Clarence Chamberlin

Clarence Duncan Chamberlin (1893-1976)

Clarence Duncan Chamberlin (November 11, 1893 – October 30, 1976) was the second man to pilot solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and he was the first to carry a passenger.

Chamberlin was born in Denison, Iowa, and was the son of E.C. Chamberlin, who owned a jewelry store. Clarence graduated from Denison High School in 1912 and then attended Denison Normal and Business College for a year before attending Iowa State University for two years. He then served in the Army Air Service during World War I. When the war ended, Chamberlin returned to Denison and ran a motorcycle and auto repair shop before moving to New York City.

Aviation

In April of 1927, Chamberlin set an endurance record by circling New York City for 51 hours and 11 minutes with Bert Acosta. Chamberlin then made the first ship-to-shore flight, when he flew a mail plane to New York City from the deck of a ship 120 miles at sea. With Charles A. Levine as his passenger, he made a record nonstop transatlantic flight, in his monoplane Columbia, from Roosevelt Field, Long Island to Eisleben, Germany, a distance of 3,911 miles, in 42 hours and 31 minutes. The flight was from June 4, 1927 through June 6, 1927. He used a Bellanca monoplane, designed by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca. On June 6, 1927, Chamberlin's monoplane ran out of fuel 43 miles short of his goal of Berlin, Germany.

Marriage

Chamberlin was first married to Wilda Bogert of Independence. After a divorce, he married Louise Ashby, an airline hostess, in 1936. He was the father of one son and two daughters. Later in life Chamberlin sold real estate. He lived his last years in Shelton, Connecticut, where he died. He is buried at Lawn Cemetery in Huntington, Connecticut.

Time (magazine) wrote on June 27, 1927:

Pilot Clarence Duncan Chamberlin and passenger Charles A. Levine were last week enjoying the hospitality of Germans, resting in the watering place known as Baden-Baden, inspecting huge multi-motored airships at the Dornier and Zeppelin plants. Some of their doings: Fraulein Thea Rasche, Germany's only licensed woman pilot, was taken for a ride over Berlin by Pilot Chamberlin. Skillful, she also took passenger Levine for a ride. Correspondents heralded the trips as strengthening to U.S. - German relations. Flyers Chamberlin and Levine hustled to Bremen to meet their respective wives, who arrived from the U.S. Said Mrs. Chamberlin on seeing her husband: "Why, your knickers are awful. Didn't you even have them cleaned?" Then the two couples flew to Berlin in three hops. The two wives were reported to be feeling ill after the first hop. "The Columbia is not on the market," said Mr. Levine when Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, rich U.S. slacker now living in Germany, offered to buy the monoplane. Mr. Bergdoll let it be known that he desires to fly to the U.S. to show that he is no coward, that conscientious objection was his only reason for refusing to fight in the World War.

Aviation records

1927 Endurance record by circling New York City for 51 hours and 11 minutes with Bert Acosta
1927 First ship-to-shore flight, when he flew a mail plane to New York City from the deck of a ship 120 miles at sea.
1927 Second nonstop transatlantic flight, from Roosevelt Field, Long Island to Eisleben, Germany, a distance of 3,911 miles, in 42 hours and 31 minutes.
1927 First transatlantic passenger

External links

Reference

Time (magazine); June 27, 1927; Chamberlin & Levine

Honor

National Aviation Hall of Fame

Preceded by Charles Lindbergh	Transatlantic flight 1927	Succeeded by ?