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July 18, 2024

Extraordinary ‘Selfies’ Taken by Pilots During the First World War

These photographs were taken during biplane training flights just before and after the United States entered World War I, in San Diego, Calif., and San Antonio, Texas. Most of the pictures were taken by the pilot of the second man in a plane, usually the flying instructor; a few of the images were taken by the pilot. All the pictures were taken during flights at training airfields.

While both mono-winged and bi-winged planes were developed during the early years of the 20th century, by 1914 it was the biplane which had become the focus for aeronautic activity, its pair of wings giving it both greater strength and enhanced maneuverability.

The camera used to take these pictures was typically a Vest Pocket Kodak (VPK) – known as the “Soldier’s Camera.” It was, for its time, a very thin camera designed to fit in a vest or waistcoat pocket. On the market from 1912 to 1926, it was extremely popular, with more than two million of them sold.
The VPK had some technical limitations, and was not able to focus at fewer than about six feet and also had a slow shutter speed - hence the slightly out-of-focus quality to some of the photographs.

The flights shown took place at Curtiss Flying School, in San Diego, and Kelly Field in San Antonio. Curtiss Flying School had originally been started as a direct competitor to the Wright Brothers’ Flying School, in 1910. In fact, one Wright brother – the less famous Lorin Wright – was sent to spy at Curtiss’ New York field. The U.S. Army took control of the Curtiss Flying School in 1917. Kelly Field – originally a cleared cotton field – was established as an Air Training Service Camp after the United States entered World War I, in 1917. Initially, tents were used as hangars.















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