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Charles Keeney Hamilton (May 30, 1885^{[1][2][3][4][5]} – January 22, 1914) was an American pioneer aviator nicknamed the "crazy man of the air".^[6][7][8] He was, in the words of the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission, "known for his dangerous dives, spectacular crashes, extensive reconstructive surgeries, and ever present cigarette"^[9] and was "frequently drunk".^[10] He survived more than 60 crashes.^[11][9][12]

Biography

Hamilton, c. June 13, 1910

Hamilton was born in New Britain, Connecticut^[5] to Joseph Delliber Hamilton and Nellie Keeney Hamilton. His father died in 1909,^[13] at which point his mother remarried to Benjamin Joseph Beaudette.^[14]

Charles – who described himself as an "aeronaut" – was a hot air balloonist and parachute jumper at fairs and circuses at the age of 18.^[11][5] Three years later, he became friends with aeronautical engineer and aviator A. Roy Knabenshue and began piloting dirigibles.^[11][5] On the day Louis Bleriot flew the English Channel, July 25, 1909, Hamilton was sailing his own airship across the Bay of Osaka in Japan.^[15]

In late 1909, he started taking flying lessons from Glenn Curtiss.^[11][3] He joined Curtiss's exhibition team and quickly acquired fame and a nationwide reputation as a daredevil flyer.^[3][7] In December, he flew at St. Joseph and outside St. Louis, Missouri, and in Overland Park, Kansas^[16] before participating in the 1910 Los Angeles International Air Meet at Dominguez Field, the first major airshow in the United States, which ran from January 10–20, 1910.^[6] He then embarked on an 11-city, two-month exhibition tour across the American Southwest, starting at Phoenix, Arizona and ending in San Diego, California.^[6] On February 19, Hamilton became the first to fly an airplane in Tucson, Arizona.^[17] In San Diego, he became just the third American flier to remain aloft for at least an hour, crossing the ocean to Mexico and back.^[6]

Hamilton became the first to fly in the state of Washington, when he piloted the Reims Racer over Seattle on March 11.^[7][18] The very next day, he went up again, drunk, and "Swooping like a rapacious bird from a height of 500 feet [150 m], the Curtiss biplane, with Charles K. Hamilton, dived into the newly formed lake at The Meadows".^[7] He had to be fished out of the lake, but suffered only minor injuries.^[7]

Hamilton (left) with fellow aviator Hubert Latham, c. 1910.

Undaunted, he flew at Tacoma, Washington, and crossed the border to become the "First Air Visitor to Vancouver, B.C."^[19] on March 25.^[6][20] The next day, he flew to New Westminster and back, covering 20 miles (32 km) in 30 minutes.^[21] He participated in an air meet in Spokane, Washington between April 1–3.^[3] On April 9, he flew over Mercer Island and Lake Washington.^[7]

In San Antonio, Texas, he set a record for the quickest takeoff: 79 feet (24 m) in 3.8 seconds, breaking Glenn Curtiss's mark of 95 feet (29 m) in 5.25 seconds.^[6] In May, he performed in Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia, before heading to Mineola, New York, Curtiss's headquarters.^[6]

On June 13, 1910, Hamilton won a prize of $10,000, sponsored by The New York Times and the Philadelphia Public Ledger, for being the first to fly from New York City to Philadelphia and back,^[6] the first flight between two major US cities.^[22] He departed from Governors Island in New York harbor at 7:30 am and reached Philadelphia at 9:26 am.^[23] With a stopover in Philadelphia, the round trip took a little over 11 hours, at an average speed of nearly 51 miles per hour (82 km/h).^[6]

He received a hero's welcome in his hometown of New Britain,^[24] and, on July 2, 1910, made "the first public flight in the State" there.^[25] It was also the first in New England.^[24][26]

Between June and August, he performed at Knoxville, Nashville and Atlantic City.^[6] In Nashville, he made the first night flight in America, remaining aloft 25 minutes before developing engine trouble.^[6]

When Hamilton fell behind on payments, Glenn Curtiss repossessed the Reims Racer.^[6] Hamilton then had a new airplane built by Walter Christie, who had a car and engine factory in Manhattan.^[6] Finished on August 31, it was reputed to have the most powerful airplane engine yet, boasting 110 hp.^[6] Hamilton named his new airplane the "Hamiltonian".^[6] In September, however, the Hamiltonian stalled and crashed during a demonstration flight outside Sacramento, California; Hamilton was "badly cut, bruised and burned", but was flying again in a week.^[6] "On September 28, he was issued American pilot license no. 12."^[6]

He then joined John Moisant's exhibition team, performing with them in Richmond, Chattanooga and Memphis. In Memphis, he broke his own speed record of 64.6 miles per hour (104.0 km/h) by going 79.2 miles per hour (127.5 km/h).^[6] In February 1911, he and Moisant parted company, with Moisant keeping his airplane.^[6] He pioneered flying in Cleveland in October 1911, piloting a Curtis biplane.^[27]

Hamilton died of tuberculosis^[11] or "a lung hemorrhage after a long bout with tuberculosis"^[5][27] on January 22, 1914. He was buried in Hartford, Connecticut on January 26.^[28] Those familiar with his short career claimed he had earned a quarter of a million dollars, but he spent it and died almost broke.^[28]

Hamilton married twice. He was divorced by his first wife and was survived by his second, Gussie, whom he had married the summer before his death.^[12]

References

External links

• 
  Seated in airplane, c. 1910, photograph in the Library of Congress
  


• 
  The New York Times article, June 12, 1910: "Charles K. Hamilton Tells How To Run An Aeroplane"


• 
  Charlie Hamilton riding as a passenger in a Wright B piloted by friend Harry Atwood
  


• 
  Charles K. Hamilton at Find a Grave