Museum Description: The 1912 Gage biplane in the NASM collection is referred to as the Fowler-Gage, in recognition of its owner and pilot, Robert G. Fowler. Beginning in October 1912, Fowler made numerous exhibition and passenger flights in California. He made his most famous flight in the airplane in 1913, flying ocean-to-ocean across Panama. With the Gage now on floats, Fowler started his Isthmus of Panama crossing with a takeoff from the Pacific side at 9:45 a.m. on April 27. It was an extraordinarily dangerous flight, with no open areas available for emergency landings. Nevertheless, he completed the 83 km (52 mi) flight in one hour and 45 minutes, landing with his passenger/cameraman, R.E. Duhem, at Cristobal at 11:30 a.m.

Fowler continued to perform further exhibition and passenger-carrying flights, as well as flying linemen on inspection trips over the transmission lines between Sacramento and Oraville, California, for the Great Western Power Company. He retired the airplane in 1915. Gift of Robert G. Fowler. Inventory Number: A19510004000

Details:

• Manufacturer: Gage-McClay Company
• Date: 1912-1915
• Country of Origin: United States of America
• Dimensions:

• Wingspan: 13.1 m (43 ft)
• Length: 7.6 m (25 ft)
• Height: 4.6 m (15 ft)

• Weight: 363 kg, without engine (800 lb)
• Materials: Airframe: Wood; Covering: Fabric
• Physical Description: Tractor biplane with one 90-horsepower Curtiss OX-5 V-8 engine. Open-frame fuselage. Double wheel landing gear with forward protruding landing skids. Natural finish overall with black markings.