First Aircraft in North Bay (1910)
On Monday, October 17, 1910, ten hydrogen filled balloons lifted off from St. Louis, Missouri in the Gordon Bennett International Balloon Cup race. The balloons were manned by teams from Europe and the United States.
St. Louis businessman William Assman and Lt. Leopold Vogt of the Germany Army flew the Harburg III, one of three German balloons in the race. By the time they reached North Bay at 9pm on October 18, 1910, their balloon had risen to more than 18,000 feet altitude and reached speeds of over 60 miles (96 km) per hour.
As Lt. Vogt attempted to descend to a better altitude, the balloon suddenly fell like a stone and crashed into Lake Nipissing. Assman’s left arm was broken and an artery in his wrist was cut. Vogt managed to drag his teammate and the Harburg III to nearby Gull Island where they were rescued the next morning.
Before their crash landing, Assman and Vogt had been in the air for 28 hours and had traveled 850 miles (1368 km), earning them fifth in the race. Their balloon was one of seven that landed in Canada.
Photo from the Gordon Bennett Balloon Cup
Doug Newman, 22 Wing Heritage Officer