­ "LEONARDO DA VINCI" LOG BOOKS Historic grouping of four log books from the historic aircraft "Leonardo da Vinci", the eighth airplane to make a transatlantic crossing in an attempt to fly non-stop from New York to Rome commencing May 14, 1934. The plane, piloted by CESARE SABELLI and co-piloted by GEORGE R. POND, was forced to land in Ireland due to machanical failures, and later continued to Rome where Sabelli was honored as the first Italian to fly across the Atlantic. We offer an exceptional lot of material, highlighted by the four logbooks carried aboard the "Leonardo da Vinci" during her historic flight. The first book is the "AIRCRAFT LOG BOOK" issued by makers Bellanca Aircraft Corp. Entries commence on Aug. 5, 1932 with routing flight tests, etc., with many such entries signed by Sabelli and a few others signed by co-pilot Pond. A blank page bears Pond's note: "May 1934 NEW YORK-ROME FLIGHT VIA IRELAND Left Floyd Bennett Airport Brooklyn NY 7:30 AM May 14th Landed Lahinch, County Clare Ireland 3:30 PM E.D.T. (New York Time) or 8:30 PM local time on May 15th 1934 - Flying time 31 hr distance 3200 miles" and boldly signed by Pond and Sabelli. The next two pages, each individually signed at conclusion by both aviators, read: "May 23, 1934 Repairs completed on landing gear right leg. Stabilizer control overhauled, brakes adjusted G.E. magnets compass overhauled - main rear gas tank lines inspected & found OK. Cock to carburetor and engine pump line found reversed and assembled to make its use impossible. Right wing navigation light replaced. Top of rear main tank was cut into during flight to allow gas to flow to front tank - the line to engine pump being completely blocked by reversed cock in line. Repairs to tank to be completed on arrival in Rome. The cock or valve was at 45 degrees off making its use impossible". A final page is unsigned, in Pond's hand, mentions that "Irish Free State" mechanics had cleared a fuel line and again mentioning the fuel cock which had been "tampered with". The second logbook is labeled "ENGINE LOG BOOK" with entries dating back to Mar. 13, 1931 when the plane was owned by another party. Pond and Sabelli likewise initial pre-flight entries, and on an undated page Pond pens and signs this statement: "Left Floyd Bennett Airport Brooklyn NY 7:30 AM May 14th Arrived Lahinch, County Clare Ireland May 15th 8:30 PM local time flying time 31 hours ; warming up 45 minutes. Propeller slightly bent in landing, carburetor extension casting top of carburetor broken - replaced by welded steel throat - will be replaced by factory made part in Rome". The next page, stamped by airport officials, shows the plane's departure from Cardiff and arrival in London on May 25th (also signed by Pond). The last entry, again penned and signed by Pond, speaks of the plane's destruction: "Left Rome Italy 7:00 AM Aug. 18, 1934 Montecalio Aeroporto for Dublin, Ireland, forced down on mountain in storm & fog, at 4:00 AM out of gas-22 hours flying time - at Newport Pem. Wales". The third logbook is also labeled "PILOTS LOG BOOK", essentially the same arrival as the other log books with arrival stamp dated nine days later, May 24, 1934, with a Dublin arrival notation, also signed by Pond and certified on the same date on the following page. The final May 24 entry is in the hand of and signed by a customs official: "Left Balsonnel for Rome No bags No passengers J. Mathews". Following a forced landing at Cardiff and a stop at London, the craft finally made Rome on June 11. The last log is an engine log book from previous owners of the aircraft. Although it appears that in at least three of the logs Pond wrote his entries a few days after his arrival, these are certainly the ONLY logbooks ever carried on the flight. Also included is a D.S. "Pilot's Declaration Clearance Outwards of Aircraft without Goods", 1p. 4to., Lahinch, May 24, 1934 signed by Sabelli, folds weak. Also sold with a 3" x 1" Bellanca Aircraft Corp. brass serial number plaque (un-numbered), undoubtedly once part of the aircraft and flown, a carbon copy of permission for the aircraft to proceed from Lympne Aerodrome [England] to Rome, June 11, 1934, and the original green canvas bag which held the logs. $2,000-$3,000