The weather was uncooperative on a cross country flight that started on August 18, 1931 in the Stearman. "Dodged showers to Bluefield - over mountain country to Williamson! Cornered by storms - no way out - landing Lexington Stock Farm, Southeast of town." "Forced Landing, no visibility, electric storm, on course over Mt. Sterling. Took off two hours later." After some 40 minutes flying time, Aline landed "between storms at Bowman Field along with the mail." (Louisville, Kentucky).

Between September 15 and 30th, Aline set down at Mitchell Field to see a Polo game and participated in an air meet bomb dropping and dead stick landing contest.

Aline received her Transport License on December 23, 1931. The aircraft flown was a Fairchild 22 with Cirrus engine. The Goodyear Blimp, Resolute was flown by Aline over New York on November 15, 1932. Jimmy Doolittle was a passenger on a flight from Springfield, Massachusetts to Fairhaven. The aircraft flown was the Monocoupe 459W, the date, September 24, 1932. Apparently Jimmy was visiting the Granville Brothers factory with regard to their GeeBee racer.

October 30, 1934: "Lindbergh's ship - up with Peter, I flew it." The aircraft was Lindbergh's Monocoupe registered as NR211 with a Warner 145. This same aircraft is now hanging at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. (It has the wrong registration number on it...NX211 which was the Spirit's "N" number.)

Peter Brooks proposed to Aline in a Monocoupe. Peter was a well known race pilot and socialite during the 30's. The newleyweds flew a 17,500 mile honeymoon in separate Monocoupes. Can you imagine the adventures they had? They were described by a New York newspaper as a society couple who "lived, ate and drank aviation". They were divorced after just four years of marriage. Peter remarried and became an instructor at Emry Riddle Aviation Academy in Florida. He tragically ended his life by suicide.

Peter and Aline were backers of Don Luscombe. It was because of this association, that Luscombe moved his factory to Trenton, New Jersey. Peter had the only 125 Warner Monocoupe 90 series airplane ever built, NC19444. He also owned a clipped wing coupe, "Spirit of Dynamite." Aline flew the prototype Luscombe Phantom, 272Y at the Cleveland Air Races in the "Parade of Progress."

Aline received an English pilots license in 1936 and was the first American to obtain an Irish Commercial license in 1938. She was the first woman to solo from New York to Mexico City and return. She used the 90 hp Monocoupe. Quite a feat when you consider the elevation of Mexico City and the fact that she had seven suitcases stuffed into that little aircraft.

Involved in art seriously from the time she was 14, Aline studied in Mexico with Diego Rivera and taught him tempera while he taught her mural technique. She returned to Roosevelt Field and spent three years painting a 113' mural on the wall of Hangar F which told the whole story of aviation on Long Island, focusing on Roosevelt Field during the pre-Lindbergh era. It included all noted events, significant flights and important aircraft and personalities. When completed it depicted over 600 aviators and 268 types of aircraft covering the period 1909 through 1927. She later wrote that the most fun she got out of it was "when the old mechanics would come and watch for hours while I drew a picture of one of the old planes." Aline personally brought over an Italian art expert in 1960 to remove and save the mural before Hangar F was destroyed. She spent many months restoring mural panels in a store front window at the Roosevelt Field Mall, which now occupies the old airfield space. The mural now belongs to The Long Island Early Fliers Club. and is in storage. The club is trying to find a home for it, the problem being it's size, about 110x12 feet.

During World War II Aline distinguished herself as a driver and pilot for the French Ambulance Corps, was a member of the Women's Voluntary Service, England, 1939.She was a member of the 99's, the Aero Club of France plus a member of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Service.

Aline died of a chronic asthmatic condition on January 7, 1963 in a Palm Beach, Florida hospital. Her ashes were scattered from a plane into the sea.

Aline was a most unusual women for her day as a newspaper interview on May 31, 1940 illustrates: "I hit a man once, socked him in the nose - and it bled. He said that women weren't good for anything but having babies."

Movie taken by by Don Luscombe
From Keith Folkerts -Specials And Monocoups

Monocoupe 110 Special
Pete Brooks "Spirit of Dynamite"
145hp Warner,

Monocoupe 110, NC12345
Pete Brooks Original Owner
Serial #6W47, 1933

272Y,
Luscombe Phantom Prototype. Aline flew this airplane at the Cleveland Air Races, in the Parade of Progress

Aline Paints Her Mural, 1935

Aline, Peter
and the prototype Luscombe Phantom, 272Y

The Stinson Dealer
occupied Hangar F in 1937.

Part of the Rhonie Mural

Mural Image 2

Stearman 4D Jr. Speedmail, 796H Owned by Aline Rhonie Brooks. Could be North Beach Airport - Now LaGuardia, Queens New York. Photo: Courtesy of John A. Eney

Please Note:Mural Image Photos by Andy Yelaney, Long Island Early Fliers Club

Some Links Of Interest....