1889-1971 |
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Collection of Robert Donahue |
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| 1911 Model biplane, 100 HP, 2-cycle, 6-cyl, Emerson Engine built and flown at
Dominguez Field, Cal., by L to R: Harvey Crawford and Wm A. Denehie. Text by Wm A. Denehie |
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You will find several entries for Harvey on the AeroFiles website. You will find references to several of his enterprises, as well as specifications, and a photo, of several planes. You can visit his entry by clicking on: Harvey Crawford and using the "Find" function several times on "Crawford" Plan to spend some time on this wonderful site. |
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Harvey Crawford passed away at the Antelope Valley Hospital just three days before reaching his 83rd
birthday. He had been ill for several years and was under the care of a close friend, W.H. Rasmussen of Mojave, California. Harvey was born in Missouri on November 11, 1889, but had spent most of his life on the West Coast in Washington and California. Being the son of air-minded father, he developed an early interest in aeronautics. In 1900, at age 11, he made his first ascension and parachute drop from his father's hot air balloon. In 1908 he built and flew an airplane, before he had ever seen any other. It was a biplane with a 40 H.P. Elbridge engine. later a 50 H.P. Gnome rotary engine was installed. During the winter of 1910-1911, he built a second airplane, a modified Curtiss-type with a 50 H.P. Call engine. This was the first plane ever built in the State of Washington. In 1911 Crawford moved his airplane and all operations from Puyallup, Washington to Los Angeles. The following year, he was associated with William Denehie at Dominguez Field, where they built and flew a pusher biplane. He entered the amateur events of the 1912 Meet at Dominguez Field. Competing with most of the West Coast airmen. Crawford made a notable showing, flying every day and winning the first prize for duration iwth a flight of two hours and twenty minutes. When the Wright Borthers entered suit against Glenn H. Curtiss for infringement of patent, they also sued Harvey Crawford. In 1917 Harvey volunteered for service in the Army Aviation Section, but was rejected for minor physical reasons. In 1928 he formed the Crawford All-Metal Aeroplane Company. Convinced that future aircraft would be made of metal, he designed and built the first all-metal plane in the Los Angeles area. In 1930 he joined the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in the construction of flying boats for the Navy. He later withdrew from aviation and went into the metal processing business, but he never lost interest in flying. In 1950 he became affiliated with the Mojave Smelting Company, Mojave, California. Harvey Crawford is survived by three brothers, Ed and Jim of Hollister, John of San Jose, California, and a sister, Esther McNeilly of Brookings, Oregon. Back 
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