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[Photo album of World War I aviation at Carruthers Field, Texas.] Snapshots [cover title].

Carruthers Field, Benbrook, Texas, [ca. 1917–ca. 1918]. Oblong 4to (7.5” x 10.25”), black paper over boards with white ink title on front cover. 102 silver gelatin prints, approx. 1.5” x 2.5” to 8” x 6”, mounted on 22 black leaves. 4 images loose. 30 images captioned on mounts. CONDITION: Covers detached and worn, leaves loose and worn at edges, photos very good overall with generally strong tonality.

An evocative photo album documenting early airforce aeronautics at Carruthers Field, a U.S. Army Air Service training base in Texas for allied Canadian and American pilots, including numerous aerial and crash scenes.

In the early period of World War I, Gen. John J. Pershing proposed to the Royal Canadian Flying Corps the creation of training fields in Texas on account of its warmer climate. The offer was accepted and three sites were chosen in 1917 in the area of Fort Worth: North Fort Worth, Everman, and Benbrook (the trio known as the “Flying Triangle”). The Royal Flying Corps availed themselves of the fields between October 1917 and April 1918, at which time the U.S. Army assumed control of them. The field at Benbrook was originally named Taliaferro Field No. 3 and was later renamed Carruthers Field (in honor of Cadet W. K. Carruthers who died in 1917). When the U.S. entered the war in April 1917, Carruthers Field became Benbrook Field and was used to instruct U.S. pilots. In the 1920s, the training field and its buildings were torn down. 

The majority of airplanes and airmen pictured in this album appear to be Canadian (the letter “C” appears on many of the planes). Two captions refer to “Canucks,” suggesting this album was compiled by an U.S. airman after April 1917, when the field also started serving as a training site for U.S. pilots. One image pictures a crashed plane and is captioned “Vernon Castle’s”—Capt. Vernon W. Blyth Castle, the most noted Carruthers casualty during WWI and a professional dancer who, along with his wife Irene, brought tango to the U.S. in 1913. Castle served as Commander of the 84th Canadian Training Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his service in Germany. He died on February 15th, 1918 from injuries sustained when, during a training flight, the plane he and a trainee were flying crashed after clipping another that was taking off.

At this time, planes were mostly used for reconnaissance, and this album underscores the relationship between photography and flight. A range of locations and natural phenomena are pictured from the air: Lake Worth (at 4000’); Oklahoma City; Carruthers Field itself; Benbrook, Texas (at 2000’); a sunset (at 5000’); a sunrise (at 9000’); clouds, and so forth. Close-up shots picture pilots aloft, and other aerial shots show entire planes or wings. The beauty of flight is evident in a number of images.

The captions identify various individuals: Lt. E. M. Clarke, Red Cole, C. W. Bates (seen driving a small race car), and others. A few shots show how airmen spent their down time: resting, reading, and writing in their quarters. Three composite images are included that show dozens of flying officers, all of whom were probably Canadian, judging from the number of Canadian planes pictured in the album. Other photos picture individual airmen standing in the doorway to their quarters, while some group shots feature airmen near plane

Many photos capture the dangers of early aviation. Crash photos bear captions such as “Capt. Isaac’s crash”; “Mixup with Bell Tel. Co.”; and “Lt. Stephenson’s crash.” Several collision scenes show airforce men gathered around and inspecting wrecks. Downed aircraft are variously shown completely destroyed, partially crushed, broken into pieces, or entangled in trees and woods. Several shots feature a crashed plane that landed on the roof of a Carruthers building. Other images show an upside down plane being flipped (captioned, “Everyday Cadet occurrence #1” and “#2”); a group of planes captioned “Canucks at Carruthers ready to start”; scenes from the area around Carruthers Field; the buildings and facilities of Carruthers; an airplane in a hanger; and planes engaged in various actions and formations such as “Fast glide headed for clouds” and “Rt side of V. Formation.” 

A rich photo album capturing the beauty and terror of early aviation training during WWI and evidencing Canadian and American cooperation during the war.

REFERENCES: “History of Benbrook” at Benbrook Texas online.

Item #8987

Price: $2,750.00

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