraft takeoffs.

Work began on phase 1 the Reef Runway on May 7, 1973 (dredge, fill and protection structure;) it was completed in August 1976. Subsequent phases included paving, taxiways, etc; the Reef Runway was completed and dedicated for use on October 14, 1977. It was later, May 1989, chosen as one of several emergency landing sites NASA’s space shuttle program. (Information in this summary is from hawaii-gov.)

The image shows John Rodgers Airport (now Honolulu International Airport) in 1928 (hawaii-gov.). In addition, I have added related images in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

First Flight in Hawai‘i – 1910

Some Hawaiʻi Aviation History