Image: 476th Pursuit Squadron, Long Beach Sun, September 25, 1929
The Black Falcons Arrive in Santa Barbara
Dateline: February 1925
Seven airplanes were scheduled to fly here from Clover Field in Santa Monica and land at the Casa Loma Airfield on Las Positas Road in Santa Barbara. The municipal field downtown (the Funk Zone) was flooded this time of year, so the planes had to make do with an out-of-town location. The planes were part of the 476th Pursuit Squadron, nicknamed the Black Falcons.
It wasn't clear what the purpose of this trip was, other than to attend a dance at the Arlington Hotel. "It was announced yesterday that they would attend the dance in the grill room Saturday night to decide for themselves whether or not Santa Barbara girls are better looking than those of Los Angeles."