Ralph Johnstone

Background

He was born on September 18, 1880 in Parsons, Kansas.

Career

He and Archibald Hoxsey were known as the "heavenly twins" for their attempts to break altitude records. He started as a vaudeville trick bicycle rider that performed a mid-air forward somersault. He became a Wright exhibition team pilot.

On October 27, 1910, the International Aviation Tournament was at the Belmont Park race track in Elmont, New New York

The meet offered $3,750 for the highest altitude, another $1,000 for a world record and a $5,000 bonus for exceeding 10,000 feet. Johnstone set a new American flight altitude record of 8,471. feet.

During the flight, a gust of wind forced him to fly backwards, and he landed near Artist Lake in Middle Island, New New York He died on November 17, 1910 in Denver, Colorado in an aircrash.

He was in a crash after he failed to recover from a dive in Denver on November 17, 1910.

A New York State Historic Plaque commemorating the landing at Artist Lake can be found at the lake along New York State Route 25 in Middle Island.

Connections

rival:

Eugene Ely