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WILLIAM H. HILLIARD

An early auto race driver, William H. Hilliard won the Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, Hill Climb in the 1904 Glidden Tour, driving an English Napier car. That year, he was also the winner of a light car race at Savannah, Georgia. 

Hilliard started making some straightaway hops in the first Herring-Burgess plane on Plum Island about May 13, 1910. As a result Burgess apparently engaged him to continue these tests, and through this, he gradually taught himself to fly. It was not long until he was making flights of one and one-half miles or more. At first the plane took off on skids, then later wheels were added. Without a doubt he helped Burgess get started in the airplane business. 

In June, 1910, Hilliard was one of the founders of the Aeroplane Manufacturing Company in Boston for the manufacture and sale of planes. Incorporators were: William H. Hilliard, President; W. Ernest Timson of Lynn, Secretary and Treasurer, and C.F. Dutch of Boston, Attorney. During the summer months Hilliard was apparently making a constant succession of flights at Plum Island. The plane was now fitted with wheels and a French 2 cylinder 30 h.p. Clement-Bayard engine had been installed. A continual process of developmental changes was underway to improve the performance and handling characteristics of the plane. Both Hilliard and Burgess made amateur flights at

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FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE

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Photocopy of Page 1 with edits