In the early days of aviation there were no control panels with fuel gauges or the like. Quite literally, in the late 1910’s these things were falling out of the sky. #HillsboroLighthouse Head Keeper Thomas Knight rescued so many of these distressed pilots that his supervisor, the district inspector, got agitated that he was spending so much time doing so. #Onthisday in 1918 Knight “Sighted hydroaeroplane drifting at sea about 5 miles S.E. Of Station. I went to him in motor-boat and towed her about 3 miles - There were 3 men aboard, S.C. 156 of Miami, Fla then took her in tow.” (S.C. Was short for sub chaser- a small fast boat utilized in #WWI all along the coast) This photo is on an early #seaplane, or then called #hydroaeroplane that made frequent visits to the lighthouse. This photo is from the Knight family and we received from Thomas’ daughter Mary Voss. (Text courtesy of the #NationalArchives) #history #lighthouse #hillsborobeach #pompanobeach #lighthousepoint #florida (at Hillsboro Lighthouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/BypYiFRH1jD/?igshid=r5b69ialvoen
