Alden McWilliams’ They Had What it Takes was a series of illustrated tributes to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation that ran in Flying Aces from 1937 through 1940.

In the October 1938 issue, McWilliams rendered the air career of James H. “Jack” Knight, best known as an early pioneer of the US Air Mail. He signed on to the Air Mail service in 1919 often flying treacherous legs like the aptly titled “Hell Stretch” from Cleveland to New York over the Alleghenies. Flights like that prepared him to take part in the first night runs for that service in 1921. He eventually moved on from transporting the mail to transporting people with United Air Lines in 1927 and moved on to help out the war effort until he contracted malaria in South America while trying to find new ways of harvesting rubber and transporting it back to America and died in 1945.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 21: Jack Knight” (October 1938, Flying Aces)

Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tributes to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation ran in Flying Aces from 1937 through 1940. The September 1938 installment covered the father of the autogyro—Juan de la Cierva. Born in Spain, his father wanted young Juan to go into politics, but his interests lied elsewhere. It was when he was trying to solve the problem of planes stalling, that he came up with the idea of the autogyro. Sadly, with his death at an early age, for all intents and purposes, the autogyro died with him being replaced by the helicopter.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 20: Juan de la Cierva” (September 1938, Flying Aces)

Flying Aces ran Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tributes to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation from 1937 through 1940. This time McWilliams chronicles the life of Glenn H. Curtiss—the ace of plane makers! Like the Wright Brothers, Curtiss started out in bicycles, but went through motorcycles on his path to building planes. He is perhaps best known for the “Jenny” which the army used as a training plane during WWI. Curtiss was also a pioneer in sea plane development—here Curtiss tests a seaplane glider.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 19: Glenn H. Curtiss” (August 1938, Flying Aces)

Age of Aces presents the eighteenth installment of Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tributes to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation. In the 16th part McWilliams chronicled the life of Capt. Edwin Musick, famed for piloting PanAm’s China Clipper. This week, McWilliams dotes on Glenn L. Martin, noted airplane designer and, in fact, designer of said China Clipper. Also an astute business man, he managed to guide his company to the forefront of the aviation business where it remains to this day as part of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 18: Glenn L. Martin” (July 1938, Flying Aces)

It’s been a while, but we’re back with two of Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tributes to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation. McWilliams’ “They Had What it Takes” ran for several years in Flying Aces magazine in the thirties and these installments appeared in 1938. Part 16 appeared in the May issue and featured beloved early commercial aviator Capt. Edwin Musick, famed for piloting PanAm’s China Clipper! Following this in the June issue, McWilliams featured Sir Hubert Wilkins, the famed Australian Arctic Explorer. Here’s some newsreel footage of him and the plane he had just piloted over the North Pole in 1928 and thirty years later signing in on the game show What’s My Line as Mr X in 1958.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 16: Capt. Edwin Musick” (May 1938, Flying Aces)
• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 17: Sir Hubert Wilkins” (June 1938, Flying Aces)

In the late thirties Flying Aces ran Alden McWilliams’ monthly illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation which was called “They Had What it Takes”. In the April 1938 issue they featured Major Alexander de Seversky, the Russian born aircraft designer who also invented a bomb sight and a mid-air refueling device.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 15: Major Alexander de Seversky” April 1938, Flying Aces

This week we bring you Part 14 of Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation. He called it “They Had What it Takes” and this installment appeared in the March 1938 Flying Aces. It features the immortal Eddie Rickenbacker, America’s “Ace of Aces”.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 14: Eddie Rickenbacker” March 1938, Flying Aces

Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation was called “They Had What it Takes”, and this week we bring you the 13th installment, which appeared in the February 1938 Flying Aces. It features Bernt Balchen, the Norwegian pilot known as the “Viking of the Skies”.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 13: Bernt Balchen” February 1938, Flying Aces

In the late thirties Flying Aces ran Alden McWilliams’ monthly illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation which was called “They Had What it Takes”. In the January 1938 issue they featured Dick Merrill. Considered the greatest airline pilot of his time, Merrill accomplished the first trans-Atlantic round trip when he flew to London to retrieve photographs of the Coronation.

Next week McWilliams looks at the career of Bernt Balchen, the Norwegian known as the “Viking of the Skies”.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 12: Dick Merrill” January 1938, Flying Aces

This week we bring you Part 11 of Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation. He called it “They Had What it Takes” and this installment appeared in the December 1937 Flying Aces. It features Richard E. Byrd, the conqueror of the North and South Poles.

We won’t have a new one for you next week as we will be in Columbus, Ohio for PulpFest. If you plan to be there stop by the Age of Aces table and say hello.

Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 11: Richard E. Byrd” December 1937, Flying Aces

In the late thirties Flying Aces ran Alden McWilliams’ monthly illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation which was called “They Had What it Takes”. In the November 1937 issue they featured the aerobatic genius, Major Al Williams.

Next week McWilliams looks at Richard E. Byrd, the conqueror of the poles.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 10: Major Al Williams” November 1937, Flying Aces

Secret Service agent and flying reporter Buzz Benson approached Sunkist Airport in his slick speedy Corsair for the worst assignment he ever had. Ten days before, three gigantic Boeing transports had vanished from the sky—never to appear again. Was it another Jap plot or something more mysterious?

• Download “T.N.T. Transport” December 1933, Sky Birds

Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation was called “They Had What it Takes”, and this week we bring you the 9th installment, which appeared in the October 1937 Flying Aces. It features the German zeppelin ace Captain Ernst Lehmann, whose last command was the ill-fated Hindenburg.

Next week, in Part 10, we will feature Major Al Williams who was considered the greatest aerobatic flier of his time.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 9: Ernst Lehmann” October 1937, Flying Aces

This week we bring you Part 8 of Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation. He called it “They Had What it Takes” and this installment appeared in the September 1937 Flying Aces. It features aircraft developer Igor Sikorsky. Among Sikorsky’s many innovations was the first multi-motored plane.

Next week look for McWilliams’ feature on zeppelin ace Captain Ernst Lehmann, whose last command was the ill-fated Hindenburg.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 8: Igor Sikorsky” September 1937, Flying Aces

This week we bring you the seventh installment of Alden McWilliams’ illustrated tribute to the pioneer fliers of the early days of aviation. He called it “They Had What it Takes” and this one appeared in the August 1937 Flying Aces. It features Amelia Earhart, “The First Lady of the Air”.

• Download “They Had What It Takes – Part 7: Amelia Earhart” August 1937, Flying Aces