Biographical Sketches

A. ROY KNABENSHUE

Born: July 15, 1876    In: Lancaster, OH
Died: March 6, 1960    In: Temple City, CA

One of this nation’s first pilots of lighter-than-air craft. In 1904 he piloted the California Arrow, one of the first dirigibles in the USA, at the St Louis World’s Fair. He raced the California Arrow against a Pope-Toledo automobile from Curtis Park in Los Angeles to Raymond Hotel in Pasadena, winning by a margin of two minutes.

The Wright brothers hired him in 1909 to manage Wright Brothers Exhibition Flying Team, responsible for booking their events. This included demonstrating a dirigible in numerous events at the 1910 Dominguez Hills Air Meet.

Roy Knabenshue is one of 14 aviation pioneers laid to rest in the Portal of the Folded Wings next to Burbank Airport.

Enshrined in National Aviation Hall of Fame 1965.

REFERENCES:
Morehouse Early Pioneers

Denotes an individual known to have soloed an aircraft prior to December 16, 1917, whether they were members of the "Early Birds of Aviation" Organization or not.