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[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamp]]

Bernard F. Roehrig
Early West Coast Plane Builder - Aviator

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Bernard F. Roehrig was born at Ithaca, New York July 4th, 1880. Information is lacking concerning his early life and education, but he developed an early inventive and business promotional interest. Before becoming interested in aviation he was trying to promote a new kerosene mantle lamp of his own invention.

It is not known when he moved to California, but there he developed an ardent interest in aviation and was convinced a fortune could be made in flying. After studying photos of the French Farman biplane in 1909 with a San Diego banker, L. A. Blochman, it was decided to build one. Roehrig engaged the services of German-American mechanic-engineer Rudolph Haselbauer to help with the construction and the work was done in the Baker Machine Company shop where Early Bird George Hallett worked; [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] he also assisted with the project.

The plane was completed during the early summer of 1910 and taken to Imperial Beach, south of San Diego, where Charles Walsh was also experimenting with his Curtiss-type plane. The Roehrig Farman-type machine was beautifully constructed, the top wing of 45 foot span, lower 34 feet, with Farman type landing gear, first powered by a 6-cylinder Cameron automobile engine.

At Imperial Beach considerable rivalry developed between Walsh and Roehrig

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[[image: Bernard F. Roehrig portrait]]