THE VIEW FROM PARIS
How The French Saw The Knapp Estate In Mastic In 1917
KNAPP SEAPLANE BASE ON THE KNAPP ESTATE MASTIC BEACH circa JUNE 1917
As It Appeared in Le Mirror in France July 22, 1917
Photo Caption Translation :
American seaplanes in training
The pilots of this squadron are all students who will serve soon America [United States], which is rapidly manufacturing airplanes and training a large number of pilots, will be able to send soon to France a big contingent of excellent pilots with their planes. At the same time squadrons of seaplanes are being organized for protecting the American coasts; these [seaplane squadrons] are made up exclusively of students. Here are the student-pilots rowing an apparatus onto land after a patrol?they are grouped around their instructors, Mr E. K. Jaquith and Mr Leonard Bonney.
That's E. K. Jaquith in the center (Tall Guy Laughing ) and that is Leonard W. Bonney (short guy with helmet) who went on to design the Bonney Gull next to Jaquith. Can't tell who is behind Bonney
Mr. J. F. Knapp aka Dodi Knapp, may be the guy on the far left or perhaps the guy just out of the frame on the left or perhaps he was the photographer? Thomas Dixon appears to be two guys to the left of Jaquith. This is probably somewhere between where the future Jefferson and Locust Drives end.
MORE ON THE KNAPP SEAPLANE BASE & AERO ADVENTURES
Flight Journal Magazine on the Bonney Gull
Knapp Mastic Airbase On The Front Page Of Ft Wayne Journal