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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami and Florida AVIATION Historical Photos Gallery - Airports, Airlines, Aircraft - All Years - click on image to view >> Historical Eastern Air Lines (later Airlines) Photo Gallery - click on image to enter > 1933 - Captain Dick Merrill in the cockpit of an Eastern Air Transport Curtiss Condor CO 18
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1933 Courtesy of Steve McDonald

1933 - Captain Dick Merrill in the cockpit of an Eastern Air Transport Curtiss Condor CO 18


Thank you to Steve McDonald for contributing this image of Capt. Merrill, a pioneer pilot with Eastern Air Transport, later Eastern Air Lines.

See comments below from Mark Lincoln correcting the aircraft type and about the Curtiss T-32 Condor II, a different aircraft. The T-32 was first flown on January 30, 1933 and 45 were built for commercial airline service. It was 48 feet 7 inches long, weighed 17,500 pounds and had a wing span of 82 feet. It had a normal cruise speed of 167 mph (145 knots), a service ceiling of 23,000 feet, and was powered by two Wright Cyclone SGR-1820-F3 Radial Engines. It had seating for 15 passengers, one flight attendant and two pilots. The Condors were operated by Eastern Air Transport and American Airways.


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Mark Lincoln 06-Nov-2016 18:23
The movie "Atlantic Flight" starring Dick Merrill as Dick Bennett, and his real life co-pilot Jack Lambie as Jack Carter; and based upon their round trip atlantic flight to rush news film of the Coronation of King George VI is now available on DVD. Typical 1930s film interesting to aviation buffs but likely to really annoy film buffs.
Mark Lincoln 27-Apr-2015 21:54
Of 6 Condor CO (aka Condor 18) built five were wrecked. One the accidents happened to Eastern Air Transport at Newark, NJ on January 14, 1933. Both crew members (there were no passengers) were killed.
Mark Lincoln 27-Apr-2015 13:11
I found it! If you search "Curtiss Condor - First commercial use of an autopilot" on YouTube you will see proof that this is aa photo of the cockpit of a Curtiss Condor CO (aka Condor 18).
Mark Lincoln 26-Apr-2015 23:50
The eyebrow window indicated that this is a Curtiss Condor CO (aka Condor 18). Eastern Air Transport operated 6 of them from 1931 to 1934. The T-32 eyebrow window lower edge did not run parallel to the top of the side window. The Condor CO was an totally different airplane from the Condor II (T32).
Guest 01-Jan-2015 22:39
Knew Dick and Toby Wing Merrill, father an EAL pilot 37-71, Capt merrill flew us to Fredricksburg MD Sid Shannon Jrs Father's Day fly in in 1973, from Dulles, in a Beech Duke, hand flew it all the way locked on his altitude
Would love to see any EAL pictures
LBCLEMENTS@aol.com
Guest 29-Sep-2012 17:23
Thanks for your quick response. I also have a picture of Dick Merrill in front of his U.S. Mail plane noted from early 1930's. He is checking his watch and is in full gear.
Don Boyd28-Sep-2012 20:02
I'm sorry but that's all the information that I have. It's anyone's guess as to how many prints were made by the original photographer from the original negative and how many scans have been made of those prints. In any event the original photographer is probably deceased.

Don
Donna 28-Sep-2012 18:29
I have this same picture only it is from further back and has more detail. I got it in a collection of over 200 pictures that are backed with hardboard. Do you know the history of this photo besides the information you have provided?
j roberts 12-Jun-2009 17:53
incredibly interesting early merrill photograph in flight