From Wickie
In 1951, Roosevelt Field closed and plans were laid for a vast shopping center to be built on the site. Accordingly the World War I aircraft were put up for sale. The Smithsonian had already acquired three of the aircraft so Cole quickly bid his life savings for the remainder. Soon thereafter he found himself the proud owner of a SPAD XIII, Avro 504K, Curtiss Jenny, Standard J-l, Aeromarine 39B and Sopwith Snipe. He was given just thirty days to remove the aircraft from Roosevelt Field, which required nine 200-mile round trips to the family home where they were stored in abandoned chicken coops.
If the Pusher replica is the one subsequently built by Palen, then that probably puts the picture as no later than 1957. when he "crashed it at an air show". ( Where?).
Last edited by Haraka; 1st Feb 2015 at 07:12.