Medals Related to Flight

The medal's obverse bears a rendering of the Thompson Trophy with a figure of Icarus at center, surrounded by ten stars with two single engine planes flying across from left to right. Around,on a raised band, a 2 line legend detailing the names of the trophy winners through 1941. Rx: At top are the company logos and below an inscription: DOUG / DAVIS - SPEED / HOLMAN - LOWELL / BAYLES - JIMMIE / DOOLITTLE - JIMMIE / WEDELL - ROSCOE / TURNER - HAROLD / NEUMANN - MICHEL / DETROYAT - RUDY / KLING - THE / THOMPSON / THROPHY.

The reverse bears corporate logos of Thompson Products and Thompson Aircraft Products Companies over oak branch; at bottom, aircraft parts.  Across, COMMEMORATING / THE DEDICATION OF THE PLANT OF/THOMPSON AIRCRAFT PRODUCTS COMPANY, EUCLID OHIO, / SUBSIDIARY OF/ THOMPSON PRODUCTS, INC. / CLEVELAND, - OHIO, / U·S·A; around bottom, A.D. - 1941.

The Thompson Trophy came about when a volunteer at the first National Air Races in 1929 approached Mr. Lee Clegg of the Thompson Products to see whether he might sponsor an award. Clegg was amenable to the idea and purchased a trophy for the sum of $25 plus $10 for the engraving.  After the races were a smashing success, Clegg suggested that the National Aeronautic Association authorize a permanent Thompson Trophy and that was done. A committee of judges then chose Walter Sinz's design which is depicted on the medal's obverse.

The trophy was awarded 11 times before 1941 but Roscoe Turner won it three times.

The circular medal measures 89mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. Neither artist nor mintage are reported and any additional information would be highly welcome.

The obverse bears kneeling nude youth holding an airplane model in right hand, left hand on propeller; sun at left horizon. To right, date and signature 19 (circled BP) 41 / ©

The reverse bears dove in flight over fleecy clouds. Below, FLIGHT

Brenda Putnam wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"Although this medal is issued during a preiod when the entire world is engaged in a gigantic struggle on land, at sea, and in the air, the theme of the medal is not warlike. The lad is no warrior, and the bird no eagle. Rather does the design concern itself with man's creative struggle to win supremacy in a vast new region, -the air. The war proves only too well the appalling destructive power of fighting and bombing planes. But beyond the war -and there will surely be a beyond- there are infinite possibilities for constructive and humanitarian activities in man's conquest of the air."

This medal was chosen as the 26th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1942. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York, which struck 759 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-026, SoM 26, Marqusee 326

The medal's obverse depicts various refinery operations with a worker in the foreground. Around, TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY COMMEMORATING THEIR / PRODUCTION OF ONE BILLION GALLONS OF 100 OCTANE GASOLINE AT BAYTOWN REFINERY; below, DECEMBER 14, 1944 / HOUSTON, TEXAS

The reverse bears three flying fortresses dropping bombs. In lower half of field, YOUR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCING A BILLION GALLONS OF / 100 OCTANE GASOLINE HAS GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO / THE GAINING OF AIR SUPREMACY OVER OUR ENEMIES / (signature of General H H Arnold) / GENERAL U.S. ARMY / COMMANDING GENERAL ARMY AIR FORCES

On December 14, 1945 the 14,000 employees of Humble Oil & Refining Company were honored at a ceremony celebrating the manufacture of a billion gallons of finished 100 Octane Aviation Gasoline at the company's Baytown refinery. A medal was commissioned to commemorate the event and Chambellan was chosen to design and model it.

The medal measures 62mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1944-012

References:   MACo 1947-023

The medal's obverse bears a winged plaque and lots of lext. Around top, THE PORT OF NEW YORK AUTHORITY; at top of center, NEW YORK / INTERNATIONAL / AIRPORT; on plaque, DEDICATION / JULY 31, 1948, followed by long list of names and titles; plaque surrounded by airport statistics.

The medal's reverse bears an aireal view of runway layout with clouds at top and sea at bottom. Around bottom edge, © NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT; signed over shoreline at left, KILENYI

New York International Airport, now known as John F. Kennedy airport, was built to relieve LaGuardia Airport which was overcrowded soon after opening in 1939. Construction began in 1943, and about $60 million was initially spent of governmental funding, but only 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land on the site of the Idlewild Golf Course were earmarked for use.

The project was renamed Major General Alexander E. Anderson Airport in 1943, after a Queens resident who had commanded a Federalized National Guard unit in the southern United States and died in late 1942. In March 1948 the New York City Council changed the name to New York International Airport, Anderson Field, but the common name was "Idlewild" until 1963.

The Port Authority leased the JFK property from the City of New York in 1947 and maintains this lease today. The first airline flight from JFK was on July 1, 1948; the opening ceremony was attended by then U.S. President Harry S. Truman. The Port Authority cancelled foreign airlines' permits to use LaGuardia, forcing them to move to JFK during the next couple of years.

This medal measures 76mm (3in) in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts. A silver variant was part of the Marqusee collection.

References:   Marqusee 226

The medal's obverse bears conjoined busts of Wilbur and Orville Wright, facing half-left.  Around top, FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF POWERED FLIGHT; in exergue, WILBUR ORVILLE WRIGHT / KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA / DECEMBER 17, 1903; signed above shoulder at right, KILENYI

The reverse bears rays projecting from Wright brothers' plane at right, tail of modern jet at left, clouds in background and gently sloping hills below. Around, FIRST FIFTY YEARS OF FLIGHT / SECURITY AND PROGRESS; under jet, 1953; under Wright biplane, 1903

The circular medal measures 76.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears conjoined busts of Walter H. Beech and Olive Ann Beech.  Around top, BEECHCRAFT LEGION OF HONOR; to left and right of busts, WALTER H. / BEECH - O. A. / BEECH; around bottom, 1932 CO-FOUNDERS / Beech Aircraft Corporation

The reverse bears (B Beech Aircraft logo). Around top, FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE; below logo, AWARDED TO

This medal is a reworking of an earlier Beechcraft medal celebrating the company's 25th anniversary.

The medal was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1966-070

The medal's obverse bears astronaut on spacewalk, connected to capsule by coiling umbilical. Around, THe CONQUEST OF SPACE; signed at lower right, Calle/DiLorenzo © 1971

The reverse bears male figure with unraveling wings, looking backwards at massive sun with rays covering entire background. Around top, MAN'S DREAM

The circular medal measures 63.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1971-086

The medal's obverse bears biplane with decorated fuselage labeled "EASTERN AIR TRANSPORT INC. / US MAIL No 19" flying from right to left; in background, route plan with ten stops from Miami to New Brunswick. Around, · 1928 · FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE · 1978 · / EASTERN AIRLINES

The reverse bears companiy's logo at top with multi-line inscription: EASTERN / This 50th Anniversary medallion / contains metal from most of the aircraft / Eastern has flown since the Pitcairn Mailwing / and from the Apollo spacecraft as well. / It commemorates the progress we have made / together over the last 50 years in attaining the / highest standards of air transportation. / It also symbolizes our dedication and commitment to excellence in the future. / Congratulations, / (Frank Borman signature) / Frank Borman / President

Eastern was one of the "Big Four" domestic airlines created by the Spoils Conferences of 1930, and was headed by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker in its early years. It had a near monopoly in air travel between New York and Florida from the 1930s until the 1950s and dominated this market for decades afterward.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, during the deregulation, labor disputes and high debt loads strained the company under the leadership of former astronaut Frank Borman. Frank Lorenzo acquired Eastern in 1985 and moved many of its assets to his other airlines, including Continental Airlines and Texas Air. After continued labor disputes and a crippling strike in 1989, Eastern ran out of money and was liquidated in 1991.

Before becoming president of Eastern Air, Frank Borman was one of the Apollo 8 astronauts, which might help explain how metal from that spacecraft ended up in the planchets.

The oval medal measures 77.2mm x 62.8mm and was struck in bronze.  Neither mint nor mintage, nor the artist who designed this handsome medal are known at this time.