Wilfred Yackey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
W.A. Yackey
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Yackey as a US Air Mail Service pilot
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| Born |
Wilfred Anthony Yackey, Jr.
August 27, 1890 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | October 4, 1927 (aged 37) Maywood, Illinois, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Airplane crash |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | World War I pilot, aviator |
| Known for | Owner of Yackey Airplane Co. |
| Spouse(s) | Olive R. Koken (1921–1927) (his death) |
| Military career | |
| Nickname(s) | Tony |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1920 |
| Awards | Croix de Guerre (date uncertain) |
Wilfred Anthony (Tony) Yackey, Jr. (born August 27, 1890 – died October 4, 1927) was an amazing airplane pioneer in the 1920s. People knew him as W.A. Yackey. He was a brave pilot in World War I. He flew for both the United States and Italy. France even gave him a special award, the Croix de Guerre, for his heroic actions.
After the war, Tony Yackey moved near Chicago. There, he started the Checkerboard Aviation Field. He also opened one of the oldest flying schools in the U.S. Later, he created the Yackey Aircraft Company. His company first changed old World War I planes for regular people to use. Then, he began building his own planes. Sadly, Tony Yackey died on October 4, 1927. He was testing one of his planes when a wing broke, causing it to crash.
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Tony Yackey's Early Life and War Service
Tony Yackey was born in St. Louis, Missouri on August 27, 1890. His parents were Magdelena (Beck) Yackey and Wilfred A. Yackey, Sr. Before the war, Tony wanted to be a race car driver.
When World War I started, Tony went to Italy in 1914. He joined the Italian Air Force as a combat pilot. In 1917, the United States joined the war. Tony then moved to the U.S. Army and kept flying missions. He was hurt near the end of the war. For his bravery, the French government gave him the Croix de Guerre award. This award was for pilots from other countries.
Flying Mail and Air Races
From March 1921 to October 1922, Tony Yackey worked as a pilot for the US Air Mail Service. This service delivered mail by plane. He flew routes from places like Cheyenne, Wyoming and Chicago, Illinois.
After leaving the Air Mail Service, Tony stayed near Chicago. He became a stunt pilot and raced planes. On August 13, 1922, he flew in the first "Aerial Revue" at Checkerboard Aviation Field. He raced a changed Breguet 14 bomber in a 20-mile race.
In 1924, Tony took part in the National Air Races in Dayton, Ohio. He flew his own plane, the Yackey Sport. He started to focus more on building his own planes after this.
In 1925, Tony entered his Yackey Sport plane in the first Ford National Reliability Air Tour. This tour visited 10 cities to show how safe and reliable passenger planes were. His plane got a perfect score and won a prize.
Tony returned to the 1927 National Air Derby. This race went from New York City to Spokane, Washington. A pilot named E. Lee Hamilton flew a Yackey Monoplane and finished fifth, winning $500. Tony Yackey would die in this very plane just a few weeks later.
Checkerboard Aviation Field
Checkerboard Aviation Field started in 1918. It was used to fly clothes to other cities. The planes had a checkerboard design, which gave the field its name. Later, Chicago made all planes fly out of the city. This made Checkerboard a main airport for the city and for the new US Air Mail service.
Tony Yackey started working at Checkerboard Aviation Field in 1922. After he left the Air Mail Service, he moved nearby. He ran a flight school there. He also rented planes for fun rides and put on air shows. In 1924, Tony bought the field. To make money, he rented out the grass fields for local festivals and events.
Yackey Aircraft Company
In 1922, Tony Yackey started the Yackey Aircraft Company. His wife, Olive, helped him with a lot of money. For most of its time, the company fixed up old World War I planes. They changed military planes into planes for passengers and cargo.
The company was famous for changing Breguet 14 bombers into planes that could carry four passengers. They also made many Thomas-Morse Aircraft training planes into faster racing planes.
Yackey Airplanes
- Yackey Sport: Starting in 1924, Yackey changed old Thomas Brothers S-4 Scout planes. These were single-seat trainers. He made them into sport planes that could carry 2 or 3 passengers. The front part was for passengers, and a new back part was for the pilot. The engine was also made stronger. These planes were often used in "reliability races." In these races, planes got extra points for flying passengers safely and on time. The Yackey Sport was in the 1924 National Air Races and the 1925 Ford Reliability Tour.
- Yackey Monoplane: This was Tony Yackey's first and last original plane design. The Yackey Monoplane had one large wing high above the plane's body. The pilot sat in the front. Up to two passengers sat side-by-side in the back. The seats were made of leather, and there was a space for bags. It usually had a 225 horsepower Wright J5 engine. It could also be upgraded to a 425 horsepower Pratt & Whitney engine. One of these planes finished 5th in the 1927 National Air Race.
Tony Yackey's Final Years
In 1926, the government decided that private companies should handle air mail. This meant the Maywood Air Mail Field lost its contract. Tony Yackey tried to get the air mail service back to Checkerboard. He was friends with Charles Lindbergh, a famous pilot who flew for the air mail service.
However, the air mail route did not come to Checkerboard. A few weeks after the 1927 National Air Races, Tony was finishing tests on the winning plane. He always tested every plane he built himself to make sure it was safe. On October 4, 1927, Tony took the plane for one more test flight. A mechanic had put in a new support for the right wing. During a sharp turn, this support broke. The wing bent, and Tony lost control. The plane fell 500 feet and crashed.
Tony Yackey's body was taken back to St. Louis, Missouri. He is buried at Bellafontaine Cemetery.
After Tony's death, the government said Checkerboard Aviation Field was not safe. Today, the old airfield is a meadow. There is a stone marker there to remember its history.
Personal Life
Tony Yackey was the third of five children. His father was a businessman. In 1921, Tony married Olive R. Koken. They did not have any children.
In 1925, Tony Yackey became a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
