By Gooney bird to the magic isle

Air Classics, May 2001 by O'Leary, Michael

CLAY LACY'S MAGNIFICENT DOUGLAS DC-3 RESTORATION RECALLS THE DAYS WHEN UNITED AIR LINES WAS THE ONLY FIRST-LINE OPERATOR SERVICING POPULAR SANTA CATALINA ISLAND

The 13th of January 2001 was one of those days we dream about in southern California -- crisp temperature, bright blue skies, and big white puffy clouds. These ingredients combined into a perfect recipe for what we were doing - escorting Clav Lacv's freshly-restored Douglas DC-3 from Van Nuvs Airport across the Los Angeles basin and over the Pacific Ocean to the magic isle, otherwise known as Catalina Island. It was certainly not the first time a Gooney Bird has visited the Airport-in-the-sky (Catalina is serviced on a near daily basis by two "freight dog" Gooneys flying out of Long Beach Airport) but it was certainly the first time in a long while that a DC-3 in full United Air Lines markings had landed at the field.

Flying to Catalina from the mainland has been a goal almost since the advent of manned flight. On 10 May 1912, aviation history of a sort was made when Glenn L. Martin flew a biplane "hydro-aeroplane" of his own design from Newport, California, to Santa Catalina Island -- a fairly risky business since aircraft and engine were both primitive and it was a long stretch over water (approximately 35 miles). Martin's plane averaged just under 55 mph on the journey and he made a successful landing in Avalon Bay after a journey of 37 minutes. Clearly, travel by air was a lot quicker than the boats that plied the sea lanes between the mainland and Catalina but aviation was still in its infancy and regular passenger flights could only be dreamed of. Martin would go on to establish one of the most famous firms in aviation history and construct a wide variety of military and civil aircraft.

In Los Angeles, Sdy. Chaplin (the famous comedian's half-brother) became convinced that the future was with aviation. He started several airfields in the Los Angeles area and operated a variety of aircraft. He formed Chaplin Air Lines and on 12 July 1919, using a three-seat Curtiss flying boat, started regular passenger flights from San Pedro to Catalina. The Curtiss would land in Avalon Bay and then taxi to a location near the steamer pier where the plane would be hauled up onto the beach. However, the economics of such flights were just not realistic and passenger service was discontinued in 1920 but special scenic flights over the island continued upon request until 1926.

Taking over from where Chaplin left off, Pacific Marine Airways attempted to maintain a scheduled passenger service from Wilmington to Catalina using Curtiss HSL-2 flying boats that could haul six passengers. It was a difficult proposition since breaking even was one thing and making a profit was another. By 1925, the company was reorganized and operated during the summer on a regular schedule. Western Air Express took over the operation and used twin-engine Sikorsky amphibians on the route until shutting down the line in 1930.

In 1919, Santa Catalina Island was purchased by the fabulously wealthy William Wrigley Jr. Wrigley, an enthusiastic businessman, had made his fortune from chewing gum - his Wrigley's SpearMint, Juicy Fruit, and Doublemint dominated the American gum market but he was always interested in other forms of business endeavors. As he entered his 50s, he had no intention of slowing down and in 1914 he purchased a mansion in Pasadena, California. In 1916, he bought a controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs ball team and enjoyed that so much he bought the minor league Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League.

Even though he was a hard-headed businessman, Wrigley had an impulsive side. When real estate broker David Blankenhorn approached Wrigley with the idea of buying the 76 square miles of land that comprised Santa Catalina Island, Wrigley's impulsive side came out. After several hours of discussion and looking at a couple of color post cards, Wrigley and a few partners owned the island. Taking his first trip to the island several weeks later, Wrigley and his wife were thrilled by what they saw and decided to build a mansion on the island and undertake an extensive clean-up while improving all facilities on the island. Wrigley saw that the island's natural beauty could be ruined by the greed of developers and he stated, "There is to be nothing of the Coney Island flavor about Santa Catalina. It would be unthinkable to mar the beauty of such a spot with roller coasters and the like." He wanted to "put within reach the rank and file of the United States - the people to whom I owe my prosperity - a playground where they can enjoy themselves to the utmost, at such a reasonable figure of expense that all can participate in its benefits."

And he was good to his word. During this time period, Wrigley, who was born during the Civil War, watched the development of aviation with fascination and he firmly believed that aviation would prove to be a pivotal part of travel to the island.

Philip Wrigley, the Wrigley's first son born in 1894, also inherited his father's love for the island while also developing an interest in aviation - becoming a pilot and builder of gliders and aircraft. He learned how to fly after enlisting with the US Navy during World War One and continued as a reservist until 1921. Philip Wrigley also had a similar vision of Catalina as his father and once wrote, "Being an island we can control a definite plan over a period of years, unhampered by outside commercialism...we may be able to make all of Catalina Island a monument to early California."