Register

Flying Tales of Flamingos and Waterfalls

Looking back at a forgotten monoplane and a quest for a 'river of gold.'

One of the airplanes flown by pioneering aviator Jimmie Angel. [Courtesy of Jimmie Angel Historical Project Archive]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article chronicles the largely forgotten "Flamingo" airplane, an all-metal, high-wing monoplane built in Ohio in the late 1920s and early 30s, with only 21 units produced before the Great Depression.
  • One of these Flamingos was acquired by Jimmie Angel, an adventurous barnstormer and pilot known for his mysterious past and his relentless pursuit of a fabled "river of gold" in Central and South America.
  • Angel became famously associated with Angel Falls in Venezuela after his 1937 attempt to land his Flamingo on the Auyan-tepui plateau resulted in a crash and an 11-day trek out of the jungle.
  • Despite never finding his "river of gold" or being the original discoverer of the falls, Jimmie Angel's daring expeditions cemented his legend, and his ashes were scattered over Angel Falls after his death in 1956.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Searching for information about Flamingos, I uncovered details about the beautiful pink bird and a hotel in Las Vegas, bearing the same name—the latter allegedly haunted by the ghost of mobster Bugsy Siegel. I should have been more specific in my query.

I was actually searching for details about the extinct and largely forgotten metal airplane built at Ohio’s Lunken Airport (KLUK) in the late 1920s and early ’30s, and, specifically, about the guy who flew it in the ’30s, searching for a “river of gold” in Central and South America. The airplane was similar to other high-wing, strut-braced cabin monoplanes of the era but all metal and larger.

Martha Lunken

Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE