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[[stamped]] FROM THE HAROLD & MARVEL MOREHOUSE AVIATION PIONEERS COLLECTION
NATIONAL AIR & SPACE MUSEUM[[stamped]]

CHARLES K. HAMILTON
Early Balloonist- Curtiss Exhibition Pilot

[[image]]

Charles K. Hamilton was born at New Britain, Connecticut May 30th, 1885. As a youth he was always trying to make a parachute jump or a hot air balloon. Then at a fair he succeeded in begging a ride in a balloon. In 1903, at age 15, he left home and toured the American southwest for two years as a hot air balloonist at Fairs and carnivals, using the assumed name of H. A. Wilton.

In March, 1905 Hamilton became associated with John J. Montgomery who was experimenting with man-carrying gliders at Santa Clara, California. There he made a series of balloon ascensions carrying one of Montgomery's gliders aloft with Daniel Maloney seated in the glider with means to release himself from the balloon at a desired altitude and then glide to a landing. The first such test, on March 16th, 1905, was followed by additional practice glides. On April 29th they gave a successful public demonstration of this spectacular early flying venture. Maloney cut loose from the balloon at 3,500 feet, then soared around the vicinity in large circles and landed without incident. On July 18th Maloney was killed when he attempted another glide from 2,000 feet, ending Hamilton's engagement there. On August 5th he became a kite pilot for Israel Ludlow of New York City who was experimenting with huge kite-like 

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