South Sound Photo Album -- Tacoma Public Library


SERIES:	G12.1- 091
DATE:	07-28-1929
DESCRIPTION:	At approximately 5:30a.m. on July 28, 1929, a figure turns the propeller on Harold Bromley's plane "City of Tacoma," as Bromley prepares to take off on a 4,762 mile solo flight from Tacoma to Tokyo, Japan. A crowd of 25,000 had been gathering since 2 a.m. to watch Bromley fly into the history books. At 4 a.m., the long process of filling the plane with over 900 gallons of gasoline began. The take off was pushed back to after 6 a.m. As the day grew warmer, the gas expanded; and as the plane roared down the 100 foot ramp at dawn, gasoline began to spew from the now overfull tanks onto the windshield. As Bromley leaned to the side to get a clearer view, the gas splashed onto his goggles and as he pushed them up his head, the gas splashed into his eyes. The plane careened off the runway, crashing nose down in a pool of gasoline. Although Bromley was unhurt the crash ended this attempt to fly to Tokyo. BGN-310N
IMAGETYPE:	Black & White
ORIGINALNEG:	4x5"
NEGATIVETYPE:	Glass negative
SUBJECTS:	Bromley, Harold--Associated objects; Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Aeronautics--Tacoma--1920-1930;
COLLECTION:	Chapin Bowen Collection