Heroes of the Sky at Henry Ford Museum

This page from the log book of the autogiro includes a flight order for one of the publicity stunts-dropping golf balls onto several Detroit-area golf courses.

The last page from the log book of the autogiro. Its final flight was from Chicago to Ford Airport, where it was donated to Henry Ford. “30” is newspaper slang for “the end of the story.”

Inventors

William Scripps and The Detroit News Autogiro

30
In reality the new plane proved more useful for publicity purposes than for news-gathering. It gave demonstrations all over southeast Michigan, and participated in stunts like dropping golf balls onto golf courses. In 1931 the News held a contest for the best flying model of the autogiro, rewarding the top six finishers with rides in the plane. In May, 1933 the autogiro flew to Chicago, where it was exhibited as part of the Century of Progress Exposition. In November it returned to Detroit and was donated to Henry Ford for his new museum. It has been here ever since.

William Scripps stayed involved in aviation. The News bought a new Lockheed Orion in 1934, equipped with three cameras. Scripps was also one of the founders of the Early Birds, an organization of aviation pioneers (some of their early archives are in the collections of The Henry Ford). And it was Scripps who urged Henry Ford to buy the Wright brothers’ home and bicycle shop, and move them from Dayton, Ohio to Greenfield Village.

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						Teachers, get lesson plans and see the curriculum ties to the Heroes of the Sky.
	See the planes on exhibit, check out the specifications and get a sneak peak in a few cockpits.			Try one of these high- flying designs at home!

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The Henry Ford is an AAM accredited institution. The complex is an independent, non-profit, educational
institution not affiliated with the Ford Motor Company or the Ford Foundation.