History

The first aircraft mechanic

By Richard Scarbrough

This story originally appeared on flyingmag.com.

The Wright brothers flew into history on Dec. 17, 1903, achieving the once-unheard-of feat of powered flight. Although debated, the accomplishment is globally accepted as the first flight of its kind. While the Wrights earned a place in the spotlight as daring aviators, one key figure is often overlooked: mechanician Charles Taylor.

An introduction

There is a fantastic book, “Charles E. Taylor: 1868-1956 The Wright Brothers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-first-aircraft-mechanic

Early 20th century mail delivery took unusual forms

vintage photo delivering mail UPSPS 1885

In almost 250 years of service, the U.S. Postal Service has tried out scores of vehicles and methods of delivery. Some of the most unusual ones were experiments and inventions of the late 1800s through the mid-1900s.

In digging through the archives of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, we found interesting photos of these inventions.

Check out some of the unusual ways the United States delivered mail back in the day.

In 1885, letter carriers in cities used handcarts to collect and deliver...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/early-20th-century-mail-delivery-took-unusual-forms

Shocking insurance claims from 1970s shipping scene

FreightWaves Classics is sponsored by Old Dominion Freight Line — Helping the World Keep Promises. Learn more here.

FreightWaves explores the archives of American Shipper’s nearly 70-year-old collection of shipping and maritime publications to showcase interesting freight stories of long ago.

In this week’s edition from the November 1980 issue, FreightWaves looks at shocking anecdotes from an insurance underwriter in the maritime industry.

Bizarre claims

Hitchhiking corpses; crushed legs; missing,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shocking-insurance-claims-from-1970s-shipping-scene

How Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade logistics has worked for almost 100 years

The logistics of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a massive undertaking and takes all year long. Interested in learning how it works? In this week’s episode of Tracks Through Time, Deputy Editor Brielle Jaekel and 3PL expert Mary O’Connell explain it all and also reveal some really interesting...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-logistics-has-worked-for-almost-100-years

The dangerous job of delivering mail by air in the early 20th century

FreightWaves Classics is sponsored by Old Dominion Freight Line — Helping the World Keep Promises. Learn more here.

In 1918, the U.S. Postal Service started to experiment with delivering mail by planes, even though the technology was still new. Cockpits were still open-air and passenger planes weren’t even considered yet. From 1918 to 1927, 34 airmail pilots lost their lives in accidents on the job.

Despite the risks, it was a coveted job and pilots were treated similarly to how astronauts are...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-dangerous-job-of-delivering-mail-by-air-in-the-early-20th-century

A gallery of early mail delivery by air

historic mail delivery by plane

In 1918, the airplane was still a new technology, but the Postal Service set out to use it to deliver mail. The undertaking was dangerous and many pilots lost their lives.

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum has a catalog of photographs showing what a challenging and surprising job this was. Check out some of the photos below.

An airmail plane is parked in front of its hangar in Reno, Nevada. (Photo: National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
Another airmail plane is...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/a-gallery-of-early-mail-delivery-by-air

The best cover designs from American Shipper’s 1980s magazine issues

The global shipping publication American Shipper launched in 1974 with the goal to serve the needs of all players involved in international shipping, providing important information to shippers, carriers and third parties.

Founded by late maritime journalist David A. Howard, the magazine began as the Florida Journal of Commerce until Howard saw a need for a national publication focused on shipping. He relaunched the publication as American Shipper in May 1974. This was decades before the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-best-cover-designs-from-american-shippers-1980s-magazine-issues

Survey completed on wrecks of 30 ships lost in 1940 Dunkirk evacuation

The Department of Underwater and Submarine Archaeological Research (Département des recherches archéologiques subaquatiques et sous-marines; DRASSM) of the French Ministry of Culture has surveyed 30 wrecks sunk during the rescue of 338,000 Allied soldiers from Dunkirk early in the Second World War. The survey, which was done in partnership with preservation group Historic England, shows […]

The post Survey completed on wrecks of 30 ships lost in 1940 Dunkirk evacuation appeared first on Baird...

https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/specialised-fields/marine-research-and-training/maritime-archaeology/survey-completed-on-wrecks-of-30-ships-lost-in-1940-dunkirk-evacuation/

How Australia lost a war with emus

While numerous parts of the world are ensconced in tragic wars right now, a war in Australia’s past offers a stark distinction with some levity.

In 1932, a massive migration of emus wrought havoc on the country’s farmlands, deeply damaging the country’s wheat supply and more. Twenty thousand emus descended on Western Australia in migration, almost decimating farmlands that provided much-needed wheat and supplies to Australia.

Farmers were unable to stop them from eating their crops after the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-australia-lost-a-war-with-emus

A truck driver’s vanishing act: What happened to Devin Williams?

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In this compelling episode hosted by Brielle Jaekel, deputy editor, and featuring insights from...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/a-truck-drivers-vanishing-act-what-happened-to-devin-williams

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