Will Rogers and Wiley Post beside their airplane, Renton Field, August 1935

• Main Author: Staff Photographer Seattle Post-Intelligencer
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Celebrities > Washington (State) > Renton; Entertainers > Washington (State) > Renton; Air pilots > Washington (State) > Renton; Airplanes > Washington (State) > Renton; Eye patches > Washington (State) > Renton; Post; Wiley; 1898-1935 Rogers; Will; 1879-1935; Orion; Barrow; Point Barrow; Alaska; Siberia
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/imlsmohai/id/1765

Humorist Will Rogers and aviation pioneer Wiley Post pose at Renton Field shortly before leaving on August 7, 1935 on their ill-fated journey. The two men planned to explore a new route to Europe over Alaska and Siberia in the modified Lockheed Orion-Explorer. Northwest Air Service in Renton installed the large pontoons to enable landings in Alaska and Siberia. The expedition ended when the plane crashed outside Point Barrow, Alaska on August 15, killing both men. Will Rogers also known as William Penn Adair Rogers [note from the Library of Congress Authority File]. Handwritten on image: Wiley Post - Will Rogers. Handwritten on sleeve: Post, Wiley, Rogers, Will and the plane in which they met death; Northwest Air Service; Berger, Art, section head, aircraft engine dept. 15. Caption information source: P-I research files. Date photograph was filed at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (date of photograph and file date may differ by a month or more): September 27, 1935. 1 nitrate negative: b&w; 4 x 5 in.