Albert Jewell
Encyclopedia
Albert Jewell was an early US
aviator who disappeared off Long Island
, New York
, on October 13, 1913, en route to Oakwood, Staten Island
, in order to take part in the New York Times American Aerial Derby. No confirmed trace of Jewell or his aircraft was ever recovered. At the time, the press compared his likely fate to that of Cecil Grace
and Edouard Jean Bague
, who disappeared during flights over water (in December 1910 and June 1911 respectively).
(last), William S. Luckey (1st prize), Frank Niles (2nd prize) and C. Murvin Wood (3rd prize).
; at the time of his disappearance, he had been flying for six months and he was an instructor at the Moisant Aviation School
, though he had little experience of flights of the distance was attempting. His last flight was planned to be from the Moisant Aviation School near Hempstead, Long Island
to the Oakwood airfield from which the competitors in the race were due to depart. Jewell was flying a Moisant-Blériot monoplane, a version of the Blériot XI
built under licence by the Moisant Aeroplane Company, Queens
, New York, and, at least according some reports, powered by a Gnome Lambda
80hp rotary engine
rather than the more normal Gnome Omega
, 50hp. Witnesses observed the aircraft off the south shore of Long Island, apparently being blown out to sea. The captain of a fishing vessel reported seeing an aircraft resembling Jewell's off Sandy Hook
. As Jewell was unable to swim and his only flotation device was the inner tube of a tyre, his chances of surviving a ditching at sea were poor, even if he managed to get clear of the wreckage of his aircraft. An initial rumour that Jewell had been rescued from the sea by a merchant vessel proved to be unfounded.
biplane
; the aircraft was written off but the only injuries were minor burns and bruises to Hall. Luckey, the winner of the race, planned to conduct a search flight over Jamaica Bay
on October 18. Searchers concentrated on Jamaica Bay and the sea off Rockaway Point where Jewell was last sighted. No signs of Jewell or of the wreckage of his aircraft were found.
Several rewards were offered for information which might reveal what accident had befallen Jewell and the location of his remains; $400 by the Aeronautical Society; $300 by the aviator's widow and $250 by the Moisant Aeroplane Company. Despite reports over the following months that Jewell's body had been recovered on at least two separate occasions, none of the human remains in question were positively identified as those of the aviator. On January 4, 1914, a human torso was washed up on the beach at Edgemere, Queens
, following a storm and was suspected to be Jewell's. However, when called upon to identify the body, his widow excluded that possibility, on the basis of the remnants of clothing on the torso. This casts doubt on a report that a "badly bloated and disfigured body" washed up on Fire Island on October 25, 1913, was Jewell's.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aviator who disappeared off Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on October 13, 1913, en route to Oakwood, Staten Island
Oakwood, Staten Island
Oakwood is the name of a neighborhood located in east central Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. It lies near the southern shore, and is bordered by Ebbitts Street ; the Atlantic Ocean ; Great Kills Park ; and the Staten Island Railway...
, in order to take part in the New York Times American Aerial Derby. No confirmed trace of Jewell or his aircraft was ever recovered. At the time, the press compared his likely fate to that of Cecil Grace
Cecil Grace
-External links:*...
and Edouard Jean Bague
Edouard Jean Bague
Edouard Jean Bague was an early twentieth-century French aviator. A lieutenant in the Algerian tirailleurs, he obtained his aviators's licence from the Aéro-Club de France on 23 November 1910...
, who disappeared during flights over water (in December 1910 and June 1911 respectively).
Air race
The New York Times American Aerial Derby was a race organised by the newspaper to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Orville Wright's first flight on December 17, 1903, in timed circuits, over a 60 mile (97.5km) course starting and finishing in Oakwood. The competitors were J. Guy Gilpatrick (4th place), Tony JannusTony Jannus
Antony Habersack Jannus, more familiarly known as Tony Jannus , was an early American pilot whose aerial exploits were widely publicized in aviation's pre-World War I period. He flew the first airplane from which a parachute jump was made, in 1912. Jannus was also the first airline pilot, having...
(last), William S. Luckey (1st prize), Frank Niles (2nd prize) and C. Murvin Wood (3rd prize).
Jewell's final flight
Jewell held a pilot's licence issued by the Aero Club of AmericaAero Club of America
The Aero Club of America was a social club formed in 1905 by Charles Glidden and others to promote aviation in America. It was the parent organization of numerous state chapters, the first being the Aero Club of New England. It thrived until 1923, when it transformed into the National Aeronautic...
; at the time of his disappearance, he had been flying for six months and he was an instructor at the Moisant Aviation School
Moisant Aviation School
The Moisant Aviation School was a school in the early days of aviation founded Alfred Moisant at Hempstead, Long Island, New York. Alfred and his brother John Bevins Moisant formed the Moisant International Aviators, a flying circus which toured the United States, Mexico and El Salvador. John had...
, though he had little experience of flights of the distance was attempting. His last flight was planned to be from the Moisant Aviation School near Hempstead, Long Island
Hempstead (village), New York
Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:...
to the Oakwood airfield from which the competitors in the race were due to depart. Jewell was flying a Moisant-Blériot monoplane, a version of the Blériot XI
Blériot XI
The Blériot XI is the aircraft in which, on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel made in a heavier-than-air aircraft . This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the early years of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in...
built under licence by the Moisant Aeroplane Company, Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York, and, at least according some reports, powered by a Gnome Lambda
Gnome Lambda
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6....
80hp rotary engine
Rotary engine
The rotary engine was an early type of internal-combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration, in which the crankshaft remained stationary and the entire cylinder block rotated around it...
rather than the more normal Gnome Omega
Gnome Omega
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6....
, 50hp. Witnesses observed the aircraft off the south shore of Long Island, apparently being blown out to sea. The captain of a fishing vessel reported seeing an aircraft resembling Jewell's off Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit along the Atlantic coast of New JerseySandy Hook may also refer to:-Places:United States* Sandy Hook , a village in the town of Newtown, Connecticut* Sandy Hook, Kentucky, a city in Elliott County...
. As Jewell was unable to swim and his only flotation device was the inner tube of a tyre, his chances of surviving a ditching at sea were poor, even if he managed to get clear of the wreckage of his aircraft. An initial rumour that Jewell had been rescued from the sea by a merchant vessel proved to be unfounded.
Searches and discoveries
Extensive searches on land and sea were conducted for Jewell and his aircraft. The Moisant Aeroplane Company sent six motor boats to search for Jewell and several automobiles joined the land search. Several of the aviators present in the New York area took part in these search efforts. On October 15, Tony Jannus and J. Robinson Hall, the race promoter, crashed when attempting to take off in a 70hp Benoist tractorTractor configuration
thumb|right|[[Evektor-Aerotechnik|Aerotechnik EV97A Eurostar]], a tractor configuration aircraft, being pulled into position by its pilot for refuelling....
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
; the aircraft was written off but the only injuries were minor burns and bruises to Hall. Luckey, the winner of the race, planned to conduct a search flight over Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay is located on the southwestern tip of Long Island in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, and the town of Hempstead, New York/hamlet of Inwood...
on October 18. Searchers concentrated on Jamaica Bay and the sea off Rockaway Point where Jewell was last sighted. No signs of Jewell or of the wreckage of his aircraft were found.
Several rewards were offered for information which might reveal what accident had befallen Jewell and the location of his remains; $400 by the Aeronautical Society; $300 by the aviator's widow and $250 by the Moisant Aeroplane Company. Despite reports over the following months that Jewell's body had been recovered on at least two separate occasions, none of the human remains in question were positively identified as those of the aviator. On January 4, 1914, a human torso was washed up on the beach at Edgemere, Queens
Edgemere, Queens
Edgemere is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, extending from Beach 32nd to Beach 52nd Street on the Rockaway Peninsula. It contains Rockaway Community Park. Arverne is to the west, and Far Rockaway to the east. Edgemere was founded in 1892 by Frederick J. Lancaster, who...
, following a storm and was suspected to be Jewell's. However, when called upon to identify the body, his widow excluded that possibility, on the basis of the remnants of clothing on the torso. This casts doubt on a report that a "badly bloated and disfigured body" washed up on Fire Island on October 25, 1913, was Jewell's.