H96.1.1879

Stamped on the back of the photo, "Douglas Aircraft Co., Inc. Santa Monica, California. G-13 Public Relations Library. C 85542." Photo shows Martin Jensen climbing into the cockpit of his airplane the "Aloha" in the Dole Race. Jensen is wearing a patterned sweater over a shirt and tie. A pair of aviator goggles is resting on his head and he is holding a jacket in his left hand, bring it with him into the cockpit. Three men are standing in front of the plane with their backs to the camera, the man in the middle, wearing a leather jacket, has his arms spread out on either side of him kind of holding everyone else back. The shot is taken looking at the nose of the plane, the lei painted around the nose of the plane is visible right before the window of the pilot's seat. The Dole Race or Dole Derby was an air race from Oakland to Hawaii from August 16-18, 1927. There were fifteen original entries but due to various accidents and mechanical problems only eight planes actuall took off and only two ever reached Hawaii. The race was sponsered by James Dole of Dole Hawaiian Pineapple. First prize was $25,000 and second $10,000. The "Aloha" was piloted by Martin Jensen and navigated by Paul Schluter. Jensen was twenty-eight, and a native of Kansas who lived in Hawaii. He had flown in the Navy, barnstormed in nearly every state in the country and had moved to Hawaii to establish an air service. He was described as a short, slight man with a good sense of humor who didn't take himself too seriously. Schluter was a German from San Francisco who was on leave from the Charles Nelson Line steamship "City of Nome." The "Aloha" was a Breese built in the factory in San Francisco by Vance Breese, one of only three planes. One of the planes was part of an air mail line, the other was flown in the Dole Race by Livingston Irving as the "Pabco Pacific Flyer" and Jensen was able to buy the "Aloha" when Clair Vance, an air mail pilot was unable to come up with the money for the plane and the fees for the Dole Race. The Breese was designed by John K. Northrop and was a high wing monoplane with a deep-bellied fuselage. The "Aloha" was painted a bright yellow and had the great seal of Hawaii and a flower lei painted on the side. It had a total gas capacity of 380 gallons after installation of another tank in the fuselage. The plane was sponsored by various contributors in Hawaii, his wife having raised the money needed. The "Aloha" took off sixth on August 16th, right behind the "Miss Doran" and before the "Woolaroc." Reportedly, the flight was a bit hairy, with Jensen's instrument flying skills limited (although he was an okay night flyer). After several close calls on the trip, the "Aloha" finally landed at Wheeler Field, 28 hours and 16 minutes after leaving Oakland, two hours after Goebel and Davis in their plane the "Woolaroc" claimed first place. Jensen then won second. Jensen later tried to help in the search for the missing Dole participant the "Golden Eagle," which might have crashed into Mauna Loa. Jensen went on to set other flight records as well as develop airplanes and a helicopter and worked for Douglas Aircraft. He retired in San Diego. (Information provided by "The Dole Race" in the journal "American Aviation Historical Society" written by Lesley N. Forden, fall and winter 1975.)

Used: Oakland Tribune