Have you ever dreamed of doing something that no one else has ever done? What drives a man (or woman) to accomplish something new? Is it fame that is sought, or fortune, or something else? Perhaps we will never know what drives some people to certain accomplishments, but in many instances we do know what happens after the individual attains that goal.
Eighty-nine years ago today, on June 29, 1927, the Bird of Paradise arrived in Hawaii after flying 2,407 miles from California. This was the first transpacific flight from the mainland United States to Hawaii. The Bird of Paradise was an Atlantic-Fokker C-2 tri-motor transport airplane. It was one of three aircraft of this design that had been modified for the United States Army Air Corps from the original civilian Fokker F.VIIa/3m airliner design. The airplane was piloted by Lester James Maitland with Albert Francis Hegenberger operating as the navigator. Both men were First Lieutenants in the Army Air Corps at that time.
In honor of their achievement, Maitland and Hegenberger were awarded the Mackay Trophy. That award was established in January of 1911 by Clarence Mackay who was at that time, the head of the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company as well as the Commercial Cable Company. When it was first established, aviators could compete for the award each year under rules promulgated that year. Alternatively, the War Department could award the trophy for the most meritorious flight of that year. The Mackay Trophy is currently awarded yearly by the United States Air Force for the “most meritorious flight of the year” by an Air Force person, persons, or organization.
Five weeks earlier Charles Lindbergh made his transatlantic flight. He was widely idolized and his fame greatly exceeded that received by these two aviators. This occurred despite the fact that from a navigational perspective the flight of the Bird of Paradise was much more significant.
Planning for the historic flight began eight years earlier. It was then that Hegenberger established the Instrument Branch of the Air Service at McCook Field to study ideas in air navigation, and produce “new developments in compasses, airspeed meters, drift meters sextants, and maps.” The Air Service was the predecessor of the Air Corps. The navigation of aircraft was referred to at that time as avigation. Hegenberger went to the United States Navy to study navigation over water, including the use of celestial navigation.
Both Maitland and Hegenberger were stationed in Hawaii for a time. While there they made repeated requests for a transpacific flight. The requests were repeatedly refused. Finally, in 1926 with both airmen stationed at McCook, Hegenberger received authorization to plan a transpacific flight from the continental United States to Hawaii in order to test and demonstrate the more challenging mission of navigating not to a land mass but to “a tiny island in a big ocean.” The flight would use radio beacons as a navigational aid. The successful flight proved the viability of this system.
In 1941, then Lt. Col. Maitland was the base commander of Clark Field in the Philippines. That year all of the base dependents were sent back to the United States because of anticipated Japanese aggression. To counter the drop in morale, Maitland ordered all base personnel (including himself) to grow beards. He became one of the oldest, at age 44, pilots to see combat in World War Two. He received several awards despite being relieved of his command. That action may have been the result of his disproportionate consumption of alcohol. He did rise to the rank of Brigadier General in the Michigan National Guard.
Hegenberger continued a distinguished career winning many awards while attaining the rank of Major General. Hegenberger developed the first blind flying landing system. In May of 1932, he made the first complete solo blind flight from take-off to landing. For this achievement he was presented the 1934 Collier Trophy by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He served in many staff and command positions during and after World War II.
The Bird of Paradise continued operating in Hawaii for three years, where it provided inter-island air transport with the Army. The aircraft was intentionally destroyed in 1944. It had been stored at Wilbur Wright Field in Ohio.

Doc Halliday can be contacted at doc@dochalliday.us

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