Sun Ship Air View
Image Not Available

Sun Ship Air View

Image Not Available
Negative

William N. Jennings

Maker
American, b. England, 1860–1946

Sun Ship Air View

[Aerial View / plant construction / Philadelphia to Wilmington flight]


July 1920
negative, gelatin on nitrocellulose sheet film
Overall: 20.3 x 25.4 cm
Gift of the 3M Foundation, ex-collection Louis Walton Sipley, 1977
1982.1592.0009
Inscriptions on original sleeve (pencil): Sun Ship Air View

one original sleeve (ink): This was one of my first aero negatives, made on original flight, July 1920.

Up to that time, 5 x 7 was the usual size. A U.S. flyer at Belmont laughed me off the field at the idea of using an 8 x 10 Camera [illegible].

When I completed my 8 x 10 fixed focus aero camera, I looked around for a chance to test it. My nephew Bob Hewitt was in charge of the Phila. airport. Told me the Aero Service Corporation was using a 5 x 7 camera and would be glad to let me try out my camera.

Made my first aeroplane flight in July 1920. Made a flight with Capt. Dillon to Wilmington. Made 24 exposures on cut film. All good. We sold prints from these negatives:
Westinghouse Plant - $100
Baldwin Plant - 100
2 Dupont Houses - 100
Wilmington Paper Mill - 100
" " "
Post Cards - 100
______________
$500
Sun ship 50

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